Children's Literature 
(b. 1977) – poet, prose writer, translator. Bargielska has had various jobs, including as a columnist for “Znak” and “Ruch Muzyczny”, a teacher of…
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Children's Literature
Poetry
Janina Porazińska
(1882–1971) – a poet, prose writer, translator of Scandinavian and Swedish-language literature and an editor.
In her childhood she often spent time with her grandparents, the Bielskis, in the town of Chrusta pod Łaskiem, where she encountered folk culture. She attended the boarding school run by her aunt, Natalia Porazińska, in Warsaw, where she finished secondary school.
She made her debut in 1903 with the lyrical prose of ‘Z życia kwiatów’ (From the Life of Flowers), published in the Wędrowiec weekly (no. 20). Porazińska devoted herself to children’s literature in particular. After 1905, she published works for children (including small works for stage) in Przyjaciel Dzieci and Wieczory Rodzinne. Around 1906, she left for Krakow, where she graduated from the two-year A. Baraniecki Advanced Courses for Women and studied for three years at the Nature Faculty of the Jagiellonian University. At the same time, she published works for children in Promyk (1909–10) and Promyczek (1910). Around 1911, she returned to Warsaw, where she began working with the editors of Przyjaciel Dzieci; in 1914, shortly before World War One broke out, she was made editor-in-chief. She also published in a women’s magazine: Tygodnik Mód i Powieści. During the war she was an underground school inspector in the Błonie region. In 1917, she and Róża Brzezińska founded a magazine for children, Płomyk, released as a free supplement to the Zorza weekly. In 1919, she began her long-running collaboration with magazines for children and young adults: Płomyk (until 1934), Płomyczek (until 1935, with pauses; here she signed her articles ‘B. Ziomkówna,’ ‘J. P.,’ ‘J. Por.’) and Moje Pisemko (until 1924).
In 1920, she became a member of the Professional Polish Writers’ Union (from 1949, the Polish Writers’ Union, or ZLP). In 1922–25, she worked at the public schooling department of the Ministry of Religious Faith and Public Education in Warsaw. In the following years, she devoted herself almost entirely to literature. She was editor-in-chief of children’s magazines: Płomyczek (1927–34), Słonko (1934–39) and Poranek (1938–39). Moreover, she published poems, dramatic pieces and fairy-tales for children in Młodzież PCK (1923–27), Teatr Ludowy (1923–24) and Wychowanie Przedszkolne (1926–36, with pauses).
In 1935, she joined the newly created Society of the Friends of Children’s Theatre. During the German occupation she kept on living in Warsaw, doing physical labour. She gave secret lessons. After the Warsaw Rising she spent some time in the Krakow area. After World War Two, she returned to Warsaw and continued her literary work. Being fond of Polish folklore, she drew inspiration for her own poetry and fairy-tales from her family stories, songs and legends. Her books have had an enthusiastic reception from generations of children, they have entered the canon of school readings and have been translated into many languages. Porazińska herself has been called one of the four ‘ladies of children’s literature’ (along with Ewa Szelburg-Zarembina, Maria Kownacka and Hanna Januszewska).
In 1923, Porazińska received first prize in the International Red Cross competition for children’s poems. In 1937, she was given the Silver Wawrzyn of the Polish Academy of Literature for spreading Polish literature. In 1950, she received the ZLP award for lifetime achievement for children, in 1953 the Chair of the Ministers’ Council award, and in 1957, the City of Warsaw award. In 1969, children awarded her with the Order of the Smile. She was also given the Officer’s Cross (1955) and the Commander’s Cross with the Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta (1966) and the Medal of the Commission of National Education (1968).
Bibliography
- W noc wiosenną. Baśń sceniczna w 3 odsłonach, Warsaw: Nakład red. „Przyjaciela Dzieci”, 1912.
- Krzywda nagrodzona. Komedyjka w 2 odsłonach, Warsaw: Drukarnia W. Łazarski, 1913.
- Małgosia w górach. Baśń sceniczna w 3 odsłonach dla odegrania przez dzieci lub też w szopce przez kukiełki, Warsaw: Księgarnia Ludowa J. Sikorskiej, 1917.
- Leśne duszki. Bajeczki, Warsaw: Księgarnia Ludowa J. Sikorskiej, 1917.
- Mali kosynierzy. Obrazek sceniczny w 2 odsłonach, Warsaw: Księgarnia Ludowa, 1917.
- Mądra kurka (Wiersze dla dzieci), Warsaw: Drukarnia W. Łazarski, 1917.
- Świnki podróżują (Opowieść prozą), Warsaw: Drukarnia W. Łazarski, 1917.
- O dziadku, co lazł po bobrze, aby mu się działo dobrze, Warsaw: M. Arct, 1918.
