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Abstract:

A common interest towards such topics as reading and relationships between an author and his work, a reader and a text unites the most famous writers of the German fantasy, whose works unfortunately are still not well-known enough among Russian literary scholars. It is possible to speak about a specific “book text” forming inside the German fantasy literature, with its characteristic themes, prob- lems, type of heroes, attitude towards the writing. First of all, “The Never-ending Story” by M. Ende belongs to such “book texts”. The later examples include the “Inkheart” series (2003–2008) by C. Funke and the duology by W. Moers “The City of Dreaming Books” (2004) and “The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books” (2011). Books are presented as valuable artifacts here, the characters are fierce book-lovers, and many of them are professionally connected with publishing, gathering or repairing books. The relationship between a reader and a book becomes the foundation of the plot in the works of both authors. For the main heroes books are their friends, advisers, refuge. Reading is regarded in these works as an activity that brightens up one’s life and strengthens ties between generations of a family. Emotional passages regarding the joy of reading aim to pass this view on books to a real young reader.