Loti Petrovits-Androutsopoulou: conversation with the 6th Grade students of the 1st Primary School of Kalambaka

On the morning of Monday, May 23, the 6th Grade students of the 1st Primary School of Kalabaka had the pleasure of speaking online with a writer who has left a lasting mark on contemporary Greek children’s literature, Mrs. Loti Petrovits-Androutsopoulou.

The students had previously studied texts by the award-winning author, which led them to have many questions about the themes and characters in her books. Mrs. Petrovits talked with the children, answered their questions, and spoke about the influence that war, occupation, fear, and deprivation had on her and on her writing journey. She confessed that she began creating her own stories from a very young age, in order to have companionship during the difficult circumstances she experienced. All these elements are reflected in her autobiographical short stories, as well as in her work as a whole.

She also mentioned her work with the Greek Mission of the International Organization for Migration, where she contributed to the protection of migrants and refugees, the knowledge she gained, and the experiences she lived during her years of service there. She emphasized that many of her books deal with issues of racism and displacement, as they are inspired by what she witnessed and experienced, and they express what she believes based on first-hand experience.

Finally, Mrs. Petrovits spoke about her love for literature and advised the children to continue reading, because the development of imagination is very important for the rest of their lives.

We thank Mrs. Petrovits-Androutsopoulou for the pleasure of speaking with her, as well as Patakis Publishers for their cooperation.