- O dziadku i babce, kogutku i kurce, lisie i wilku. Bajka, Warsaw: M. Arct, 1918.
- Przygoda koziołka, Warsaw: M. Arct, 1918.
- Baba Jaga. Baśń sceniczna w 4 odsłonach, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1924.
- W spalonym dworze. Opowiadanie z 1920, Warsaw: M. Arct, 1923.
- Czarodziejska fujarka. Bajka uscenizowana w 2 odsłonach, Warsaw: M. Arct, 1923.
- Kichuś majstra Lepigliny, Warsaw: M. Arct, 1924.
- W Wojtusiowej izbie [poetry], Warsaw: M. Arct, 1924.
- Zaśnij, oczko! Bajka uscenizowana, Warsaw: M. Arct, 1924.
- Dziewięć płaczek – nieboraczek, Lwów: K.S. Jakubowski, 1930.
- Moja Wólka, Warsaw: Biblioteka Polska 1925.
- Kopciuszek, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1929.
- Wesele Małgorzatki, Warsaw: M. Arct, 1927.
- Wesoła gromada. Opowiadanie z życia szkolnego, Warsaw: M. Arct, 1933 [n.d. 1932].
- O Franusiu z Pogwizdowa. Według pogadanki K. Krajewskiej, Warsaw: Wydawnictwo „Płomyczka”, 1931.
- Jaś i Kasia. Na motywach pieśni ludowej, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1933 [antydatowane 1932].
- Kto śpiewa, troski rozwiewa. Przysłowia i pogwarki polskie, opracowane dla młodzieży i dorosłych, Lwów: K.S. Jakubowski, 1934.
- Balbina i gawron. Opowieść prozą, Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Tygodnika dla Dzieci „Słonko”, 1937 [n.d. 1936].
- Legendy, Lwów: Państwowe Wydawnictwo Książek Szkolnych, 1937.
- Maciuś Skowronek, Lwów: Państwowe Wydawnictwo Książek Szkolnych 1937.
- Baśń o siedmiu krukach. Na wątkach baśni ludowej, Włocławek: Spółdzielcza Księgarnia Szkolna, 1938 [n.d. 1937].
- O dwunastu z Zapiecka, Warsaw: Czytelnik, 1946.
- Borówka [powieść], Warsaw: Syrena, 1947.
- Boża ścieżka królowej Kingi, Wrocław: Dobra Książka, 1947.
- Pleciugowe nowinki [poetry], Cracow: F. Pieczątkowski, 1947.
- O babulce, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1950.
- Za górami… za lasami… Polskie baśnie ludowe, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1952.
- Agata nogą zamiata, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1953.
- Niebieska dziewczynka, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1953.
- Smyku-smyku na patyku. Piosenki ludowe, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1953.
- Kacperek [poetry], Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1954.
- Psotki i śmieszki. Wybór wierszy z dawniejszych książek, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1955.
- Za trzydziewiątą rzeką. Baśnie ludu polskiego, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia 1955.
- Zuchwały strzyżyk. Polskie bajki ludowe o zwierzętach, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia 1955.
- Dwie Dorotki, Warsaw: RSW „Prasa-Książka-Ruch”, 1957.
- Kto mi dał skrzydła. Rzecz o Janie Kochanowskim. Dla starszych dzieci, Warsaw: Czytelnik, 1957.
- Pan Twardowski w Czupidłowie, Warsaw: Czytelnik, 1959.
- Tajemnicze butki, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1958.
- Czarodziejska księga. Baśnie, bajki, bajdurki, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1961.
- I w sto koni nie dogoni. Gawęda o moim dzieciństwie, Warsaw: Czytelnik, 1961.
- Starodzieje [short stories for children], Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1962.
- Pamiętnik Czarnego Noska. Spisała J. Porazińska, Warsaw: Czytelnik, 1964.
- Moja książeczka [children’s poetry], Warsaw: Czytelnik, 1967.
- Nad wiślaną wodą [children’s poetry], Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1971.
- Szewczyk Dratewka, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1973.
TRANSLATION WORKS AND ADAPTATIONS
from Finnish:
- Epopeja fińska. Pieśni zebrał E. Lönnrot. Dla dzieci polskich oprac. J. Porazińska, posłowie: K. Radziwiłł, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1958.
from Swedish:
- Selma Lagerlöf, Zamieniec [short story], Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia 1954.
- Zacharias Topelius, Sampo Lappelill, Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia 1957.
- Zacharias Topelius, Daleka podróż małego Lucka [short story], Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia 1958.
- Zacharias Topelius, Skrzat z zamku Abo [short story], Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1969.
- Zacharias Topelius, Perła Adalminy [short story], Warsaw: Nasza Księgarnia, 1973.
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