Zvonimir Balog

Zvonimir Balog (Sveti Petar Čvrstec, 30. V. 1932. - Zagreb, 2. XI. 2014.) was a Croatian writer, painter and sculptor, one of the key authors of Croatian children's literature of the second half of the 20th century. He graduated from the School of Applied Arts in Zagreb, studied at the Pedagogical Academy and worked in various jobs, from technical and fine arts to editorial, which is also felt in the breadth of his work. He is especially important as a writer and poet who liberated Croatian children's literature from didacticism and brought it closer to play, absurdity, rhythm, linguistic experimentation and imaginative inversion of everyday life. He is considered one of the founders of contemporary Croatian children's poetry.

He published a large number of books for children, among which the most notable are Invisible Iva (1970), I am a donkey (1973), Etiquette: How to avoid becoming a clown in 100 lessons (1986), Little stories about capital letters (1989) and a number of other titles that have marked several generations of readers. He also wrote poetry for adults - Equilibrium (1961), Ashes and ashes (1968), Recommended bird (1975), Fish on a bicycle (1977), Shush of a star (1997) - as well as humorous and satirical prose, including A view of the Earth (1988), and the novel for adults Predživot (2001).

Balog's style is recognizable by its playfulness, irony, sonority and free attitude towards language, and it is in children's literature that he has had his most lasting influence. His books are not only popular but also literary formative: they encourage children to read differently, to be curious about language, and to experience literature as a game of thought. He has received numerous awards, and in the history of Croatian literature he remains one of the most important and influential domestic authors for children.