Levin Kipnis was a children's author

Children's literature

Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...

 and poet

Children's poetry

Children's poetry is poetry written for, a stupid reson as she says or appropriate for children. This may include folk poetry ; poetry written intentionally for young people Children's poetry is poetry written for, a stupid reson as she says or appropriate for children. This may include folk...

 who wrote mainly in Hebrew and Yiddish. He won the Israel prize

Israel Prize

The Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...

 in 1978.

Biography

Kipnis was born in Ushomir in Volhynian Governorate

Volhynian Governorate

Volhynian Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit initially of the Russian Empire, created in 1792 after the Second Partition of Poland from the territory of the Kiev Voivodeship and Wołyń Voivodeship...

 which was part of the Pale of Settlement

Pale of Settlement

The Pale of Settlement was the term given to a region of Imperial Russia, in which permanent residency by Jews was allowed, and beyond which Jewish permanent residency was generally prohibited...

 of the Russian Empire

Russian Empire

The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...

 (now in Ukraine

Ukraine

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...

), into a family of 12. His father, Pessach, who was a shaliach tzibbur, sent him to study in a Cheder

Cheder

A Cheder is a traditional elementary school teaching the basics of Judaism and the Hebrew language.-History:...

, which he didn't like because of the strict discipline. He showed a passion for the arts from a young age, painting and woodcarving. His father, who saw his potential, encouraged him to become a sofer stam. He wrote mezuzot

Mezuzah

A mezuzah is usually a metal or wooden rectangular object that is fastened to a doorpost of a Jewish house. Inside it is a piece of parchment inscribed with specified Hebrew verses from the Torah...

 to provide additional income for the family.

He decided to become a writer at the age of 13, after seeing the Hebrew children's magazine "Haprachim" ("the flowers"). In his attic, he wrote, illustrated and produced his own magazine, later submitting one of his stories, "the sick child" to the children's magazine. The story was published in 1910. Kipnis completed his education in Jitomir and Warsaw

Warsaw

Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...

, then went back to his hometown, where he founded an "improved Cheder," established a Hebrew library and wrote and directed plays. In 1913, he emigrated to Ottoman Palestine

Second Aliyah

The Second Aliyah was an important and highly influential aliyah that took place between 1904 and 1914, during which approximately 40,000 Jews immigrated into Ottoman Palestine, mostly from the Russian Empire, some from Yemen....

 and continued his arts education at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design

Bezalel Academy of Art and Design

Bezalel Academy of Art and Design is Israel's national school of art, founded in 1906 by Boris Schatz. It is named for the Biblical figure Bezalel, son of Uri , who was appointed by Moses to oversee the design and construction of the Tabernacle ....

. The lack of content for children of kindergarten age convinced him to write songs suited for preschoolers.

With the outbreak of World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, Kipnis established the "Little Library for Children" publisher in Jaffa

Jaffa

Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...

, while concurrently doing agricultural forced labor for the Ottoman

Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...

 military. After the war he returned to Jerusalem at the invitation of Bezalel to write and edit content for preschoolers and published story and song collections for children as well as the first magazine for preschool teachers "Ganenu" ("our garden" or "our kindergarten").

In 1921, he managed an orphanage in Safed

Safed

Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...

. In 1922, he traveled to Berlin, Germany for advanced studies in art and craftsmanship. There he published three books in German

German language

German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....

. He returned in 1923 and began teaching at the Levinsky Teacher's Collage in Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...

.

In 1928, Kipnis wrote plays and participated actively in the foundation of a children's theater, later known as "Teatron Hagananot" ("the preschool-teacher theater"), where some well known Hebrew performers such as Bracha Zfira and Sara Levi-Tanai

Sara Levi-Tanai

Sara Levi-Tanai was an Israeli choreographer and song writer. She was the founder and artistic director of the Inbal Dance Theater and recipient of the Israel Prize in dance.- Prizes and awards :...

 participated.

In 1956, he retired from his job as an educator and dedicated his time to writing.

Kipnis's writing is characterized by a light and happy style, devoid of pathos, yet rich and aesthetic. His collections in Hebrew encompass about 800 stories and 600 poems. He also wrote children's books in Yiddish, publishing a collection in 1961. His work was translated into English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

, French

French language

French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...

