A new English translation of the beloved Polish classic “Awantura o Basie” (“The Twelfth Grade Devil”), by Kornel Makuszyński, has just been released on Amazon.

Five-year-old Basia’s father vanishes without a trace in a South American jungle. When she loses her mother in a tragic accident, she is taken in by a kind doctor and his wife. Sent on a train to Warsaw to be cared for by a new guardian, Basia’s fate takes a twist when an address meant to guide her is damaged beyond recognition. An old actor and his friend, determined to help, make a few missteps in deciphering the address, and Basia ends up in the wrong home…

Kornel Makuszyński (1884–1953), one of Poland’s most beloved poets and writers of the early twentieth century, was a member of the prestigious Polish Academy of Literature. His many pursuits included managing a theatre and writing literary criticism, yet his heart belonged above all to the world of children’s literature.

Gifted with a masterful command of the Polish language and a rich background in the humanities, Makuszyński created works of enduring charm and literary merit. His books sparkle with witty similes and allusions to Polish traditions, classical history, and European literature. They are as brisk and adventurous in plot as they are poetic in form—brimming with vivid settings and memorable, spirited characters.

Among his most celebrated titles are Awantura o Basię (Argument about Basia), Szatan z siódmej klasy (The Twelfth Grade Devil), Szaleństwa panny Ewy (Miss Eva’s Folly), and the comic series Koziołek Matołek (Silly the Billy-Goat), all of which have secured a cherished place in the Polish literary canon. As one critic fondly remarked, Makuszyński’s books are read by people from five to one hundred.

Argument about Basia was first published in 1937 and quickly won the hearts of young readers across Poland. Its enduring popularity has led to numerous reprints, two film adaptations (1959 and 1995), and a television series.

To find out more and purchase the book, see HERE