Rewriting Italian social issues in English translation: Renée Reggiani and her impact on children’s literature in the 1960s

Abstract

Translators of children’s literature often resort to manipulative strategies to meet the standards of children’s publishing in the receiving culture. This paper analyses the rewriting of two of Renée Reggiani’s works that address living conditions in the south of Italy during the 1960s. It argues that her image as a writer who broached topics considered taboo for a young audience has been softened in translation that omits sections of the target texts.