Knight Akul lived at the court of King Franz. He was a big, strong, and brave knight so the king chose him as his personal guard. King Franz was a rather unusual and somewhat clumsy king. His favourite thing in the world was playing games! He loved them so much that day and night, wherever he went, he had to have all the equipment for playing with him. There were phones, chargers, laptops, tablets, various consoles, and televisions.

After a while, knight Akul realized that no matter how hard he tried to keep the kingdom going, he could not save it from one thing. Namely, the king did not plan to marry, so the kingdom after King Franz would have no heir and would simply collapse. Akul had to somehow resolve this with the king, but he had a terrible menace working against him called – games.

Will the knight save his king from addiction and the kingdom from ruin? Find out in this humorous story (in which you may even recognize someone you know).

Author: Andrijana Martić
Andrijana Martić is a Croatian children’s book author from Vinkovci. She finds joy in writing for children, as it allows her to express her childhood desires, ideas, fears, and interests. She enjoys immersing herself in a world of imagination without strict rules, where creativity thrives. In 2020, she published her debut picture book, “Vitez Akul i kralj koji se preigrao” (“Knight Akul and the King Who Played Too Much”), illustrated by Ivana Guljašević Kuman. This humorous and educational story addresses the issue of video game addiction.
The book has been well-received, with readers praising its dynamic and entertaining narrative.
Andrijana continues to explore themes relevant to children, aiming to create engaging and meaningful stories that resonate with young readers.

Illustrator: Ivana Guljašević Kuman
Ivana Guljašević Kuman, born in 1970, is a Croatian illustrator, animator, and author. She graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, specializing in Graphics and Art Education, and studied Art History at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Since 2000, Ivana has been actively involved in creating animated films, producing over 40 works primarily aimed at children. Notably, she is the author of the award-winning animated film “Like a Miracle” and the 100-episode series “Danica,” produced for Croatian Television. In addition to animation, Ivana has illustrated approximately 50 books and picture books, receiving accolades such as the “Lice knjige” commendation for works like “Mali Mo” by A. Đokić and “Noina mačka” by S. Lovrenčić. Ivana’s storytelling extends to writing, where she has authored several comics published in children’s magazines.