Juan Hormiga – Gustavo Roldan
Juan Hormiga by Gustavo Roldan, translated by Robert Croll / ISBN 9781939810823 / 64-page hardcover, 10 x 11 inches, from Elsewhere Editions (kids book line from Archipelago)
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“Juan Hormiga is finally available in English, and thank goodness! . . . Whimsical, charming, fun, adorable, the whole nine yards of illustration and description . . . Juan Hormiga is a jewel of a story. It has everything my kids and I want from a book.” — Juanita Giles, NPR.org
A whimsical tale in which family lore inspires newfound daring, told by Argentina’s sleepiest ant
Juan Hormiga, the greatest storyteller of his entire anthill, loves to recount his fearless grandfather’s adventures. When Juan and his fellow ants gather around for storytime, he hypnotizes all with tales of his grandfather’s many exploits – including his escape from an eagle’s talons and the time he leapt from a tree with just a leaf for a parachute. When he’s through telling these tales, Juan loves to cozy up for a nice long nap. He’s such a serious napper that he takes up to ten siestas every day! Though well loved by his ant friends, Juan decides telling tales and sleeping aren’t quite enough for him – it’s time to set off on his own adventure. With whimsical, irresistible illustrations, Juan Hormiga affirms the joys of sharing stories, and of creating your own out in the world.
Gustavo Roldán was born Argentina in 1965. His illustrations are widely published, and he has been exhibiting his work since 1985. His books have been published in numerous countries including Mexico, Belgium, Spain, The Netherlands, Brazil, Korea, and Switzerland and have earned him recognition from A.L.I.J.A. (Argentine IBBY), the Prix Octogone (CIELJ, France), and inclusion in the White Ravens catalogue created by the Judendbibliothek in Munich, Germany. His other books with A buen paso publishing house include El señor G (translated into six languages), Historias de Conejo y Elefante, and Juan Hormiga, both also published internationally. He currently lives in Barcelona, where he is a contributor to several publishing houses. ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR: Robert Croll is a writer, translator, musician, and visual artist from Asheville, North Carolina. He first came to translation during his undergraduate studies at Amherst College, where he focused on Julio Cortázar’s short fiction. His translations include The Diaries of Emilio Renzi by Ricardo Piglia, published by Restless Books.
