Winner of the John Dryden Translation Prize 2025

When a woman leaves her family to finish writing her book, she does not expect to find herself planting new roots quite so swiftly, but here in the forest she becomes entangled in a surprising and unusual community.

Shekufe Tadayoni Heiberg is a Persian-Danish writer, publisher, translator, illustrator and activist. Plantae Sapiens was originally published in Danish by Uro in 2021.

Plantae Sapiens has been translated from the Danish by Hazel Evans. Hazel’s other translation work includes Girlbeast (Prototype, 2025) and the forthcoming Troll by Rasmus Daugbjerg (Penguin, 2027). Hazel was shortlisted for the ALTA Prize for First Translations for Into a Star by Puk Qvortrup (Hamish Hamilton) and won the John Dryden Translation Competition for Plantae Sapiens.

Illustrations are by Anupa Gardner, a printmaker based in Edinburgh. Anupa is a regular Guillemot collaborator and has produced prints for works including Prerana Kumar’s Ixora and Fiona Benson’s Bioluminescent Baby.

Produced with support from the Danish Arts Foundation.

ISBN 978-1-913749-71-2 / 40 pages / 170 × 120mm / made with Gmund Gold, Favini Crush and Arena papers.
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