The author, Maribor local Maja Brodschneider Kotnik, based her picture book on the legend of the brave Little Shoemaker, who saved his town from the Turks. The shoemaker was no giant, like Martin Krpan for example, but rather a simple boy. The moral of the story is more than apparent: courage and heart always overcome evil and power. At the same time the picture book aims to increase the self-confidence of its target audience and present the history of Maribor in an understandable manner. The tale is very suitable for the promotion of Maribor, as the fact that the town was very effective in warding off the Turkish invasions is often forgotten. The illustrations were provided by Kiki Omerzel, whose drawings are an excellent depiction 16th century Maribor. The most prominent feature of the picture book is its interactive approach, as it gives the child a chance to discover the story independently and search for hidden parts of the picture book. The picture book also features a description of historical events during the Turkish siege, written by Andrej Hozjan.
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