Malý čtenář magazine

The Malý čtenář (The Little Reader) magazine was published between the years of 1882 and 1941. At that time, this was one of the most significant Czech magazines for children and young people. The magazine altered during its existence. Poetry, fiction, nonfiction articles, games, jokes and puzzles remained its constant theme. The magazine was founded by teachers from Poděbrady. Its original role was to present school teaching through more fun and entertainment. Nonfiction articles played a significant role in the early years of the magazine. A big change for the existence of the magazine meant a transition to J. R. Vilímek publishing in 1888. In the 90s of the 19th century, the magazine became a more serious publication, primarily due to its incorporation of high quality poetry. Among the authors of the poems appears Josef Vaclav Sládek, who is regarded as the founder of Czech poetry for children. In these years, the magazine also aimed to appeal to a new target group of readers: adolescent school boys. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the ratio between poetry and prose in Malý čtenář gradually balanced. A key figure in the magazine, František Serafínský Procházka, took the main role in poetry. Prose came with longer serial stories with elements of realism; more fairy tales also appeared...