Monday, May 27, 2019

A Library in Québec & a French Translation of Love That Dog



Perhaps one doesn't think of a public library as thrilling...
but I WAS thrilled 
visiting the newly rennovated Bibliothèque Gabrielle-Roy 
in a lower, non-touristic section of hilly Québec City.
I found a French version of a favorite all-time book, 
Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech.

They totally changed the title. 
Translation is such a subjective art form. 
 They added illustrations. I did not prefer this.
The beauty of the non-illustrated original is 
in the words & the story.
They added borders & changed the location of the poem
"The Red Wheelbarrow".
I did not prefer this either.
The original book is pure & unadorned. 
The formatting & the white of the page 
work beautifully with the story, which is in verse.

Do read Love That Dog & you'll see!

(Like Jack in the story, I'm enjoying expressing my opinions!)



It's a beautiful book for adults, as well as for children.
 Poetry is the art form I least understood in school. 
The wonderful Miss Stretchberry, through Love That Dog
has helped me as an adult to understand more!
It says that Sharon Creech is an award winning author. 
But, unlike in the English version,
 it omits the information that she was a teacher. 
That is so important to this book! 
Love That Dog is used in many classrooms, 
along with her other books. It is about teaching,
finding one's voice, expressing oneself through writing,
feeling, learning, growing...

(See her website & her social media 
for more about teaching with her books.) 

My complaints aside, 
I'm thrilled that French language readers
have the chance to love this book by Sharon Creech
& that I found it at Bibliothèque Gabriel Roy in Québec!


8 comments:

  1. Hello, I like visiting libraries, they are welcoming for me. It is a shame they left out the Author's info when translating the Love that Dog book. I am sure she was a wonderful teacher. Thanks for visiting my blog. Enjoy your day, wishing you a happy new week!

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  2. So sweet!!! Thank goodness for libraries and library cards! Especially on super hot and super cold days when a book is all one wants to cuddle with!

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  3. I absolutely love Love That Dog--it is one of my favorites, too. And I also find public libraries thrilling. We are kindred spirits.

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  4. Sounds like the perfect storm of JOY for you - books, kids, french and Quebec.

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  5. Sounds exactly like your cuppa:):):)

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  6. Rita - wow I would love to see that library. Libraries are just the best...I am right now sitting in our small hometown one enjoying catching up on your blog. Where have I been...going to look for Sharon Creech's book "Love that Dog" while I am here today. Hope you are having a delightful day friend. Hugs!

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  7. Love that you found this French edition of Love That Dog in this beautiful library and I love your responses to it! xx

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  8. I have never heard of that book. But now I will need to find it, especially to share with our dog-loving baby grand! Thanks, Rita, and for stopping by, too!

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Thank you for your comments! They mean a lot to me!