Jury for the "Dragan Radulović" Literary Award: Dragana Kršenković Brković, president, Šimo Ešić, Svetlana Kalezić Radonjić, Dušanka Popović, Valentina Radulović - members, decided to award this award to the writer Snježani Babić Visnjić for the book “The Flying House of Mr. Prosperius”, published by “Semafora” Publishing House from Zagreb. The book was enriched with illustrations by Nina Ivanovic.
From a large number of valuable literary works with different themes and styles, several titles stood out: "The Flying House of Mr. Prosperius" by Snježana Babić Višnjić (Semafora Publishing House from Zagreb), "Veverpuh" Miloš Mihailović (Pčelica Publishing House DOO from Čačak) and "Z as a riddle" Aljoša Vuković (Semafora Publishing House from Zagreb). The jury members decided by majority vote that the "Dragan Radulović" literary award for 2025 should be awarded to the book "The Flying House of Mr. Prosperius".
"The Flying House of Mr. Prosperius" is a contemporary story about a girl, Nora, and her friend, Darin. This cheerful book talks about big and serious topics - about loneliness, sadness, and nostalgia, about the stratification of society and the dangerous consequences of growing inequality, about insufficient communication that distances even the closest family members, about domestic violence to which modern society has no adequate response, but also about the power of friendship, love, and hope. Full of wonders amidst the gray and uninteresting everyday life, Nora's adventure is reminiscent of stories about a journey into the unknown. There are also illustrations by Nina Ivanović, which complement the story.
When Nora's dad lost his job and went to Ireland "to visit his brother," as they explained to Nina about her father's absence, she soon realized that everything had changed in her home. Immersed in her thoughts, visibly losing weight, her mom seemed to no longer hear her. And Nora's days at school were long and monotonous. She became disinterested, aggressive at times, constantly in conflict with her surroundings. And then everything changed. Someone was "weirder than her" - it was Darin, the new student.
Hanging out with the sad boy Darin, who lived with his dad in a flying house, opened up a strange and mysterious world for Nora. She discovered real wonders, as confusing as they were attractive: magic walls, a secret door or a prototype of a new carousel/elevator... When she learned about Darin's secret - that he was running away with Dr. Prosperius from his biological father, who had injured his leg in childhood, she was ready for a new adventure - a long journey to Bangkok.
Overlaying the harsh reality with imagination and fairy-tale wonders, the author suggestively describes the heroine's inner journey through her own experience of what she has read and imagined, as well as interpersonal relationships and the world of adults, who often have no ear for children's suffering and dreams... A vivid literary work that suggests to children, but also to adults, that we can create a world in which the impossible becomes possible.
The award will be presented to Snježana Babić Višnjić on Thursday, April 24, as part of the ceremonial program of the "Dragan Radulović Days" event.
Bonus video:
