Presentation of children's books: Colorful Flower and Sanja's first visit to the Puppet Theater

The literary program of the Mostar Spring 2025 – 27th Matica Hrvatska Mostar Day will open on Tuesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. in the Queen Katarina Kosača Gallery with the presentation of children's books Šareni cvitak and
Sanja's first visit to the Zdravka Mile Marijanović Puppet Theatre. The program, in addition to the author, features Sonja Jurić, Miljenka Koštro, Bruno Marijanović, Iris Tvrtković, Ante Markotić, the Belcanto Singing School and Misijana Brkić-Milinković.
The Colorful Flower is a collection of poems for children, reviewed by Miljenka Koštro and Sonja Jurić, and illustrated by Miroslav Šego.
– After a series of books and picture books, writer Zdravka Mila Marijanović adds another very interesting collection of poems for children entitled “Šareni cvitak” (The Colorful Flower), enriched with impressive illustrations by Miroslav Šega. The collection consists of four cycles: “From School Days”, “All Our Seasons”, “Family and Friends: My Refuge” and, fourthly, “The Power of God’s Love”. Writer Marijanović writes in a simple style, composing rhymes that give rhythm to the poems and easy-to-remember verses. She respects children’s sincerity and simplicity in their view of the world.

Each of her poems is a small world unto itself, and yet they are all connected by some invisible common thread. Without exaggerating in poetic expression, through the choice of motifs and moods, she achieves closeness with children. She remains faithful to her previous way of writing. With her naturalness, rhythm, choice of various themes and aesthetics, she strives to bring meaning to this intricate world.

The author is a mother and grandmother, which is felt in her verses – wrote, among others, reviewer Miljenka Koštro, – On the thematic and motif level, the author deals with a diverse selection of topics for children such as: starting the first grade of elementary school, birthday celebrations and gifts, children's joys, joint family,
warm gatherings and conversations, cats, sparrows and bears as playful children's friends, the arrival of spring, summer, autumn and winter through the prism of children's experiences, the anticipation of St. Nicholas, Christmas, Easter and First Communion, and themes for adults such as: memories of one's mother and childhood, love for children and grandchildren, friendship, freedom and life's bitterness (wormwood) and gratitude to God, which alludes to the religious note that the author nurtures throughout her literary work. In the world that she herself creates and exists as a lyrical subject, she skillfully combines her childhood memories and contemporary situations, evoking ancient emotions and current circumstances of growing up with cell phones, social networks and sports and other competitions - are the words of reviewer Sonja Jurić.

Sanja's First Trip to the Puppet Theater is a picture book for children, a warm and educational story accompanied by illustrations by Maja Rubinić. The reviewers are Ivana Ćurić and Ratko Bjelčić.
– Some events are so important to us that we remember them for the rest of our lives down to the smallest detail. That is certainly the case with that first trip to the theater. It is no small thing, and it is clear to the little girl Sanja who, accompanied by her teacher and other students from her school, headed from the schoolyard to the theater... As is usually the case, sometimes the fascination with beautiful content completely overwhelms us and we forget both the place and the time, and when it finally lets go of us, we realize how lost we are. How to react to that? Many of us would, without a doubt, be scared - seriously, and fear is a strong emotion that is very disturbing. It always takes great courage to face even the smallest fear, and whoever dares to do so is always rewarded with peace of mind. Peace once again opens the door to reason, which is now diligently seeking a solution to the problem, and then, we can be sure, luck will come to the rescue and no matter how big the problem is, it will be solved. The author, Dr. Zdravka Mila Marijanović, who, with her main character Sanja and her experience of facing fear, seeks to teach this important life lesson to all children who will be lucky enough to hold this beautiful picture book in their hands... - are the words of reviewer Ivana Ćurić.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Dr. Zdravka Mila Marijanović (née Markotić) was born on November 15, 1948 in Mostar. She is a wife and mother of two children. She completed elementary and secondary school in her hometown, and the Faculty of Medicine and specialization in radiology in Sarajevo. She completed her education in ultrasound diagnostics in Sarajevo and Zagreb, and she has dedicated her entire working life to the city on the Neretva River and its people. She began writing her first poems in elementary school and publishing them in children's magazines, and during her high school days she was awarded for a story in one of the competitions organized by the City of Mostar. Inspired by her grandchildren, she also began writing for children and young people. She published her works in the literary and educational magazine for young people Cvitak and the magazine for culture, science and social issues Motrišta. She publishes spiritual poems in the magazine Katolički tjednik. She has published the books: Nest of Love (Branch of Matica Hrvatska in Čitluk, 2020), Flower Story (Lijepa riječ, Tuzla, 2020), Doctor Grandma and Grandson Roko (Zdravo društvo, Mostar, 2021), Pearls of Life (Branch of Matica Hrvatska in Čitluk, 2022), Golden Words (Zdravo društvo Mostar and Matica Hrvatska Mostar, Mostar, 2023), Roko, Bruno and Fran at Grandma and Grandpa's (Zdravo društvo, Mostar, 2024) and Sanja's First Trip to the Puppet Theater (Zdravo društvo Mostar and Matica Hrvatska Mostar, Mostar, 2024). She is the winner of the Krešimir Šego Literary Award for 2021, which is awarded to the most successful authors - writers for young people in the field of poetry, short stories and plays for young people, and the Silver Charter of Matica Hrvatska for the picture book Golden Words. She is a member of the Society of Croatian Writers of Herceg Bosna.