Vladislav Krapivin Hans Christian Andersen Award 2014 Author Nomination Russia

30 Pages·2013·1.07 MB·English

Vladislav Krapivin

Hans Christian Andersen Award 2014

Author Nomination

Russia

Biographical information.
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Vladislav Krapivin was born in Tuymen, Siberia, on the 14th of October 1938,
in the family of two teachers, Olga and Peter Krapivin. In 1956 he has entered
the faculty of journalistic of Ural State University. Studying at the University
Vladislav worked in the “Evening Sverdlovsk” newspaper. Later he was the
head of the department in “Ural Pathfinder” magazine. Since 1965 V. Krapivin
works as a professional writer. For over 30 years Vladislav Krapivin has served
as the Commodore of the Caravel (www.carabella.ru), a special unit of the Sea
Scouts that was established by him in 1961, where young people could learn the
skills of reporting news, seamanship, fencing. Today already the fifth generation

of young people is continuing the Caravel team’s activities.
Krapivin’s first books of short stories, The voyage of Orion and Brother who
is seven years old, were published in 1962 when he was only 25, but right away

they were highly appreciated both by readers and critics.
Two years later Krapivin joined the USSR Union of Writers. In 1982 his
narrative “Lullaby for the brother” was made into a movie by the biggest state

Gorkiy’s film studio and the film was awarded by numerous prestige prizes.
In 2007 Vladislav Krapivin became a professor of Tyumen State University,

where he teaches literary mastery to the students.
In 2008 his story “ Three men from Carronad’s square”( 1979) was made into
TV four series movie, which, in Krapivin’s opinion, is the best one among
plentiful television versions of his books. Since June 15, 2011, Vladislav
Krapivin Museum is opened at the Literary and Ethnography centre in his
native Tyumen. There is an International Children Literature Award of V.
Krapivin, which was established in 2006 by Ural Writers Association and
Sverdlovsk regional Foundation of V. Krapivin. The Medal, Diploma and the
money prize are given every year on V. Krapivin’s birthday to one Russian and
one foreign children’s writers. Vladislav is married to Irina since 1964, he has

two sons and two grandchildren.

The statement on the candidate’s contribution to literature
for young people.
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The name of Vladislav Krapivin stands for the whole epoch in Russian
literature. Every new book of this prolific author is an event for his admirers,

both children and grownups.
“Childhood is like a fairy tale that can be told every time in a new way. The
essence always remains: the happiness of discovering the world, the joy of
friendship and the feeling of the bright blue sky”. These words by Vladislav
Krapivin give a key to his creations. His romantic true-life fairy tales go on

attracting one generation of children after another.
However, the readers have long perceived that Vladislav Krapivin is not just a
children’s author. Already his first short-stories reveal that though his heroes
are children, he is writing (just like Astrid Lindgren, Alan Alexander Milne, and
Pamela Lyndon Travers) for all those who forever keep alive a part of childhood
in their souls. The stories tell not only about adventures and games of kids, but
about most essential things, such as perceiving the world and getting the better
of oneself. Just like the thing with Tolkien, the reader of Krapivin’s books finds
oneself in a parallel reality, where protagonists are striving for justice and a

better world.
“I have always believed that the real world we are abiding in is much richer,
broader, and more multidimensional than the three-dimensional space we are
used to living our humdrum life under the constant burden of our worries… I
did not aim at creating other worlds – it just helps me to reveal brighter the
nature of my characters and get a deeper insight to philosophical issues of being”

– says Krapivin in an interview.
“Like many other authors I have never put such a goal as merely to reflect
reality. I always wanted to show LIFE AS IT SHOULD BE and attempted to
explain the readers the way to it. I took the material of the reality but scrubbed

off everyday shells and drugs, leaving the core of human relations.”

The Caravel's (organization which he founded in 1961) motives are often met in
books by Krapivin and there was time when his fame of Commodore was on a

par with his popularity as a writer.

The most complete selected works by Vladislav consists of 35 volumes.
At present there are over 150 editions of Krapivin’s books in different
languages. His works are included in the ‘Golden Library of Selected Works for
Children and Youth’, ‘Library of Adventures and Science Fiction’, ‘Library of
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World Literature for Children’, the Japanese 26-volumed series ‘Selected Works
for Teenagers’ (in which Krapivin takes two volumes). His books were not once
published in Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Germany, Japan and Hungary
and were translated into English, Spanish, Persian and many other languages.
Some of Krapivin’s books have screen versions. The film “A Lullaby for the
Brother” after his script got several awards. In fact Krapivin is a laureate of

numerous awards for his literature.
“I do not want to be just an honorable pensioner, I do not want to idle my life
away and I am still able and eager to write. I am attempting to fill in the holes
and breaches in modern children’s literature. I still believe that positive changes
in life can come only when relations are based not on profit, but on sincerity.
“One should appreciate not only one’s own life but lives of all people ” – the

writer says in an interview.

