Srce

One of the most popular and most appreciated Croatian editions of the famous Italian book Cuore (1886). This fourth edition by publisher Stjepan Kuglij is considered a classic of Croatian children's and youth literature from the early 20th century.

The book is written in the form of the diary of nine-year-old Enrico Botti, who during the school year in Turin records incidents from the classroom, stories from teachers and parents, and a series of educational and emotional stories about Italian children. De Amicis masterfully combines warmth, sentimentality, and an educational message, emphasizing values ​​such as friendship, solidarity, courage, respect for parents, patriotism, and helping the weak.

The most famous stories from the book (The Little Italian Scribe, The Sardinian Drummer, The Moonlight, The Blood of Romagna, etc.) have remained in the memory of Croatian readers for generations.

This edition is illustrated with 74 pictures, which makes it especially attractive to young readers. Of particular value is the dedication "Petar Kuničić presents it to our children" – Petar Kuničić was not only the donor but also the translator of this edition. His translation is considered one of the most successful early Croatian translations of Srce.

The book had a huge educational influence in Croatia at the beginning of the 20th century and was a favorite school and gift book. Although sometimes criticized today for excessive sentimentality, Srce remains a symbol of humanistic pedagogical literature of the 19th century and an indispensable classic of children's literature.