The Case of Cieszyn and the 'Cat Gang'

Contemporary Polish children's literature
Oct 1, 2026 — 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Join Dr. Kristina Vorontsova (Jagiellonian University, Poland) for an engaging lecture on contemporary Polish children's literature.

Illustration of cats in different positions on a blue background. — Source: kociaszajka.pl

About the lecture

The Kocia Szajka (Cat Gang) series has become one of Poland’s most beloved contemporary works of children's literature, captivating young readers with its blend of mystery, humour and local history. This lecture explores the phenomenon of the series, examining how author Agata Romaniuk uses feline detectives, regional settings and engaging storytelling to introduce readers to questions of identity, community and cultural heritage. The discussion will also consider the growing popularity of the series and its place within contemporary Polish children's literature.

Dr. Kristina Vorontsova

guest Speaker

Kristina Vorontsova, a D. Litt. in the field of literary studies, author of 2 books and over 40 articles on the history of Russian, British, and Canadian literature, comparative literature, as well as translation studies. The topic of her doctoral dissertation was "Models of Space in the Poetry of Elena Shvarts (2013)", and the topic of her habilitation was "Supertexts of Russian Culture (2022)". Her research interests encompass Russophone poetry of the 19th to 21st centuries, issues of space in literary texts, the representation of Poland and Poles in Soviet and Anglophone cultures, figures of the Leningrad Second Culture, as well as the potential applications of postcolonial and queer perspectives in the analysis of Soviet literature.

Accessibility

If you require accommodation, please contact the event host as soon as possible.