Kazakh children's literature

Kazakh children's literature is a section of Kazakh fiction intended for readers of younger, teenage, and youthful ages.

The origins of Kazakh children's literature lie in Kazakh tales and other works of folklore. Among Kazakh fairy tales, there are both original plots and borrowed from Eastern literature or Russian folklore . Among the first collectors of Kazakh fairy tales were such distinguished specialists as Chokan Valikhanov , Abubakir Divaev and Vasily Radlov ^[1] .

The first samples of Kazakh children's literature in its modern form were created in the 19th century by the educator Ibrai Altynsarin . In his “Kyrgyz anthology” (1879, 2nd ed. 1906) samples of oral folklore (fairy tales, parables, etc.), translations of fables by I. A. Krylov and stories of L. N. Tolstoy into the Kazakh language , as well as own didactic stories. Another example of Kazakh literature of the 19th century, addressed to younger generations, was the verses of Abay Kunanbaev (“Do not boast, if you haven’t learned”, “Do not be tempted by a trifle”, etc.) ^[2] .

At the beginning of the 20th century, Kazakh textbooks and poetry collections for children appeared. A great contribution to the development of this direction was made by the writer and teacher Spandiyar Kobeev , compiling in 1902 the collection “Exemplary Translation” ( Kazakh. “Olgіlі tәrzhime” , published 1910). In addition to translations of works by Russian writers and poets addressed to children’s audience, the collection includes the author’s own works, including the textbook “Exemplary Boy”. Other examples of pre-revolutionary Kazakh children's literature include the collections of Politeness (1907) and Reason (1908) by Mukhamed Kashimov, The Mentor Book for Kazakh Children (1910) and the collection of poems Gift to Children (1912) by Tair Zhomartbaev ^[2] .

The flowering of Kazakh children's literature occurs after the October Revolution . In the mid -1920s, the first Kazakh newspaper Zhas Kairat (later Leninshil Zhas; in the post-Soviet period, Zhas Alash ^[3] ) was published, which published materials addressed to schoolchildren, including Saken Seifullin's poetry and prose , Beimbet Mailin and Sholpan Imanbaeva . The works of Kazakh writers in the Russian translation are published in the Moscow journal " Pioneer ". Thanks to Ilyas Dzhansugurov , a genre of Kazakh picture book emerges: “Kurt”, “Lapti” (1920), “Riddle” (1930). In 1927, a collection of short stories “Poor Koszhan” by Utebay Turmanzhanov , the future classic of Kazakh children's literature, was published. In the 1930s, the formation of national children's drama took place. In the 1940s, children's poems for recitation , written by such authors as Kasym Amanzholov , Mariam Khakimzhanova , Abdilda Tazhibaev , Gali Ormanov , became widespread. In the 1950s , new names of children's poets appeared, including Sapargali Begalin , Muzafar Alimbaev . New poems of Utebai Turmanzhanov, repressed in the late 1930s and rehabilitated in 1956, are being printed. During this period, many puzzles and tongue twisters are published, and works in the genre of satire and humor also appear. At the turn of the 1950s and 1960s , the poets Kabdykarim Idrisov , Kadyr Myrzaliev , Tumanbai Muldagaliev and Dzhuban Muldagaliev became widely known, in the same period the recognized classic Gabit Musrepov turned to the genre of children's literature. Works are published that tell about Kazakh folk customs and traditions ( Mukan Imanzhanov ), about sports ( Seydakhmet Berdikulov ), about the courage and courage of Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War ( Kassym Kaisenov ). In the 1960s, the collections “Gift for Kids” (1961), “In the Bosom of the Golden Sun” (1963), “Shopping from Baldyrgan” ”(1965) were published; the yearbook Twelve Months of the Year began to appear (since 1965). The Republican magazines “ Baldyrgan ” and “Bilim jane enbek” (since 1989 - “ Zerde ”) and the newspaper “ Friendly Friends” played a large role in popularizing Kazakh national literature ^[2] .

In the 1970s and 1980s, the publishing houses " Zhalyn ", " Zhazushi ", " Mektep " and "Oner" continued to publish collections of poems and fairy tales, books on art and needlework. In 1977, the Anthology of Kazakh Children's Poetry was published. Works for children and youth are actively published in the Zhalyn and Prostor magazines. One of the key figures of this period is Oralkhan Bokeev . With the advent of perestroika in Kazakh children's literature, an expansion of the theme, an increase in the relevance of the problems posed, and unusual plots are noted. Adapting to changing realities, the poets Muzafar Alimbaev, Kadyr Myrzaliev and Tumanbai Muldagaliev continue fruitful work ^[2] .

As modern Kazakhstani journalists note, after the collapse of the USSR, Kazakh children's literature is in a deep crisis ^[4] .