Leelo Tungal (English)

Leelo Tungal

poet, children's author, journalist, translator

Born in Tallinn into a family of schoolteachers from Ruila, she studied Estonian language and literature at the University of Tartu, graduating in 1972. She has worked as a teacher of Estonian in Ruila and in Tallinn, as an editor of the magazines Pioneer and Täheke, an editor of the play series Meie Repertuaar, as the Head of the Literature Department in the Estonian Puppet Theatre, and as an editor of the culture section of the newspaper Eesti Maa. In1994 she founded the children’s magazine Hea Laps and has been working as its editor-in-chief since then.

She has published 38 poetry books and 31 books of prose and one mixed collection for children and young people. Her work is characterised by optimism and courage in life, direct communication with the reader, clever wording and wittiness. She has written short stories and fairy-tales with elements of fantasy (in books such as the Barbara-dilogy, Let us Spook! Let us Haunt!,and Anna’s and Adam’s Stories) and novellas analysing ethical and social problems, such as alcoholism, death of a close person, etc., for young teenagers (The Summer of the Motley Butterfly; Pille, Madis and Others). She has also published novels for young people (The Four Days of Virgin Mary; Give Your Pain to the Crow), and poems and rhymed stories for children and young people of all ages. The stories and poems intended for a younger reader depict the daily life of a child at school, at home or in other situations in varying emotional keys, while the author always sincerely shares the worries of a young person (The Little Satchel; Wealthy Kid; Kristiina, the Middle One). An affirmative attitude towards life and the sense of humour are characteristic of the author also in the treatment of serious topics. A good knowledge of the mentality of teenagers and the skill of using school slang should also be pointed out.

In addition to children's books, Leelo Tungal has published ten collections of poems for adults, has been a fruitful essayist and critic, has written and translated puppet plays and children’s books, radio plays, opera libretti, texts for musicals and songs; has compiled a much appraised ABC-book and several readers of Estonian; collections of children’s folklore and anecdotes; and books for reading out to little children. Her children's books have been translated into English, Finnish and Russian. She has received several awards for her children’s books and collections of poems, including the Children’s Literature Award of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (1997) and J. Oro Children’s Literature Award of the Vasalemma Rural Municipality in 1999. Her books have received several of the Nukits Young Reader’s Choice Awards, as well as the Karl Eduard Sööt Award for children’s literature (in 1995, 2000, and 2007). She was given IV Class Order of the White Star of the Republic of Estonia in 2005, the Muhv Award for promoting children’s literature in 2007 and The Culture Pearl of Harjumaa in 2008. 2010 IBBY Honour List.

Books of children's poetry:

Karune lugu (A Bear Story 1975)

Koera elu (Dog’s Life, 1976)

Hundi lugemine (A Wolf’s Recital, 1978)

Mooni avastamine (Discovering a Poppy, 1978)

Väike ranits (The Small Satchel, 1982)

Seltsis on segasem (The More, the Better 1983), in Russian 1984

Tere-tere (Hi! Hello! 1985)

Sul on teha mehetöö (You’ve Got a Man’s Work to Do, 1987)

Vana vahva lasteaed (Fine Old Kindergarten ,1988, selected poems)

Ema abilised (Mother's Helpers, 1991)

Minu kodu (My Home, 1991)

Aastaring (The Annual Circle, 1992)

Tondu (1993)

Põrsas Pamp (Bundle the Piglet, 1993)

Põrsapõli (Piggy's Life,1994)

Palju õnne sünnipäevaks! (Happy Birthday!, 1994), K. E. Sööt children’s poetry award 1995

Kassileegu (Cat-a-doodle-doo, 1996)

Kõik on emadele kallid (All Are Dear to Their Mothers, 1996)

Päkapiku pähklikott (A Christmas Elf's Nutbag, 1996)

Tubli lapse tunnikell (A Good Child's Watch, 1996)

Küll on hea! (That’s Fine!, 1998), K. E. Sööt children’s poetry award, 2000

Marjajuur lume all (A Berry Root under the Snow, 2000)

Tema amet (His/Her Job, 2001)

Kirjad jõuluvanale (Letters to Santa Claus, 2001)

Pururikas laps (A Really Wealthy Child, 2002)

Kõige ilusam ema (The Most Beautiful Mother, 2002)

Sampo värviraamat (Sampo's Colouring Book, 2002)

Lepatriinu faksiga (Ladybird by Fax, 2004, selected poems)

Väike jõulusoov (A Little Christmas Wish, 2004)

