children - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 2012 - 62 Euro Cent

Exactly 40 years ago, in 1972, the publisher "Jungbrunnen" published an absolute children's book classic: "The little I-am-I" by Mira Lobe (text) and Susi Weigel (drawings). In the same year, Mira Lobe received the Austrian State Prize for Children's and Youth Literature. With this special stamp, this bestseller, which has been popular for at least two generations, is awarded philatelic recognition. To the content: The little I-am-I is a small, undefinable, colorful animal, which is in search of their own identity. Desperately it asks all sorts of animals if anyone knows who it is. Some rhymed and drawn pages further, it hits the realization suddenly like lightning. The strange red and white checkered animal now knows: "Surely there is me: I am me!" The little I am glad I am and immediately passes on his knowledge to all other living beings. The pedagogical content is clear: in the search for oneself, ideally, the determination to be an independent person takes place - and, consequently, the right to be happy about it! The linguistic definition and the possibility of "classifying" are not so important - I am just me, equipped with the so important for the further development of the child's self-confidence. This is also expressed at the end of the text, where it is fair, children's humor, means: "Who does not know that is stupid. Bumm. "Of course, the craft instructions in the book are particularly popular, with the help of which one can make an ego-myself - something that has been and is practiced a thousand times in kindergartens and elementary schools. Mira Lobe, actually Hilde Mirjam Rosenthal (1913 - 1995) was a well-known Austrian children's book author who was often honored for her work. Her books are always characterized by warmth, affection, patience, understanding, commitment and tolerance; Consistency and tension in the plot characterize their stories as well as the precise portrayal of the acting characters. She combined subtle language skills, humor and entertainment in a virtuoso way with pedagogically valuable content. Together with Susi Weigel (1914-1990), animator, graphic artist and children's book illustrator, Mira Lobe formed a congenial author duo. In addition to the little I-am-I created several other classics of children's literature, such as "The Omama in the apple tree" or "The city around it". In the spring of 2010, the Women's Museum Hittisau hosted an exhibition on Susi Weigel. Her work, according to the accompanying text, "shaped the imagination of several generations of children".