Tanja Komadina, art editor, and Irena Matko Lukan, children's literature editor, will speak on the power of images and words from their editorial experience – discussing the sound of images and the imagery of words. Alongside illustrations, stories and poetry, they will reflect on quality books for the youngest audiences. A good picture book is a harmony of words and visuals. The books read in childhood have a profound influence on us, both the bad and the great, and the type of books children pick up matters a lot. When we read or tell stories together, watch pictures, talk narratives, we're engaged in a shared activity that fosters true connection. The emotional bonds forged then remain significant for a lifetime.
Tanja Komadina is an illustrator and comic book artist. In 2020 she joined the editorial team at the Mladinska Knjiga Publishing House, where she works as an art editor. She studied visual communication at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana. She dedicates her work to content for children and youth in the fields of educational columns, comics, textbooks and, above all, literature. She has received awards and prizes for her illustrations.
Irena Matko Lukan was the editor of Ciciban and Cicido magazines from 1999 to 2013, and is now the children's literature editor at Mladinska Knjiga. She edits at least thirty books for children and their significant adults yearly. Her editorial care is especially devoted to Slovenian original fiction for children, and her expertise lies in children's content and the importance of reading and storytelling. She also collaborates with Kinodvor cinema.
