Niko Grafenauer (1940), a poet, fiction and non-fiction author, essayist and translator, is considered a classic author of Slovenian literature for children and youth. His work for children and youth entails humour derived from unusual turns of phrases and exaggerations, adding playfulness, wit and imagination to the content. In terms of motifs and themes, his writing is consistently laced with witty play and fantasy. Grafenauer’s Mahajana is considered one of the highlights of Slovenian writing for children and young people. The story is littered with allusions to a wide variety of protagonists from Slovenian and world literature and is structured as a cycle of four seasons. This makes it a truly remarkable narrative packed with symbols and fantastic elements, depicting the growing-up process of a tiny little girl Majhnica into a young girl: »She grew and grew, and with each new step in the future, she grew bigger and bigger until she finally grew up. But deep down in her soul, she remained a tiny little Majhnica, not knowing if all this was true or not. She really had to pause to relish fully her great new feeling.«

Selected passages from Mahajana will be read by members of the SNT Drama Ljubljana resident ensemble on Wednesday, 11 December at 17.00 at the Drama Café. Free tickets are available at the Drama box office. Book early to avoid disappointment.