Janisch, Heinz 1960-

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Janisch, Heinz 1960-

PERSONAL:

Born 1960, in Güssing, Austria. Education: Graduate of the University of Vienna.

ADDRESSES:

Home and office—Vienna, Austria; Burgenland. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Children's book author and journalist. Ö-1 Redakteur (radio station), recording engineer and editor of series "Menschenbilder," beginning 1982.

MEMBER:

Grazer Autorenversammlung.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Federhasenpreis, 1996, for Benni und die sieben Löwen, and 2000, for Zack Bumm!; Österreichischer Förderungspreis, 1998; Kinderbuchpreis (Vienna, Austria), 2004, for Schenk mir Flügel, 2005, for Herr Jemineh hat Glück; Deutschen Jugendliteraturpreis nomination, Bologna Ragazzi Award, Auswahlliste Österreichischer Staatspreis for children's literature, and Buch des Monats prize, Instituts für Jugendliteratur, all 2006, all for Rote Wangen; LesePeter August award, 2006, for Ein Haus am Meer.

WRITINGS:

Vom Untergang der Sonne am frühen Morgen (stories), Umbruch (Mödling, Austria), 1989.

Mario, der Tagmaler, Neuer Breitschopf (Vienna, Austria), 1989.

(Reteller) Till Eulenspiegel, illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger, Neugebauer (Salzburg, Austria), 1990, translated by Anthea Bell as The Merry Pranks of Till Eulenspiegel, Picture Book Studio (Saxonville, MA), 1990.

Salbei & Brot: Gerüche der Kindheit, Verlag Austria (Vienna, Austria), 1992.

Gute Reise, Leo, illustrated by Eugen Sopko, St. Gabriel (Vienna, Austria), 1993.

Schon nähert sich das Meer (stories), Bibliothek der Provinz (Vienna, Austria), 1994.

Lobreden auf Dinge (stories), Bibliothek der Provinz (Vienna, Austria), 1994.

Ein Krokodil zuviel, illustrated by Gabriele Kernke, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 1994.

Nach Lissabon (stories), Bibliotek der Provinz, 1994.

(Reteller) Leben mit der Angst: vom Umgang mit Ängsten und Depressionen, Ueberreuter (Vienna, Austria), 1995.

Benni und die sieben Löwen, illustrated by Gabriele Kernke, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 1995.

Sarah und der Wundervogel, illustrated by Bernhard Oberdieck, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 1996.

Der rote Pirat und andere Rucksackgeschichten, St. Gabriel (Vienna, Austria), 1996.

Die Arche Noah, illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger, Neugebauer (Zurich, Germany), 1997, translated by Rosemary Lanning as Noah's Ark, North-South Books (New York, NY), 1997.

Josef ist im Büro oder der Weg nach Bethlehem, illustrated by Gabriele Kernke, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 1998.

Der Sonntagsriese, illustrated by Susanne Wechdorn, Jungbrunnen (Vienna, Austria), 1998.

Die Prinzessin auf dem Kürbis (stories), illustrated by Linda Wolfsgruber, Gabriel (Vienna, Austria), 1998.

Ich schenk dir einen Ton aus meinem Saxofon, illustrated by Linda Wolfsgruber, Jungbrunnen (Vienna, Austria), 1999.

Gesang, um den Schalf gefügig zu machen (stories), Bibliothek der Provinz (Vienna, Austria), 1999.

Heut bin ich stark, illustrated by Silke Brix-Henker, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 2000.

Zack Bumm!, illustrated by Helga Bansch, Jungbrunnen (Vienna, Austria), 2000.

Es gibt so Tage…, illustrated by Helga Bansch, Jungbrunner (Vienna, Austria), 2001.

Die Reise zu den Fliegenden Inseln, Jungbrunnen (Vienna, Austria), 2001.

Her mit den Prinzen!, illustrated by Birgit Antoni, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 2002.

Venn Anna Angst hat, illustrated by Barbara Jung, Junbrunnen (Vienna, Austria), 2002.

Zu Haus, illustrated by Helga Bansch, Jungbrunnen (Vienna, Austria), 2002.

