★Children and Culture picture book series is a love letter to culture and art, and an invitation to adults to involve children in cultural institutions from an early age and introduce them to their content.
★A childhood rich in artistic and cultural activities is an important key to growing up because it builds the best foundations for the development of personal attitudes and values, critical thinking, and for children to become competent citizens who participate confidently in creating a better society.
★The great value of these picture books lies in their attempt to encourage children to be curious, to read, to learn, to explore, and to travel to diverse and wondrous worlds where written stories, stories of our heritage, and theatrical stories develop ideas and imagination.
★Full English translation available!

This series includes 3 titles:
Little kitty fell in love with the theatre
Little bear fell in love with the museum
Little bunny fell in love with the library

Mum and Robbie went to visit the museum. Robbie thought it would be boring, so he brought some toys to play with just in case. When they arrived at the museum, Robbie quickly took all the toys out of his backpack, but his mum ordered him to put them away immediately. In all this haste, Robbie put everything away except for one curious teddy bear. And so the bear was left all alone in a large and unfamiliar museum. Luckily, he was found by a kind curator with whom the bear spent the day in the museum and discovered incredible stories and objects and the magic of this wonderful place.

This picture book takes children through a space where our memories and stories of our past are preserved and live. The main character, a plush teddy bear, gets to know the departments of a museum, valuable collections and objects, interesting stories, and legends with the museum curator. By reading this story, children will get to know the museum as a place of learning, imagination, and beauty that they will enjoy visiting throughout their lives.

However, perhaps the greatest value of this picture book is in its attempt to encourage children to explore and be curious, to travel into a wondrous and interesting past that can stimulate imagination and creativity in the present.

The picture book is also our recognition to all museum experts and employees who work tirelessly to preserve the treasures of the past from ruin and oblivion and to encourage children’s love for heritage, culture, and art.

Author: Ivanka Ferenčić Martinčić
Ivanka Ferenčić Martinčić is a Croatian author, storyteller, and librarian, born in 1983 in the Podravina region, where she continues to live and work. She earned a dual degree in Library Science and Croatian Language and Literature from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Following her studies, she worked in various school and city libraries. In 2012, Ivanka published her first children’s book, and has written several picture books since then.
Her picture books were included in many projects that encourage reading among children and “Good Books for Children” lists.
In 2022, she ventured into adult fiction with her debut urban fantasy thriller, “Krv mojih predaka” (“Blood of My Ancestors”) which have turned into “Blood, Bones, and Ash” trilogy.
Ivanka is a certified heritage interpreter and has completed a year-long informal storytelling study, earning the title of Master Storyteller.

Illustrator: Nikolina Dinješ
Nikolina Dinješ is a Croatian illustrator and graphic designer from Osijek, specializing in children’s publishing. With over 16 years of experience in graphic design, she has honed her skills across all stages of prepress and is proficient in both digital and offset techniques. Her artistic journey has led her to collaborate on various projects, notably illustrating the children’s books. She masterfully uses colour, light, and shadow to capture the unique atmosphere and convey the characters’ emotions. Nikolina’s passion for aesthetics and illustration has connected her with diverse individuals and projects, resulting in positive societal and personal changes. She finds joy in creating illustrations for children, often drawing inspiration from their imaginative world. Beyond her professional endeavours, Nikolina is a mother of two beautiful daughters, who inspire her daily. She cherishes spending quality time with her family, whether it’s cooking delightful treats in the kitchen or organizing movie nights with popcorn.