Image Courtesy: Google Doodle
Sofia Mogilevskaya (3 April 1903 – 1981) was a prolific Russian author of stories for children and young readers.
Life and Career
Having been born in Moscow on 3 April 1903, Mogilevskaya grew up in a musical family. Cellist and music teacher, her father taught her to play the piano. During her childhood, she vividly recalls his performance for Leo Tolstoy, especially when she shifted her focus to journalism and eventually literature.
Following her graduation from the Moscow Conservatory, Mogilevskaya contributed articles and essays to magazines, translated fairy tales, and wrote fiction. As soon as she decided to become a writer, she continued to write every day for more than 40 years. Her first children’s book, Mark of the Country Gondelupy, was published in 1941. After World War II, she worked in an orphanage, which inspired the book House in Tsybiknur, which was published in 1949.
No matter what she wrote, whether a fairy tale, a historical work, such as her books on important figures in Russian music and theater, or an educational work such as Girls, This Book is for You! Mogilevskaya’s writing has always demonstrated a deep respect for children. Among her works, Queen Toothbrush was the first to be adapted to the screen as an animated film. Tale of the Loud Drum, which tells the story of a boy during the Russian Revolution, was initially rejected by publishers but later became a bestseller that was adapted into a feature film.
Sadly, she passed away in 1981.
Award and Legacy
On 3 April 2019, Google celebrated Sofia Mogilevskaya’s 116th Birthday with a doodle.