The Balkan Voyage: A Day at the Playground

Four friends, Milos, Milena, Alen and Jana, spend a sunny day at a playground in Belgrade: racing to the slide, playing tag and sharing ćevapi and burek on a picnic blanket. A warm story about friendship across the Balkans. 100% of profits support children in the region.

Paperback$19.99

Buy paperback

Hardcover$34.99

Buy hardcover

Shipping within the USA: $5 per package.
Also available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Ordering from Europe? Get it on Amazon.de.

Inside the book

A day full of play, food and friendship

Illustration: Milos, Milena, Alen and Jana eat sandwiches, burek and ćevapi on a picnic blanket under a tree — Picnic time: sandwiches, burek and ćevapi brought from home.

Illustration: Alen soars high on the playground swing — Alen on the big swing.

Illustration: the four friends hug goodbye at the playground — Saying goodbye, until next time.

Illustration: map of the Balkans with Belgrade, Jahorina, Šibenik, Durmitor and Ohrid — The adventure continues across the Balkans.

Why I wrote it

Friendship knows no boundaries

I had friends from various backgrounds: a Bosnian best friend in elementary school, a Croatian best friend during my teenage years, and Serbian and Macedonian friends in adulthood. These friendships inspired my book.

I want children, including my own, to see friendships across ethnic lines reflected in literature. Unfortunately, there are few, if any, children’s books that represent these realities.

Read the full story behind the book

About the author

Saveta Tomović Dubak

Co-founder of Charity for Balkan Children. Born and raised in Zurich, Switzerland, with roots in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Croatia, now based in Chicago.