Lost in Adaptation

This chapter examines how Persian children's literature has been reshaped through translation and adaptation and highlights the cultural, political, and ethical choices that influence the transformation of source texts. It focuses on examples such as substituting foreign proper names with familiar Persian names and replacing European food items with local alternatives. The chapter highlights the role of translators as cultural mediators who negotiate between fidelity to the original and sensitivity to the target audience. By comparing various editions over time, it illustrates how adaptations simultaneously preserve and alter meaning in response to cultural norms, ideological pressures, and evolving perceptions of childhood. Ultimately, it demonstrates that what may appear as minor textual changes are, in fact, powerful markers of identity, authority, and cultural negotiation in the reception of global children's classics in Iran.