Before Lawrence Schimel’s LGBTQ+ children’s books were banned in Russia, the biggest problem he and his network of translators across the globe had faced was how to tackle a problematic butter substitute.
“In the original Spanish version,’ he explained, “I had rhymed ‘cocina’, which means kitchen, with ‘margarina’, meaning margarine, and thought nothing of it.
“When it came to the Swiss translation, our editor told me that they loved the book, but it simply could not be margarine instead of butter.
“Then in Israel, they only sell margarine in bricks, not the tubs we had in the illustration, so they changed it to houmous.
“I always love seeing the decisions that different translators make based on their culture and have always insisted they take as many liberties as they need to keep things fun and lively.”
The great margarine debate aside, the Rainbow Books series with illustrations by Elīna Braslina has blossomed into a huge success with adaptations for over 40 languages and 50 print editions, now including Scottish Gaelic and Scots.
The colourful pages tell the stories of both a young boy who finds himself awake before his mums and sisters and decides to start the day early alongside his feline friend, and a girl whose two dads help her to win back her teddy bear from a troublesome puppy so that she can make her way to bed.
They are charming and simple tales which would be no different from any other on a child’s bookshelf were it not for two sets of same-sex parents.
Acknowledging this Lawrence said: “We knew there were already books out there with LGBTQ+ characters in them, but most were about being different or overcoming homophobia.
“There was a lack of fun, joyful stories for early ages, so we decided to create our own.
“It’s important for kids in LGBTQ+ families to be able to see themselves in the books, but also for others too.
“Children normalize absences and if they’re not seeing this representation in their cultural media then they start to believe that some lives are more important than others.
“Reading these books is not going make any kids LGBTQ+.
“But hopefully, it will help them to grow up to be more understanding and less homophobic.”
Despite a firm belief in the importance of this message, Lawrence says that even he could not have anticipated the reach the books would go on to have and credits much of this to an incredible ‘sense of solidarity’ shown by the publishers, editors and translators who have helped the series spread far and wide.
While there has been plenty of cause for celebration, sadly not all countries have been as accepting of the inclusive themes within his pages.
The Rainbow Books were met with a furious backlash in 2021 as bookstores in Hungary were fined for selling the work without an explicit warning of its LGBTQ+ characters.
Under a new law, it could soon be the case that they are banned altogether throughout the country, as they were in Russia.
“The ban and fines were definitely a shock,” Lawrence said.
“I wasn’t living in either of these countries, but every day Elīna, our Russian translator and I would be attacked online, with some people saying that we should be shot.
“It was very hard emotionally for us, but so brave of my editors to stand up to the government and publish those books."
Lawrence is eager to stress that despite these difficult times, he has also experienced incredible support from the likes of Stonewall Cyrmru, who have donated a translated set of his books to every Welsh-speaking primary school across Wales.
After working with Stonewall, Lawrence reached out to fellow poet and writer Marcas Mac an Tuairneir in 2020 in the hopes of translating his stories into both Scots and Scottish Gaelic.
Looking back to their initial conversations Marcas said: “When Lawrence got in touch to ask if I’d be interested in translating his book I was instantly on board, without even seeing the thing.
“Over the years I’ve worked in many Gaelic-speaking communities and education systems so knew how much we needed it here.
“When I did get to read some of the other editions, I was struck by the beautiful simplicity of them.
“There was no introduction to any LGBTQ+ themes, just a mum and mum, dad and dad, the kids and their pets. Let’s go.
“Matthew Mackie, our Scots translator, is an absolute force of nature so to be able to run the two projects together and support each other felt really special.
“It showed that both Scots and Scottish Gaelic are as important as each other and should be celebrated, which is almost as important as the message of LGBTQ+ in the books themselves.”
The translations by Marcas and Matthew are now believed to be the first-ever LGBTQ+ children’s books to be produced in both Gaelic and Scots, published by Perth-based Tippermuir Books.
Supported by the Scottish Books Council and the Scottish Gaelic Book Trust, Guid Mornin! Guid Nicht! And Madainn Mhath! Oidche Mhath! have been praised as ‘much needed inclusive literature’ and are now available to purchase either directly from Tippermuir Books online or in bookshops across the country.
As Marcas prepares to take part in a show based on the stories alongside Scots translator Matthew at the Edinburgh International Book Festival next month, he said: “A book is a very special, tangible thing and I hope for the people who need it, it will become a part of their lives and something they can refer back to as they get older.
“If you’ll pardon the pun, it gives me a great sense of pride to know that a resource I’ve helped to create is out there for whoever needs it, whatever their age, family situation or what they are experiencing.”
Find Guid Mornin! Guid Nicht! and Madainn Mhath! Oidche Mhath! at the on the Tippermuir website here.
Rainbow Books: A Storytelling Adventure in Scots and Scottish Gaelic will take place on Saturday, August 26 and Sunday, 27 as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Find out more here.
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