Interviews, articles.

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In the beginning of 1960-es Krapivin was involved both in literature and
in pedagogics. His literary works were accompanied by active critique since his
first books were published. Reviewers and writers of standing reputation in
children’s literature like A.Barto and K.Chukovsky were unanimous in their
opinion that it was doubtless that he was a brilliant and original author who in
spite of his young age had an artistic talent and excellent knowledge of child

psychology. [8, 131]
The analysis of his genre originality and evolution of his literary works
indicates that he has inherited traditions of Russian classic school of
psychological prose that developed ideas of humanism, patriotism and public
ideal. Along with this being a teacher Krapivin created his own school – the
Pioneer Unit “Karavella” (Carvel) where he had a great influence on the way of
thinking and feelings of many pupils. The idea of value of the childhood is

dominant both in his literary and educational works.
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Krapivin wrote 60 cycles of realistic and fantastic narratives, tales and
short stories, 11 novels, 25 plays, 5 collections of poetry. His pedagogical ideas
can be found not only in his literature but also in his numerous essays published
in the press. Popularity of his fiction and non-fiction works among the people of
all ages confirms that by means of his images Krapivin had and still has a great

influence on millions of Russian readers.
Critics say that Krapivin’s world-view that determines his style is on the
verge of romanticism and realism: tales, fantastic narrative and psychological
novel. [2; 4; 9] Critics also comment that during his half a century work
Krapivin reflected burning social, psychological and pedagogical problems first
of the Soviet Union and then - Russian Federation of XX and XXI centuries.
They make a special emphasis on the theme of interaction between pedagogics

and patriotic education that is dominant in the Krapivin’s works. [1; 2; 9; 11]
Following Korchak’s idea, Krapivin believes that childhood is not a period
of preparation for adult life but is a not less important part of life on the whole.
That’s why emotional and spiritual atmosphere is extremely important in

childhood.
Krapivin writes: “Every child dreams of a miracle. I think everyone had a
miracle but not everyone discerned it. Therefore in the most ordinary stories
that I tell in my books something happens that is called “miracle” but in reality

it’s just the result of friendship, faithfulness, courage and good work”. [7, 3]
The positive character of the Krapivin’s literary works is a teenager of 12-
14 years old. It’s during this period that a very important trait of the one who is
becoming adult appears. On the one hand, he strives for keeping many
characteristics of his childhood – lightheartedness, security, emotional
relationship with his parents. On the other hand, he longs for independence from
adults. This contradiction defines the essence of many conflicts in Krapivin’s

literature.
For better understanding Krapivin's literary and pedagogical ideas it’s
important to ground the correlation of idealistic and materialistic: ideal and
reality, ideas and their realization by the author. Krapivin says as regards this:
“I’m often asked where I get the themes, images and characters from. Maybe
from my Pioneer Unit? Half and half. For me the work with children is the base
of creativity. I mingle with them in their seething life, I know their interests, I
know what our young generation lives with. And all this gives me the idea of the
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subject for my stories. Images… I don’t copy them from the boys of “Karavella”
(Carvel). It’s difficult to explain but my Pioneer Unit “Karavella” is my home,
my life. And my work. In my works I speak with boys as their peer. I try to be
sincere with them. I don’t invent my characters, I describe the world where boys
live. They can overcome any difficulties, make any magic. The basis of this are
faith, joy of life, desire for victory, struggle for justice. That’s my ideal of human
being that I want to demonstrate to children. The ideal of my Pioneer Unit

“Karavella”. [ibid]
The works of Krapivin not only teach to apprehend the reality exaltedly

but also are the means of this exaltation.
Teenager-hero of Krapivin’s books is quite original: he doesn’t admit
falsity in relationships, is independent in his opinion, is notable for his lively
emotions and values, is brave in his actions and deeds. The hero of this type can
be defined as specific phenomenon of Russian literature of the middle and the

end of the XX century.
Bibliography: 1. Baruzdin S. Notes about children’s literature. М., 1975.2. Bogatyreva N. The
literary tale of Krapivin. М., 1998.3. Valeeva E. Happy birthday, “Karavella”! // The youth for
morality. 2001. № 5. p. 1-2.4. Vasyukova M. Boys’ codes of huge world // On the side of
teenager. 2002. № 1.5. Kirshin I. Pedagogical conditions of development of children’s verbal
creativity. Kaliningrad, 1999.6. Korchak Ya. The upbringing of a person. М., 1992.7. Krapivin
V. Childhood has a brave character // Literature Newspaper. 1980. 26 of March.8. Kuzin N. If
you can see the dream // Ural. 1971. № 7.9. Lipovetsky M. Poetics of literary tale. Sverdlovsk,
1992.10. Lishina A., Lishin O. “Karavella” and other pilgrims // Family and school. 1972. №
6.11. Rumyantsev L. Minutes of the sun // Ural. 1963. № 4.12. Tihomirov K. Knight commander

and notorious sistem // Tyumen Komsomol member. 1988. 14 of October.

