Wer ist der deutsche Le Petit Nicolas?
September 19, 2014 8:37 AM Subscribe
My wife has a birthday coming up and I'd like to surprise her with a German book or two that she would be able to read... Eventually.
My wife has begun studying German, taking an intro level course at the university where she works. We both loved the Le Petit Nicolas series of books when we studied French years ago. For her birthday, I'd like to find her the German equivalent of that book series to go on the shelf next to all of her Sempé/Goscinny books. What would you all suggest?
I'm aware that she's nowehere near proficient enough in German to read at a level comparable to the French series. We were both wondering recently about what the German equivalent would be, so I thought I'd find out and surprise her.
Danke!
My wife has begun studying German, taking an intro level course at the university where she works. We both loved the Le Petit Nicolas series of books when we studied French years ago. For her birthday, I'd like to find her the German equivalent of that book series to go on the shelf next to all of her Sempé/Goscinny books. What would you all suggest?
I'm aware that she's nowehere near proficient enough in German to read at a level comparable to the French series. We were both wondering recently about what the German equivalent would be, so I thought I'd find out and surprise her.
Danke!
I came in to suggest Emile and the Detectives too! I read a translation as a kid and loved it to bits. I was thrilled when I learned enough German in college to read it.
posted by chatongriffes at 9:02 AM on September 19, 2014
posted by chatongriffes at 9:02 AM on September 19, 2014
Emil und die Dektetive and many other of Erich Kästner's works (e..g Der kleine Mann, Pünktchen und Anton, Das fliegende Klassenzimmer) are a good suggestions. There's also the beloved cartoon series Vater und Sohn (lots of strips are online), but these are actually without any words (apart from signs within the comic strips), which could be a plus or a minus.
Astrid Lindgren's works are extremely popular in Germany (e.g. Wir Kinder aus Bullerbü), and e.g. "Bullerbü" has become a shorthand for an idyllic rural childhood, but these are of course translated from Swedish.
posted by tecg at 10:52 AM on September 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Astrid Lindgren's works are extremely popular in Germany (e.g. Wir Kinder aus Bullerbü), and e.g. "Bullerbü" has become a shorthand for an idyllic rural childhood, but these are of course translated from Swedish.
posted by tecg at 10:52 AM on September 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Another suggestion would be the book The Treasure of the Sierra Madre by the mysterious B. Traven. It was actually first published in German as Der Schatz der Sierra Madre and you can find copies of the German version around.
posted by gudrun at 11:58 AM on September 19, 2014
posted by gudrun at 11:58 AM on September 19, 2014
Michael Ende's Momo should be easier to read than The Neverending Story. Several German editions here f'rex.
posted by sukeban at 12:44 PM on September 19, 2014
posted by sukeban at 12:44 PM on September 19, 2014
Second Erich Kästner. Although children's books can be surprisingly hard to read.
Otfried Preußler is also a name you could keep in mind. His work Die Kleine Hexe (The Little Witch) has recently undergone minor changes - I guess similar to what happened to Huckleberry Finn in the US.
posted by LoonyLovegood at 2:05 PM on September 19, 2014
Otfried Preußler is also a name you could keep in mind. His work Die Kleine Hexe (The Little Witch) has recently undergone minor changes - I guess similar to what happened to Huckleberry Finn in the US.
posted by LoonyLovegood at 2:05 PM on September 19, 2014
Janosch! His books are too adorable for words. Fairly easy for young readers, funny, not too sweet. Especially "Oh, Wie Schon Ist Panama" and "Der Wettlauf Zwischen Hase Und Igel."
I don't know the French books you mention, so I don't know if it's equivalent. But listen, just get these books. Do it now.
posted by evilmomlady at 2:07 PM on September 19, 2014
I don't know the French books you mention, so I don't know if it's equivalent. But listen, just get these books. Do it now.
posted by evilmomlady at 2:07 PM on September 19, 2014
The quasi kiddy story format of Le Petit Nicolas isn't easily found in a German version (although the translations of Nicolas are pretty decent, so the niche is occupied).
If you're looking for easy reads and are not afraid of actual children's books, the above recommended Erich Kästner books are great.
Otherwise der Räuber Hotzenplotz (I think there are three of them) or other stories from Preussler, or Michael Ende's early books about Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer, and Jim Knopf und die Wilde Dreizehn, respectively.
posted by Namlit at 2:07 PM on September 19, 2014
If you're looking for easy reads and are not afraid of actual children's books, the above recommended Erich Kästner books are great.
Otherwise der Räuber Hotzenplotz (I think there are three of them) or other stories from Preussler, or Michael Ende's early books about Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer, and Jim Knopf und die Wilde Dreizehn, respectively.
posted by Namlit at 2:07 PM on September 19, 2014
The first full length (children's) book I read in German was Momo by Michael Ende. The story was something that adults can enjoy on a level that maybe isn't there with the Emil books mentioned above. I'd say your wife should be able to read it slowly with a dictionary after maybe three semesters of german.
posted by lollusc at 6:11 PM on September 19, 2014
posted by lollusc at 6:11 PM on September 19, 2014
Seconding the children's books by Erich Kästner: Emil und die Detektive and Emil und die drei Zwillinge as well as Das doppelte Lottchen, Die Konferenz der Tiere, Der kleine Mann, Der kleine Mann und die kleine Miss, Pünktchen und Anton, Das fliegende Klassenzimmer.
If you want something really similar to Le petit Nicolas I'd suggest the Ella series by Timo Parvela. The author is Finnish, but the German translation is good, and the books are fun to read. Titles: Ella in der Schule, Ella in der zweiten Klasse, Ella auf Klassenfahrt, etc. There are at least ten books in the series that have been translated into German. These are fun for both kids and grown-ups.
posted by amf at 3:44 AM on September 20, 2014
If you want something really similar to Le petit Nicolas I'd suggest the Ella series by Timo Parvela. The author is Finnish, but the German translation is good, and the books are fun to read. Titles: Ella in der Schule, Ella in der zweiten Klasse, Ella auf Klassenfahrt, etc. There are at least ten books in the series that have been translated into German. These are fun for both kids and grown-ups.
posted by amf at 3:44 AM on September 20, 2014
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posted by gudrun at 8:57 AM on September 19, 2014