Aino Pervik facts for kids

Aino Pervik (born April 22, 1932, in Rakvere, Estonia – died August 12, 2025) was a beloved Estonian children's writer and translator. She was known for her brave and thoughtful stories that explored important topics for young readers. Her books helped children understand different cultures, solve problems, and find their own place in the world.

About Aino Pervik

Her Early Life and Education

Aino Pervik started school in 1939. She continued her studies in Tallinn and later graduated from Tartu State University in 1955. There, she studied Finno-Ugric philology, which is the study of languages and cultures from certain parts of Europe and Asia. After finishing university, she moved to Tallinn in 1955.

A Career in Words

Aino Pervik began her career working with books and television. She was an editor at the Estonian State Publishing House, where she helped create books for children and young adults. She also worked at Eesti Televisioon (ETV), editing TV shows for the same age groups. From 1967, she became a full-time writer and translator. She translated many books from Hungarian into Estonian. Her dedication to children's literature made her a very important voice in Estonia.

Her Family and Legacy

Aino Pervik was married to the writer Eno Raud, who passed away in 1996. Their family was full of creative talent! Their children are Rein Raud, who is a scholar and author, Mihkel Raud, a musician and writer, and Piret Raud, who is also a children's writer and illustrator. Aino Pervik passed away on August 12, 2025, at the age of 93, leaving behind a wonderful collection of stories for generations to enjoy.

Awards and Recognition

Aino Pervik received many awards for her amazing work. These awards show how much her stories were loved and respected.

• She was a candidate for the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award several times between 2006 and 2018. This award is one of the biggest in children's literature worldwide.
• In 2014, she was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, another very important international award for children's authors.
• She received the National Lifetime Achievement Award for Culture in 2017, which is a huge honor in Estonia.
• Her book The King of the Walley of Woes won the Annual Children’s Literature Award of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia in 2016.
• In 2015, she won the Jānis Baltvilks Prize in Latvia for her book Stories of a President.
• Her "Paula" series, which includes books like Paula Finishes Kindergarten and Paula’s First Day of School, won several awards, including the Nukits Competition in 2004 and the Annual Children’s Literature Award in 2001.
• In 2001, she was honored with the Republic of Estonia Order of the White Star, Fifth Class, a high state award.
• Her popular books Old Mother Kunks and Old Mother Kunks and Captain Trumm won the Juhan Smuul Annual Prize of Literature in 1976 and placed second in the USSR Children’s Book Competition in 1988.

Her Amazing Books

Aino Pervik's stories were so popular that they were translated into many different languages, reaching children all over the world.

Stories Loved Worldwide

Here are some of her well-known books and the languages they were translated into:

• Arabella, the Pirate’s Daughter
  • This exciting story was translated into Russian, Vietnamese, Latvian, Czech, Finnish, English, and German.
• Bog Bogey and Lizard
  • This book was translated into English.
• Klabautermann’s Problem
  • This story about a ship gnome was translated into Russian.
• Old Mother Kunks and Old Mother Kunks and Captain Trumm
  • These beloved books were translated into Azerbaijani, Russian, Finnish, German, Japanese, and English.
• Paula and Patrik and the "Paula" series
  • These books about Paula's adventures were translated into Lithuanian and Russian.
• Stories of a President
  • This book was translated into Latvian, Russian, and Bulgarian.
• The Balloon
  • This story was translated into Latvian and Lithuanian.
• The Wandering Cat
  • This book was translated into Italian.