, German

German language

German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....

, Russian

Russian language

Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...

, Arabic and Yiddish. He was active as a writer for 80 years, from 1910 to 1990.

Kipnis died in 1990 in Tel Aviv.

The archive of his work is at the Levin Kipnis Center for Children's Literature, Levinsky Teachers' College. The center awards a bi-annual prize named after Kipnis for a research project about children's literature.

Awards and honours

• In 1962, Kipnis was awarded the Yatsiv Prize for Children's Literature.
• In 1976, he received the Lamdan Prize
  Lamdan Prize
  The Lamdan Prize was an Israeli prize awarded annually, from 1954 to 1983, for literary works for children and youth.The prize was presented by the Ramat Gan Municipality in conjunction with the Hebrew Writers Association in Israel and was founded in the name of the Israeli poet and author Yitzhak...
  
   for Children's Literature.
• In 1978, he was awarded the Israel Prize
  Israel Prize
  The Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
  
  , for children's literature.

A street is named after him in Be'er Sheva

Children

• By the Ancestors Grave, Berlin-Hasefer, 1923 [Le-Kever Avot]
• Aleph-Beit, Berlin-Hasefer, 1923 [Aleph-Beit]
• A String, Omanut, 1923 [Mahrozet]
• The Story of the Chick Who Wanted a New Mother, Omanut, 1923 [Ma'aseh Be-Efroah She Halach Levakesh Em Aheret]
• Shele-Pele, Dvir, 1925 [Shele-Pele]
• Shulamita, Dvir, 1925 [Shulamita]
• Velvet and Her Puppies, Dvir, 1925 [Ketifah Ve-Gureha]
• Listen and I Will Tell You, Dvir, 1925 [Shim'u Va-Asapera]
• Hasty Goat, Dvir, 1926 [Iza Peziza]
• The Compassionate Donkey, Dvir, 1926 [He-Hamor He-Rahum]
• The Exiled Palm Branch, Dvir, 1926 [Ha-Lulav Ha-Goleh]
• The Queen of Geese, Dvir, 1926 [Malkat Ha-Avazim]
• The Scarecrow, Dvir, 1927 [Ha-Dahlil]
• Country Children, Dvir, 1927 [Yaldei Sadeh]
• The Story of the Wandering Apple, Dvir, 1927 [Ma'ase Be-Tpuah She-Halach Lasuah]
• Four and a Bulb, Dvir, 1928 [Arba Benei Peka'at]
• The Story of a Paper Rose, Dvir, 1928 [Ma'ase Be-Vered Shel Nyar]
• Zamzuma, Dvir, 1928 [Zamzuma]
• The Tiger Who Almost Changed Its Spots, Dvir, 1928 [Ha-Namer She-Halach Lahafoch Havarburotav]
• Counting, Dvir, 1929 [Sefirah]
• Purim Spiel, Stybel, 1929 [Mishak Purim]
• The Sea's Gift, Stybel, 1930 [Matnat Ha-Yam]
• The Story of the Harbor, Stybel, 1930 [Ma'ase Be-Namal]
• The Oil Jar, Stybel, 1930 [Kad Ha-Shemen]
• Butterflies, Dvir, 1930 [Parparim]
• Who Is That? Dvir, 1930 [Mi Ze?]
• What Is That? Dvir, 1930 [Ma Ze?]
• Chanukah for Toddlers, L. Kipnis, 1932 [Hanukah Le-Tinokot]
• First Fruits, Kupat Hasefer, 1932 [Bikurim]