Bärenhunger, illustrated by Helga Bansch, Jungbrunnen (Vienna, Austria), 2002.

(Reteller) The Fire: An Ethiopian Folk Tale, illustrated by Fabricio Vanden Broeck, translated by Shelley Tankaka, Douglas & McIntyre (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2002.

Ich bin noch gar nicht müde, illustrated by Gisela Dürr, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 2003.

Schenk mir Flügel, illustrated by Selda Marlin Soganci, Residenz (St. Pölten, Austria), 2003.

Her mit den Prinzen! (stories), illustrated by Birgit Antoni, Büchergilde Gutenberg (Vienna, Austria), 2003.

Einer für alle! Alle für einem!: eine Hasengeschichte, illustrated by Brigit Antoni, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 2004.

Ein ganz gewöhnlicher Montag, illustrated by Sabine Wiemers, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 2004.

Katzensprung, illustrated by Helga Bansch, Jungbrunnen (Vienna, Austria), 2004.

Der Prinz im Pyjama, illustrated by Birgit Antoni, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 2004.

Herr Jemineh hat Glück, illustrated by Selda Marlin Soganci, NP (Vienna, Austria), 2004.

Bist du morgen auch noch da?, illustrated by Julia Kaergel, Gabriel (Vienna, Austria), 2005.

Cleo in der Klemme, illustrated by Philippe Goossens, Nord-Süd (Zurich, Switzerland), 2005.

Drei Birken, illustrated by Marion Goedelt, NP (Vienna, Austria), 2005.

Heute will ich langsam sein, illustrated by Linda Wolfsgruber, Jungbrunnen (Vienna, Austria), 2005.

Rote Wangen, illustrated by Aljoscha Blau, Aufbau (Berlin, Germany), 2005.

Ho ruck!, illustrated by Carola Holland, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 2005, translation published as Heave Ho!, North-South (New York, NY), 2006.

Morgennatz und Ringelstern: Gedichte von Christian Morgenstern und Joachim Ringelnatz, illustrated by Christine Sormann, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 2005.

Die kluge Katze: die schösten Tiermärchen aus aller Welt, illustrated by Marion Goedelt, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 2006.

Ein Haus am Meer, illustrated by Helga Bansch, Jungbrunnen (Vienna, Austria), 2006.

Ich bin Flonx, illustrated by Selda Marlin Soganci, Residenz (Salzburg, Austria), 2006.

Der grosse Hu und die Farben der Menschen, illustrated by Marion Goedlet, Sauerländer (Düsseldorf, Germany), 2006.

Über die Liebe, illustrated by Silke Leffler, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 2006.

Der Stärske von allen!, illustrated by Daniela Bunge, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 2006.

Krone sucht König, illustrated by Helga Bansch, Jungbrunnen (Vienna, Austria), 2006.

Einfach du, illustrated by Jutta Bauer, Sanssouci (Munich, Germany), 2006.

Der Tod auf Urlaub: Wegen Urlaub geschlossen!, illustrated by Herwig Zens, Kunsthander (Vienna, Austria), 2006.

Rittergeschichten, illustrated by Birgit Antoni, Ravensburger (Ravensburg, Germany), 2007.

Wenn ich nachts nicht schlafen kann, illustrated by Helga Bansch, Jungbrunnen (Vienna, Austria), 2007.

Der Ritt auf dem Seepferd: alte und durch wundersame Zufälle neu entdeckte Schriften über die unglaublichen Abenteuer des Carl Friedrich Hieronymus Freiherr von Münchausen, illustrated by Aljoscha Blau, Aufbau (Berlin, Germany), 2007.

Zeppelin: ein Geschichte, illustrated by Heide Stöllinger, Bajazzo (Zurich, Switzerland), 2007.

Schatten, illustrated by Artem, Bajazzo (Zurich, Switzerland), 2007.

Lilli und die Dschunglebande, illustrated by Frauke Weldin, Nord-Süd (Zurich, Switzerland), 2007.

Eine Wolke in meinem Bett, illustrated by Isabel Pin, Aufbau (Berlin, Germany), 2007.

Der großse Gustav und die kleinste Frau der Welt, illustrated by Karsten Teich, Terzio (Munich, Germany), 2007.

