Guest of the ilb 2006
Laura Gallego García was born near Valencia in 1977, and is one of the new voices in Spanish literature for children and younger readers. She began to write at the age of eleven and made her literary debut at the age of 21 with the mediaeval novel »Finis Mundi« (1999) which went on to win the Premio el Barco de Vapor in 1998. Since that time she has produced more than 15 novels, children’s books and picture books which have been published in the USA, Great Britain, Brazil, Korea and France as well as in other countries. In tandem to developing her talent as a writer, the best-selling author studied Spanish Language and Literature, alongside preparing for a doctorate. Gallego García’s texts are characterised by a symbiosis of history, fantasy, fairytale and magical realism. Her stories revolve not only around break-up, responsibility, loss, solitude and the potential for self-determination, but also around the realities of the lives of her young readers: first love, friendship and the search for one’s own path in life. »I believe that my books should raise more questions than they provide answers to, as I am unable to answer these questions myself. If my books have some type of message, it is to provide an invitation for reflection.«
2004 saw the publication of »Memorias de Idhún. La Resistencia« (t: Memories of Idhún. The resistance) which was the first part of a fantasy-saga trilogy about the distant magical land of Idhún and the exciting struggle of a small group of courageous rebels against the reign of terror imposed by the black magician Ashran. Against a backdrop featuring extraordinary magical creatures such as »Ayshels Baculus«, a magic wand, and dragons, unicorns and elves the author develops an emotive story of love, friendship, hatred and the search for identity carried out by the young heroes Jack, Victoria and the charismatic warrior Alsan. »El Mundo« commented that »the reader is absorbed into a veritable tempest of adventure, where Laura Gallego García once again displays her storyteller’s imagination«. In the style of Tolkien the author creates a whole topography, inventing planets, regions and peoples, and describing a unique flora and fauna. The second part of the Idhún trilogy »Tríada« (2005; t: Triad) was published in Germany in April 2007. The final volume of the trilogy is called »Panteón« (t: Pantheon), and was published in Spain in the autumn of 2006. »El valle de los lobos« (2000; Eng. »The Valley of the Wolves«, 2006) is the first part of a further trilogy published in Spain under the title »Crónicas de la Torre« (t: Chronicles of the tower). The volume presents the strangely gifted Dana, her invisible friend Kai, the elf Fenris and the dwarf chef Maritta, who all meet in the tower of a dangerous »master«.
Laura Gallego García has been awarded numerous prizes, including – for the second time – the Premio el Barco de Vapor (2001) for the novel »La leyenda del Rey Errante« (2002; Eng. »The Legend of the Wandering King«, 2005), which also received a commendation in the ALA Notable Children’s Book List (2005). The author lives near Valencia.
© internationales literaturfestival berlin
Laura Gallego García online: www.lauragallego.com
| 
