Ellen Niit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ellen Niit
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1954 bust of Ellen Niit, sculpted by Erna Viitol
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| Born |
Ellen Hiob
13 July 1928 |
| Died | 30 May 2016 (aged 87) Tallinn, Estonia
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| Education | University of Tartu |
| Occupation | Writer, translator |
| Years active | 1954–2016 |
| Spouse(s) | Heldur Niit (1949–1958) Jaan Kross(1958–2007; his death) |
| Children | Toomas Niit Maarja Undusk Eerik-Niiles Kross Märten Kross |
| Awards | Order of the White Star, III Class |
Ellen Niit (born Ellen Hiob) was a famous Estonian writer, poet, and translator. She was born on July 13, 1928, and passed away on May 30, 2016. She wrote many books for children, including both stories and poems. She also wrote books for adults. Her works have been translated into 18 different languages, meaning people all over the world could read her stories!
About Ellen Niit
Ellen Hiob was born in 1928 in Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. She went to school in Tapa and Tallinn. Later, she studied Estonian language and literature at the University of Tartu. She finished her studies in 1952.
After university, Ellen worked as a poetry expert for the Writers’ Union of the ESSR from 1956 to 1961. She had to leave this job because of political disagreements. After that, she worked as an editor for children's TV shows. In 1963, she became a freelance writer and translator. This meant she worked for herself.
Ellen Hiob first married Heldur Niit in 1949. He was a scholar who studied folklore and literature. They had a son named Toomas Niit, who became a well-known psychologist. Ellen and Heldur divorced in 1958. In the same year, she married another writer, Jaan Kross. They had three more children: Maarja, Eerik-Niiles, and Märten.
Popular Books by Ellen Niit
Ellen Niit wrote many beloved books. Here are some of her most famous ones:
Poetry Books
- Kuidas leiti nääripuu (Finding the Christmas Tree)
- Rongisõit (The Train Ride)
- Karud saavad aru (The Bears Will Understand)
- Lahtiste uste päev (Open Door Day)
- Suur maalritöö (Colouring the World)
- Midrimaa (Wonderland)
- Krõlli-raamat (The Book of Krõll)
- Oma olemine, turteltulemine (One’s Own Beings and Comings)
- Filmikrõll (Nippet)
- Suur suislepapuu (A Huge Apple Tree)
- Meil maal (At Our Farm)
- Tere, tere, lambatall! (Hello There, Little Lamb!)
- Kuidas Krõll tahtis põrandat pesta (How Krõll Tried to Mop the Floor)
- Krõlli pannkoogitegu (Krõll Makes Pancakes)
- Ühel viivul vikervalgel (At a Rainbow-Light Moment)
- Kaelasall päkapikule (A Scarf for a Dwarf)
- Veel ja veel. Krõlliga maal ja veel (More and More. On Land and Water with Krõll)
- Taeva võti: luulet lastele 1954–2008 (The Key of Heaven)
- Mänguvesi (Playing With Water)
Prose Stories
- Pille-Riini lood (Pille-Riin’s Stories)
- Jutt jänesepojast, kes ei tahtnud magama jääda (The Story of the Bunny Who Didn’t Want to Fall Asleep)
- Triinu ja Taavi jutud (Stories about Triinu and Taavi)
- Triinu ja Taavi uued ja vanad lood (Triinu’s and Taavi’s New and Old Tales)
- Ott kosmoses (Ott’s Adventures in Space)
- Jänesepoja õhtu koos isaga (The Little Bunny’s Night with Father)
- Onu Ööbiku ööpäev (Mr. Nightingale’s Twenty-Four Hours)
- Onu Ööbik Öösorri tänavast (Mr. Nightingale from Nightjar Street)
Awards and Honors
Ellen Niit received many awards for her amazing writing:
- 1971 Juhan Smuul Annual Prize of Literature (for Open Door Day)
- 1977 Honored Writer of the Estonian SSR
- 1978 Juhan Smuul Annual Prize of Literature (for Triinu ja Taavi uued ja vanad lood)
- 1994 Karl Eduard Sööt Children’s Poetry Award (for Hello There, Little Lamb! and How Krõll Tried to Mop the Floor)
- 1996 IBBY Honour List (for Krõll Makes Pancakes)
- 1999 Annual Children’s Literature Award of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (for At a Rainbow-Light Moment)
- 1999 Order of the White Star, III Class (a high Estonian award)
- 2005 Lifetime achievement award from the E. W. Ponkala Fund (for helping cultural connections between Finland, Estonia, and Hungary)
- 2009 Estonian State Cultural Award
- 2010 Tallinn Coat of Arms Badge
- 2004–2009 Candidate for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (a very important international children's literature award)
- 2018 The White Ravens (for Mr. Nightingale from Nightjar Street)
