Janja Vidmar is a Slovenian author. She is one of Slovenia’s most acclaimed authors of youth literature and is recently tackling adult literature as well. This is the third book from the Around the World collection and it tells a story from New Zealand, which the Maori people also call the Land of the White Cloud. In a place in the north of the South Island, a canoe competition is held every December. December is summer in New Zealand. The boy Mawaki wants to win, because after winning he will be called Tangaroa, god of the sea, just like his grandfather. As he rushes towards his destination, he notices the plight of a humpback whale, around which a fishing net has wrapped itself. He decides to help him, even if he misses out on victory. But soon the goodness is returned to him. This edition is made for deaf readers.

Janja Vidmar “Dežela Belega Oblaka”. Illustrated by Suzi Bricelj. Published by Deaf and hard of hearing clubs association of Slovenia in 2016. Donated to the library by Marta Leimane from Latvia who bought it in Slovakia ❤️

Photos by Anna Iltnere / Sea Library