• The Blue Collection, I. Shimoni, 1939 [Ha-sifriah Ha-Kehulah L'Yeladim]
• The Western Wall, Sion, 194- [Ha-Kotel Ha-Ma'aravi]
• Lit up Candles, Dfus Arieli, 1940 [Nerot Dolkim]
• Dew, I. Shimoni, 1941 [Tal]
• David and Goliath, Fisher, 1941 [David Ve-Goliat]
• What Do Animals Say? Fisher, 1942 [Ha-Hayot Ma Omrot]
• Folks, Massada, 1942 [Hevraya]
• 310 Riddles, Ever, 1943 [Shai Hidot]
• Good Morning, Massada, 1943 [Boker Tov]
• The Festival of Light, Rudin, 1946 [Hag Ha-Or]
• Clandestine Children, Dvir, 1946 [Yeladim Be-Mahteret]
• My Kindergarten, Twersky, 1949 [Gan-Gani]
• My Holidays, Twersky, 1949 [Hagai]
• Thus Spoke Grandpa, Stybel, 1950 [Ko Amar Saba]
• Lion the Hero, 1950 [Ha-Arieh Ha-Gibor]
• First Kindergarten, Twersky, 1954 [Gan-Ganon]
• The Extraordinary Path, Dvir, 1954 [Bi'Ntiv Ha-Pele]
• Light, Dekel, 1957 [Or]
• 150 Riddles, Karni, 1958 [Ken Hidot]
• Quiz for Children, Karni, 1958 [Hidon Le-Yeladim]
• Playground, S. Zak, 1958 [Pinah Ginah]
• Phanty the Elephant, S. Zak, 1959 [Pil Palil]
• March! , S. Zak, 1959 [Kadima Tz'ad!]
• About Two and Four, Dvir, 1960 [Al Shtayim Ve-Al Arba]
• The State of Israel, Karni, 1960 [Medinat Israel]
• Mr. Cockscomb Went to the Army, Sh. Zimenson, 1964 [Mar Karbol Hitgayess]
• Eliezer and the Carrot, Sh. Zimenson, 1964 [Eliezer Ve-Ha-Gezer]
• Chen Gave, Chen Took Away, Sh. Zimenson, 1964 [Hen Natan, Hen Lakah]
• Under The Palm Tree, Kiriat Sefer, 1965 [Be-Tzel Ha-Tomer]
• A Nice Walk, Sh. Zimenson, 196- [Tiyul Na'im]
• My Friends, Sh. Zimenson, 196- [Haverim Sheli]
• Biki In Disguise, Sh. Zimenson, 1966 [Biki Mithapes]
• I Have a Light, Sh. Zimenson, 1966 [Or Li]
• Six in a Little Bag, Sh. Zimenson, 1966 [Shesh Be-Sakik Ehad]
• Doron's Celebration in Tel Aviv, Sh. Zimenson, 1966 [Doron Hogeg Be-Tel Aviv]
• Beit, Karni, 1967 [Bayit]
• The Wagtail Builds a Nest, Kimchi, 1968 [Ha-Nahlieli Boneh Ken]
• Foxy's Visit to the Hen House, Kimchi, 1968 [Sha'alul She-Halach La-Lul]
• Quiz on the Tora for Children, Karni, 1968 [Hidon Ha-Torah Le-Yeladim]
• First Grades, Sh. Zimenson, 1969 [Yaldei Aleph Beit]
• This Is My Book, Twersky, 1969 [Ze Sifri]
• The Daffodil's Crown, Twersky, 1969 [Keter Ha-Narkis]
• Roni-Ron and the Spinning-Top, Kimchi, 1970 [Roni-Ron Ve-Ha-Sevivon]
• A Good Citizen, Kimchi, 1970 [Ezrah Tov]
• Etty Wants Cookies, Kimchi, 1970 [Etty Rotzah Ugiot]
• Open the Door, Kimchi, 1970 [Pithu Et Ha-Delet]
• Milli Loves Flowers, Sh. Zimenson, 1971 [Milli Ohevet Perahim]
• Milli In the Country, Sh. Zimenson, 1971 [Milli Ba-Meshek]
• Milli Goes to the Kindergarten, Sh. Zimenson, 1971 [Milli Holechet La-Gan]
• Milli at the Sea Coast, Sh. Zimenson, 1971 [Milli Al Sefat Ha-Yam]
• Milli and Her Puppy, Sh. Zimenson, 1971 [Milli Ve-Ha-Klavlav Shelah]
• Wear It Well!, Sh. Zimenson, 1971 [Tithadesh]
