Guest of the ilb 2007
Vagelis Iliopoulos was born in
Athens in 1964, where he studied education and theology, and where he
today works as a primary school teacher. Since making his literary
début in 1995, over thirty of his picture books, texts for very young
readers, novels and retellings of myths have been published in Korea
and elsewhere. His reputation as one of the most popular contemporary
writers of children’s books in Greece was consolidated with the
award-winning children’s book series »O Trigonopsaroulis« (1997ff; t:
The little triangle fish), which recounts the adventures of a little
fish who is somehow different from all the other fish. Feisty,
optimistic and imaginative, the little triangular fish masters the many
unexpected situations he finds himself plunged into. He fights a giant
shark, escapes the nets of tricky fishermen, rescues a sea horse and
helps exotic fish escape captivity in aquariums. Whereas the tension in
classical fairy tales such as Andersen’s »Little Mermaid« emerges from
ontological differences between humans and animals, Iliopoulos’ heroes
exist in a miniature under water version of human society. The author
deftly manages to fill his tales of the little yellow fish's everyday
life under the ocean with socially relevant issues such as exclusion,
war and threats to the environment, and to include pleas for respect,
equal rights and tolerance. In a style at once simple and elegant
Iliopoulos presents the little triangle fish – now one of Greek
children's best-loved literary heroes – as an independent personality,
a proponent of humane values and pioneer in the struggle for an
ecologically-aware use of the oceans. »O Trigonopsaroulis« was included
in the IBBY list »Best Books for Young People with Disabilities« in
1998. The series was also used as part of a UNICEF schools' programme
in Greece, and has inspired film animations, puppet and stage shows,
and musicals.
Alongside his children’s books, Iliopoulos has
also written equally worthy novels for young adults. Together with the
Italian author Luciano Comida, he presented an ambitious book project,
Apo: Mikele, Pros: Foti« (t: From: Michele, to: Fotis) in 2004, which
was published at the same time in Greece and Italy. In a literary
ping-pong game the authors tell the stories of Michele from Trieste and
Fotis from Athens, who get to know each other as pen-friends. Through
letters, e-mails and text messages, the two thirteen-year olds exchange
their thoughts on football, girls, school and family, and confide their
secrets in one another. The apparent differences between the two
characters at the outset make the gradual disclosure of their
similarities, couched in the authentic narrative styles of the two
authors, all the more convincing, as the two boys share their search
for answers to the pressing issues of adolescence.
Vagelis Iliopoulos has made himself a reputation
as a journalist, translator, TV presenter and teacher. For six years he
was General Secretary of the Greek IBBY section, of which he is now
vice-president. He has received numerous awards for his wide-ranging
work, including the prize of the Women’s Literature Society. His
widely-praised children’s book »Kafe aidiastiko balaki« (2003; t: The
disgusting little brown ball), which tells the story of an Albanian
child refugee in Greece, was honoured by the literary magazine
»Diavazo« in 2004. The author lives with his family in Athens.
© international literature festival berlin
| 