Ich hab ein kleines Problem, sagt der Bär, illustrated by Silke Leffler, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 2007.

Der kleine Nikolaus, illustrated by Evelyn Daviddi, Betz (Vienna, Austria), 2007.

Author's works have been translated into several languages, including Spanish, French, and Swedish.

SIDELIGHTS:

Heinz Janisch, the author of books for both children and adults, is known for his skill as a storyteller and the lyricism he brings to his picture-book texts. Many of his stories for young children feature familiar objects made strange; in Ich schenk dir einen Ton aus meinem Saxofon, for example, a house with a headache moves to the country, and a frog decides to travel to Africa. In Die Prinzessin auf dem Kürbis, he turns the tables on the traditional story about the princess and the pea, while Zack bumm! follows a young bird who can only croak a strange, meaningless phrase after a fall from his nest, until he finds help from a wise rabbit. Janisch's books, which have become beloved by many children around the world in translation, have also received awards in the author's native Austria as well as elsewhere. Among the titles available in English translation are The Merry Pranks of Till Eulenspiegel, Noah's Ark, and Heave Ho!

Born in Güssing, Austria, in 1960, Janisch studied German literature and journalism at the University of Vienna, then hired on as a program engineer at Ö1-Redakteur radio. His picture book Mario, der Tagmaler, was published in 1989, beginning his prolific career as a writer. One of his early works, a retelling of classic German folktales that was published in translation as The Merry Pranks of Till Eulenspiegel, was described by a Publishers Weekly reviewer as "distinctly quaint and European." The book is also notable for its illustrations by Hans Christian Andersen Medalist Lisbeth Zwerger, and represents one of several collaborations between author and illustrator. Another is Noah's Ark, which features Janisch's adaptation of the biblical story. Noting that Janisch's version is "far more ominous" than other retellings for children, Horn Book reviewer Lauren Adams nonetheless concluded that Noah's Ark "effectively maintains the awesome and reverential tone of the original." Animals return in Heave Ho!, a more humorous outing that features cartoon art by Carola Holland. Within only a dozen sentences, Janisch tells an animated tale about a cat, mouse, and dog that, according to a Kirkus Reviews writer, features "a clever concept" that effectively communicates "a subtle message of teamwork."

In Fire: An Ethiopian Folk Tale, Janisch joins with noted Mexican illustrator Fabricio vVnden Broeck to tell an African story with universal meaning. Author and illustrator met during an International Board on Books for Young People congress, when Janisch told the story to rapt audiences. Vanden Broeck, attending as an award finalist, agreed to create paintings to illustrate the tale. Fire focuses on a loyal slave who has worked for his master for many years. When the slave finally requests his freedom, the unappreciative master agrees to the request only if the slave performs a seemingly impossible task: climbing to a snow-topped mountain peak and spending the frigid night there, with neither clothing nor shelter. Fortunately, a wise friend comes to the slave's aid, leading readers to a conclusion that Hazel Rochman deemed "elemental" and "powerful" in her Booklist review.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, October 1, 1997, Susan Dove Lempke, review of Noah's Ark, p. 323; December 15, 2002, Hazel Rochman, review of The Fire: An Ethiopian Folk Tale, p. 764.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, December, 1997, review of Noah's Ark, p. 115; February, 2003, review of The Fire, p. 239.

Canadian Review of Materials, November 15, 2002, Denise Wier, review of The Fire.

Horn Book, March-April, 1991, Ethel L. Heins, review of The Merry Pranks of Till Eulenspiegel, p. 210; March-April, 1998, Lauren Adams, review of Noah's Ark, p. 213.

Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2006, review of Heave Ho!, p. 844.

Publishers Weekly, November 16, 1990, review of The Merry Pranks of Till Eulenspiegel, p. 56.

School Library Journal, June, 1991, review of The Merry Pranks of Till Eulenspiegel, p. 94; November, 1997, Kathy Piehl, review of Noah's Ark, p. 84; February, 2003, Grace Oliff, review of The Fire, p. 134; November, 2006, Teresa Pfeifer, review of Heave Ho!, p. 97.