A JOURNEY THROUGH BELARUSIAN CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE: A HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL OVERVIEW

Abstract

Belarusian literature, particularly works originally written in its national language, remains largely unknown within philological studies in Spain. This invisibility is even more pronounced in the case of literature aimed at children and young adults. This article seeks to introduce this body of work to a Spanish-speaking audience, highlighting its crucial role in preserving the Belarusian language and culture, shaping national identity, transmitting values, and, historically, in the processes of literacy promotion among the general population. This text offers a historical overview of children’s and young adult literature written in Belarusian, focusing on the effect that authoritarian rule had on its development (first of all, the limitations imposed by the Russian Empire, followed by the impact of the Soviet dictatorship and, from 1991, the hybrid regime that is currently in power). This text offers a brief analysis of some of Belarus’ most prominent authors, as well as an outline of the current state of the genre, including its challenges, distinctive features, and future prospects, as well as its international reach through translations and adaptations. Drawing on the author’s own translations, the article drafts a Belarusian children’s and youth literary canon and presents its historiography.