Lätikeelne jäätis (Ice-cream in Latvian, 2006), K. E. Sööt children’s poetry award 2007

Salajutt  (A Confidencial Talk, 2006)

Sabaga päike (A Sun with a Tail, 2007)

Loomabeebits  (The Animal ABC-Book, 2009)

Jõuluajal juhtuvadki imed (2009) (It’s during the Christmas that Miracles Happen, 2009)

Kama üks ja kama kaks (2009) (Barley Drink No 1 and 2 )

Чем измерить озорство? / Kuidas mõõta põngerjatempe? in Russian and Estonian (What Is the Measure of the Naughtiness?, 2009)

Liisbeti päev (The Day of Liisbet, 2011)

Tragi tüdruk Kata (Clever Girl Kata, 2011)

Books of prose:

Neitsi Maarja neli päeva (The Four Days of Virgin Mary, 1980), in Russian 1986

Pool koera (Half a Dog, 1983), in Russian 1991

Kirju liblika suvi (The Summer of the Motley Butterfly, 1986), Virumaa County children’s book prize 1986

Pille, Madis ja teised (Pille, Madis and Others, 1989)

Kartul, lehm ja kosmonaut (Potatoes, Cows and Cosmonauts, 1986), in English 1991

Kristiina, see keskmine (Kristiina, the Middle One, 1989), in Finnish 1994, in Russian 2009; Nukits Young Reader’s Choice Award 1992, 2nd

Barbara ja suvekoerad (Barbara and the Summer Dogs, 1992), A. H. Tammsaare Annual Award 1992; Nukits Young Reader’s Choice Award 1994, 2nd

Vaesed jõulud, rikkad jõulud (Poor Christmas, Rich Christmas, 1993)

Vampiir ja pioneer (The Vampire and the Pioneer, 1993)

Humanitaarmõrv Bestoonias (Humanitarian Murder in Bestonia, 1993; under the pseudonym Lola Fiaccola)

Barbara ja sügiskoerad (Barbara and Autumn Dogs, 1994)

Ema Luule jõulukaardid (Mother Luule's Christmas Cards, 1995)

Nagu kass ja koer (Like a Cat and Dog, 1995)

Krutski linna lood (Stories of the Town of Krutski, 1997)

Kollitame! Kummitame! ehk Kollikooli kasvandike juhtumisi tänapäeval (Spooky! Creepy! Or the Adventures of the Haunting School Pupils Today, 1997), Children’s Literature Award of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia 1997

Varesele valu (The Crow Will Take away the Pain, 2002), Youth Literature Competition 2000, 2nd Prize

Juku, Kalle ja kotermann Tallinnas (Juku, Kalle and the Gremlin in Tallinn, 2002), in Finnish 2002

Appi, appi, Triibu-Liine ehk Metsik kassistamine Vana-Inimlas (Help! Help! Triibu-Liine! or A Wild Catting in Old People’s Town, 2002)

Anna ja Aadama lood (Anna’s and Adam’s Stories, 2003)

Siri Siiriuselt (Siri from Sirius, 2003)

Siil Felix ja päkapliks Kerli (Hedgehog Felix and the Dwarf Girl Kerli, 2004), Nukits Young Reader’s Choice Award 2006, 3rd Prize

Siil Felix ja kriminaalne loomaaed (Hedgehog Felix and the Criminal Zoo, 2005), Nukits Young Reader’s Choice Awards 2006, 3rd Prize

Siil Felix ja sekelduste sügis (Hedgehog Felix and a Bustling Autumn, 2005), Nukits Young Reader’s Choice Awards 2006, 3rd Prize

Väike draakon ja päkapikud (Little Dragon and Dwarfs, 2005)

Hernetont Ernestiine (Scarecrow Ernestiine, 2005)

* Koer tunneb koera (A Dog Knows Another Dog, 2006)

Seltsimees laps ja suured inimesed (Comrade Child and the Grown-ups, 2008), in Russian 2010; IBBY Honour List 2010

Samet ja saepuru ehk Seltsimees laps ja kirjatähed  (Velvet and Sawdust, or Comrade Child and the Letters, 2009)

Mustamäe sussimurdja (=Nagu koer ja kass) (The Slipperkiller from Mustamäe, 2009)

Miriami lood, (The Stories of Miriam, 2009), in Russian 2009

Naljatilgad lähevad laulupeole, (The Funny Chaps Are Going to the Song Party, 2009), in Russian 2011

Jõuluvana, kes kartis lapsi (The Santa Claus Who Was Afraid of Children, 2010)