Zrinski

By Galia Zinko

A grumpy old count, a strange strawberry, and the memories that change everything.

Count Zrinski spends his days brooding in a crumbling castle, complaining about cold porridge, drafty halls, and the sunshine that dares to sneak through his windows. Only Nikola, his endlessly patient butler, stays by his side--until one extraordinary afternoon, when a single strawberry grows in the castle's abandoned garden. Not just any strawberry, but one with four leaves instead of three.

When the count takes a bite, the world comes rushing back: the scent of lavender from his mother's hands, his first love's laughter, the warmth of home long forgotten. At that moment, the walls he's built around his heart begin to crack.

Perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, this enchanting story blends gothic humor with a deep, tender magic. Galia Zinko's lush, fairy-tale-realism illustrations make the castle and its wild garden feel alive with mystery and light.

At its heart, Zrinski is about friendship, second chances, and the quiet miracles that remind us how to feel joy again. Can one tiny berry bring warmth back to a frozen heart--and turn a lonely castle into a home once more?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1592115985
• ISBN13: 9781592115983
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Histria Kids
• Length: 30 Pages
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7