Latvia too has a long and rich tradition of book publishing, with traditional material
predominant in children’s books. The work of writers in pre-Soviet Latvia was re-
introduced to young people in the 1960s through anthologies such as Solar Years
(1965), which contained folk songs and poetry of the pre-Soviet and Soviet periods.
Stories of Sunny Years (1966), which included folk-tales, performed the same service for
prose. Children’s Folklore of Latvia, compiled by V.Greble, was published in 1979.
An account of children’s literature in Estonia shows how the now independent
republic provided for children during the period of Soviet rule, and how quickly things
began to change with the coming of perestroika. In 1990 ten children’s books were
published in Estonian, which included translations—one of these was Winnetou, an
adventure story by the German Karl May. The magazine Pioneer, has begun to ‘correct’
the history of Estonia. The fairy tale was important in ‘socially complicated’ times, as it
was possible to deal with taboo themes which could not have been tackled in any other
way. Fairy tales were written in a multi-layered style and works of artistic value emerged.
E.Raud’s Nakgïtrallied [Three Jolly Fellows] is a good example. Traditional Estonian
tales, and stories about Estonia in the first half of the twentieth century also helped to
correct the impressions created by the ‘official’ teaching of history.
The way in which children’s literature has developed in Eastern Europe in the
twentieth century shows how it can be exploited for what is seen as the national good,
but it also clearly demonstrates just how resilient it is, an important instrument of
freedom and democracy.
ReferencesKordigel, M. (1994) ‘Children’s culture under siege: a conversation with the Bosnian poet Josip
Osti’, Bookbird 32, 1:6–10.
Mesić, D. and Vlahović, V. (1992) ‘Literature despite the war: children’s books in Croatia’,
Bookbird 30, 4:9–12.
Further ReadingAuryla, V. (1986/87) ‘Lithuanian children’s literature: an historical sketch’, Phaedrus 12: 28–30.
Bode, A. (1991) ‘Children’s book publishers in Eastern and Southeastern Europe and their
prospects for the common market’, Bookbird 29, 2:12–15.
Krusten, R. (1991) The situation of children’s literature in Estonia’, Bookbird 29, 4:14–15.
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