Vera Ferra-Mikura facts for kids
Vera Ferra-Mikura was an amazing writer from Austria. She was born on February 14, 1923, and passed away on March 9, 1997. She is most famous for her wonderful stories for children.
Vera was born in Vienna with the name Vera Ferra. After finishing school, she worked in her family's bird shop. Later, she worked in a big department store in Vienna. During World War II, she worked as a stenographer, which is someone who writes very fast using special symbols. After the war, she worked for a company that publishes books. In 1948, she married Ludwig Mikura. That same year, she started working as a freelance writer, meaning she wrote for different places without being a full-time employee.
Her stories are often inspired by classic fairy tales. They are known for something called magic realism. This means her stories mix everyday life with magical or dream-like things. It makes her books feel special and imaginative.
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Vera Ferra-Mikura's Awards
Vera Ferra-Mikura received several important awards for her writing. These awards showed how much people appreciated her books, especially her children's stories.
Early Recognition
In 1951, she won an award from the City of Vienna. This was called the Förderpreis. It was given to support new and talented writers.
International Awards
She also received an award in 1976 from the International Board on Books for Young People. This group works to connect children with books all over the world.
Special Honors
In 1988, Vera Ferra-Mikura received the Gold award of the Ehrenmedaille der Bundeshauptstadt Wien. This was a special medal from the city of Vienna for her youth literature. She also won the Theodor Körner Prize. This prize helps support artists and scientists in Austria.
Popular Books by Vera Ferra-Mikura
Vera Ferra-Mikura wrote many different kinds of books. She wrote poetry, novels, and, of course, many beloved children's stories.
- Melodie am Morgen (1946): This was a book of her poetry.
- Melodie am Morgen (1947): She also wrote a novel with the same title.
- Zaubermeister Opequeh (1956): A popular children's book.
- Unsere drei Stanisläuse (1963): This children's book won the Youth Literature Prize of the City of Vienna.
- Die zehn kleinen Negerlein (1958): Another one of her children's books.
- Das Luftschloß des Herrn Wuschelkopf (1965): A children's story about a fantastic air castle.
- Das Sprachbastelbuch (1975): She co-authored this book.
- Update on Rumpelstiltskin and other Fairy Tales by 43 Authors (1976): This book included her stories along with others. It was illustrated by Willi Glasauer.
- Die Oma gibt dem Meer die Hand (1982): A children's book about a grandmother and the sea.
- Horoskop für den Löwen (1982): Another one of her books from the 1980s.
Vera Ferra-Mikura passed away in Vienna when she was 74 years old. Her stories continue to be enjoyed by young readers.
