Janja Garnbret, the world's best sport climber, who will be defending her Olympic gold in Paris this year, has become the hero of a picture book called Janja and the Magic Flower.

The book, released in Slovenian and English, was launched in Ljubljana on World Book Day, 23 April. It is the latest in a series of picture books about some of Slovenia's greatest athletes meant to inspire children and youth.

The book combines elements of fairy tale with real facts and details from Garnbret's childhood, such as how she was climbing door frames at her home in Koroška almost before she could walk.

Published by DZS, the book was written by Primož Suhodolčan and illustrated by Matej De Cecco and Gorazd Vahen.

It comes after "true fairy tales" about Alpine skier Tina Maze, basketball player Goran Dragić, hockey player Anže Kopitar and cyclist Primož Roglič.

"I've always wanted to have a fairy tale book, a climbing story for children, and when I actually hold it in my hands, it really makes my heart sing," Garnbret said at the launch.

An avid reader as a child, she loved books to the point of wanting to become a librarian, but her life turned out differently.

One of the characters in the story is a goat. The authors say this was their biggest dilemma, because in Slovenian the word can be used in its derogative sense, meaning a foolish woman, while in English G.O.A.T. means "greatest of all time".

"Goats are smart, they can climb anything, they don't give up, they are hairy," De Cecco and Suhodolčan remarked.

"The Janja in the book is spirited, ambitious, always full of energy, persistent, she never quits," which is just like herself, Garnbret said.

She is happy that her parents are featured in the book, having always been part of "my life and my career".

Her wish now is for the season to culminate at the Paris Olympics in a fairy tale fashion.