________________________________________________________________________
Krapivina L. The idea of childhood’s value in literary and pedagogical works of Vladislav
Krapivin // Ural State University News. – 2009. – № 3(67). – p. 216-220.

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***

In the social network fan-group dedicated to Vladislav Krapivin’s books

the theme “Indigo children” has appeared.
…the world where Krapivin’s characters live is an ideal world. It is a very
harmonious, wholesome place. And children in that world can be seen from the

inside, they are as they are in the depth of their hearts.

We are all these children, but we often forget about that!
And Krapivin shows us our inner existence – we can have a look at

ourselves as we are and have to be.
In the amazing multidimensional novella “An Orange Portrait with Dots”
besides other issues the author writes about love and friendship of a 19-year-old
girl-trainee and 11-year-old boy. That love is an example of pure relationships.
Because real Love, according to Krapivin, is not physiological, when people love
they don’t only feel like lovers or relatives. And that’s why the writer places
friendship higher than love between parents and sons which may become
egoistic. In Krapivin’s books A Friend and Friends are the best relatives. And
the best grownups become Friends, that is to say elder brothers, fathers and

mothers to the children all over the world.

Trying to act as Krapivin’s children we can… be cured.

We can be cured looking for our Childhood inside ourselves.
People with superpowers and different time and space transformations in
Krapivin’s books aren’t just invention of fantasy used as a literary device, it’s
not just a beautiful allegory with the help of which the writer tells us about much
more important and realistic ethical things. To think like that means to

underestimate the significance of the author.

Here is an extract from Krapivin’s interview:
I had that feeling of “unrealized” many years ago, in the tenth grade maybe or
when being a student. I couldn’t explain that feeling with words but I really felt
that the world was much wider, deeper, much more mysterious than it seemed to be
at the first sight, I realized that we should try to comprehend the world, to open it,

to unravel some secrets…”

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List of main awards and other distinctions.

2010 - IBBY Honour List Laureate for the two volumes of literary works “The

white towers of homeland”
2009 - The Order of Honour (one of the highest awards in Russian Federation) It is a
state order of the Russian Federation to recognize high achievements in
government, economic, scientific, socio-cultural, public, sport and charitable

activities.
2006 - “The Great Roscon” Prize for the outstanding contribution to fantasy

literature;

2000 - Literary Award named after Alexander Green (famous Russian writer);
1989 - The Order of Friendship of Peoples (one of the highest awards in the USSR) It
was an order of the Soviet Union that was given to persons (including non-
citizens) for accomplishments in strengthening of inter-ethnic and international
friendship and cooperation, for economical, political, scientific, military, and

cultural development of the Soviet Union.
1984 - The Order of the Red Banner of Labour (one of the highest awards in the
USSR) It was an order of the Soviet Union established to honour great deeds and
services to the Soviet state and society in the fields of production, science,
culture, literature, the arts, education, health, social and other spheres of labour

activities.

1983 - “Aelita” Prize

for contribution to fantasy literature

1974 - the Award of Leninist Comsomol named after A. Gaydar
Prize for creation of highly artistic literary works and great work for bringing up

school pupils and young people;

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V. Krapivin is an Honorary citizen of Yekaterinburg, he has Medals for
“Valiant Labour” and numerous awards of winner of All – Union and All-

Russian contests for the best writings for children and youth.
There is an International Children Literary Award named after Vladislav
Krapivin, which was established in 2006. Annually, on the Krapivin’s birthday (
October 14) one Russian and one foreign author are awarded by the Medal and
the money prize for the highly artistic literary works for young people which are

continuing and preserving Krapivin’s literary traditions.

International Children Literary Award named after Vladislav Krapivin

Memorable Medal

Reproductions of some book covers

The official site of Vladislav Krapivin

http://www.rusf.ru/vk/

Vladislav Krapivin’s Readers’ Association site

http://krapivin-ru.livejournal.com/

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List of the books sent to the Jurors.

1. I'M GOING TO MEET MY BROTHER
Я иду встречать брата. ( English)

2. LE POSTE SUR LE CHAMP DES ANCRES
Застава на якорном поле (French)

3. AUGUST, THE MOUNT OF WINDS
Та сторона, где ветер (English)

4. THE MAGIC CARPET
Ковёр - самолёт (English)

5. THE PILOT FOR SPECIAL MISSIONS
Летчик для особых поручений (English)

6. DER PFEIL IN DER BIRKE -
Оруженосец Кашка (German)

1. «I'M GOING TO MEET MY BROTHER»

Molecular Cafe Compilation Mir Publishers Moscow 1968

Translated from Russian

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