• Shavuot, Sh. Zimenson, 1973 [Shavuot]
• The Tabernacles Festival, Sh. Zimenson, 1973 [Sukot]
• Independence, Sh. Zimenson, 1973 [Atzmaut]
• The Independence Story, Karni, 1973 [Agadah Shel Atzmaut]
• From Genesis, R. Mass, 1973 [Mi-Be-Reshit]
• Rosh Hashana-Yom Kippur, Sh. Zimenson, 1973 [Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur]
• Fables, Sh. Zimenson, 1974 [Meshalim]
• Shabat, Sh. Zimenson, 1974 [Shabat]
• The 33 Day of the Omer, Sh. Zimenson, 1974 [Lag Ba-Omer]
• Who Is Brave?, Zelkovitz, 1975 [Mi Ben Hayil?]
• Tulips, Zelkovitz, 19.. [Tziv'onim]
• Walking in Fields and Forests, Zelkovitz, 1975 [Holchim Ba-Sadeh U-Ba-Ya'ar]
• Esty Is Looking for a Father, Bronfman, 1976 [Esty Mehapeset Aba]
• Stories From the Bible, Sh. Zimenson, 1976 [Min Ha-Torah]
• Beetles, Bronfman, 1976 [Hipushiot]
• Times, Sh. Zimenson, 1976 [Zemanim]
• Five Girls, Keter, 1977 [Hamesh Banot]
• Aleph, Karni, 1977 [Aleph]
• My State of Israel, Yaad, 1978 [Medinati Israel]
• Meromtzion, Sh. Zimenson, 1978 [Meromtzion]
• Scarecrow the King, Yaad, 1979 [Dahlimelech]
• Once Upon a Time There Was a King, Lichtenfeld, 1980 [Hayo Haya Melech]
• House of Peace, Or-Am, 1980 [Beit Shalom]
• Honor Your Mother, Lichtenfeld, 1980 [Kavod Le-Ima]
• The Story of Seven Girls, Alon, 1980 [Ma'ase Be-Yeladot Sheva]
• The Golden Nut, Tamuz, 1983 [Egoz Shel Zahav]
• Tzachi's Long Night, Lichtenfeld, 1985 [Leilo He-Aroch Shel Tzahi]
• Osnat's Grandma, Dekel, 1986 [Sabta Shel Osnat]
• Nightwatch, Dekel, 1987 [Shomer Ma Milel]
• Story Hour, Sh. Zimenson, 1987 [Sha'at Sipur]
• Thelma, Bar, 1988 [Talma]
• Jackal, Dekel, 1989 [Tan]
• Gluttons, Sh. Zimenson, 1989 [Lakekanim]
• All the Husham Stories, Tamuz-Oumani, 1989 [Col Sipurei Husham]
• Elijah's Cup, Sh. Zimenson, 1989 [Koso Shel Eliahu]
• Tali's Flight, Sh. Zimenson, 1989 [Eich Tas Tali]
• Tali Gets Asleep, Sh. Zimenson, 1989 [Eich Nirdam Tali]
• Branches for the Tabernacle, Sh. Zimenson, 1989 [Schach La-Sukah]
• Wheels, Sh. Zimenson, 1989 [Galgalim]
• Nobody Is Like Us Bears!, Tamuz-Modan, 1989 [Mi Camonu Ha-Dubim]
• Eliphele Learns How to Read, Sh. Zimenson, 1989 [Elifele Lomed Likro]
• It Happened to a Hamentash, Sh. Zimenson, 1989 [Ma'ase Be-Ozen Aman]
• My Faithful Dog, Tamuz, 1990 [Ha-Kelev Ha-Ne'eman Sheli]
• Levanah and Her Puppies, Tamuz-Modan, 1990 [Ha-Kalbah Levana Ve-Gureha]
• Armona the Mare and her Colt, Tamuz-Modan, 1990 [Ha-Susah Armona Ve-Siahah]
• There Are Foxes There, Tamuz-Modan, 1990 [Sham Shualim Yesh]
• Horses, Tamuz-Modan, 1990 [Susiiada]
• Tul the Cat, Sh. Zimenson, 1991 [Tul He-Hatul]
• It Happened to Ram, Korim, 1997 [Ma'ase Be-Ram]

Books in Translation

• The Daffodil's Crown, Arabic: Nazareth, Pair Ofest, 1966
• My Holidays, English: Tel Aviv, Tversky, 1961