Biography
Ellen Niit (1928–2016) was a legendary children’s author, poet, and translator. Over her lifetime, she penned more than 40 books of both prose and poetry for children. The author’s works are a joy to read for all ages, and have been cherished by multiple generations of Estonian readers. Niit received many literary awards and recognitions, including the Cultural Endowment of Estonia’s Award for Children’s Literature on three occasions and the 1996 IBBY Honour List. Her works, which are written in an inventive style and with depth of meaning, have been translated into 18 languages. Niit focused on goodness and beauty, and created a bright, protective world for children.
Profile photo: Ülo Josing/ ERR
Mr. Nightingale's Twenty-Four Hours
Illustrator: Maarja Undusk
1998, 271 pp
ISBN: 9985550641
fiction, storybook, play
A lenhajú kislány
Illustrator: Anna Győrffy
Translator: Zsuzsa Rab
Móra, Kárpáti
1970, 78 pp
fiction, storybook
At Our Farm
Illustrator: Lilian Härm
Translator: Ilvi Jõe-Cannon
Perioodika
1988, 12 pp
ISBN: 5797901757
fiction, poetry, picturebook
Brīnumzeme
Original title: Wonderland
Language: Latvian
Illustrator: Ilmārs Lapiņš
Translator: Jānis Butūzovs
Liesma
1984, 32 pp
fiction, poetry, story in verse
Das ist Pille-Riin
Illustrator: Gertrud Zucker
Translator: Salme Raatma
Kinderbuchverlag
1971, 127 pp
fiction, storybook
Die Geschichte vom Maler
Illustrator: Regine Röder-Ensikat
Translator: Siegfried Behrsing etc...
Kinderbuchverlag
1980, 48 pp
fiction, poetry, story in verse
Geschichten um Triinu und Taavi
Original title: Stories about Triinu and Taavi
Language: German
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: Helga Viira
Eesti Raamat
1973, 28 pp
fiction, picturebook
Ihmeellinen maalari
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: Ursula Sinervo
Eesti Raamat
1974, 35 pp
fiction, poetry, story in verse
La storia del leprotto che non voleva addormentarsi
Illustrator: Jutta Maisaar
Translator: Vello Hüva
Perioodika
1975, 16 pp
fiction, picturebook
Le storie di Tina e Tino
Original title: Stories about Triinu and Taavi
Language: Italian
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: Vello Hüva
Riuniti, Perioodika
1976, 28 pp
fiction, picturebook
Majolenka
Illustrator: Eva Bednářová
Translator: Vladimír Macura
Albatros
1982, 120 pp
fiction, storybook
Meskeország
Original title: Wonderland
Language: Hungarian
Illustrator: Mariann Roll
Translator: Dénes Kiss etc...
Móra
1977, 59 pp
fiction, poetry
Neue und alte Geschichten um Triinu und Taavi
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: Helga Viira
Perioodika
1979, 52 pp
fiction, picturebook
Nippet
Illustrator: Georgi Štšukin
Translator: Evi Mannermaa
Perioodika
1982, 18 pp
fiction, picturebook
Nové a staré pribehy Triiny a Taaviho
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: František Hattala
Perioodika
1982, 51 pp
fiction, picturebook
Op de boerderij
Illustrator: Lilian Härm
Translator: Ivo Buyle
Perioodika
1988, 12 pp
ISBN: 9061744288
fiction, poetry, picturebook
Opowiadania o wesołych bliźniętach
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: Teresa Kärmas
Perioodika
1985, 51 pp
fiction, picturebook
Ott w kosmosie
Illustrator: Halja Klaar
Translator: Teresa Kärmas
Perioodika
1981, 19 pp
fiction, picturebook
Ott’s Adventures in Space
Illustrator: Halja Klaar
Translator: Evi Mannermaa
Perioodika
1982, 18 pp
fiction, picturebook
Pille Riin
Illustrator: Emilia Freudenreich
Translator: Aarne Puu
Czytelnik
1982, 92 pp
ISBN: 8307004586
fiction, storybook
Pille-Riin's Stories (in Georgian)
Illustrator: G. Kutateladze
Translator: N. Lortkipanidze
Nakaduli
1971, 60 pp
fiction, storybook
Pilles Rīnas ludziņas
Illustrator: Aleksejs Bibanajevs
Translator: Anna Žīgure
Liesma
1980, 39 pp
fiction, play
Rīnas un Dāvja stāsti
Original title: Stories about Triinu and Taavi
Language: Latvian
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: Anna Žīgure
Liesma
1973, 25 pp
fiction, picturebook
Stories about Triinu and Taavi
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: Ilvi Jõe-Cannon
Perioodika
1985, 52 pp
fiction, picturebook
Sumanus dažytojas
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: Eduardas Astramskas
Vaga
1975, 36 pp
fiction, poetry, story in verse
Tiinan ja Taavin tarinat
Original title: Stories about Triinu and Taavi
Language: Finnish
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: Irja Typpö
Kansankulttuuri, Eesti Raamat
1974, 28 pp
fiction, picturebook
Veselé i vážné příhody nezbedných dvojčat
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: Květuše Nováková
Perioodika
1982, 49 pp
fiction, picturebook
Vom Häschen, das nicht einschlafen wollte
Illustrator: Jutta Maisaar
Translator: Helga Viira
Eesti Raamat
1973, 16 pp
fiction, picturebook
Іграшкова вода
Original title: Playing With Water
Language: Ukrainian
Illustrator: Viktor Malinka
Translator: Boris Demkov
Veselka
1975, 32 pp
fiction, poetry, story in verse
Вымышляндия
Original title: Wonderland
Language: Russian
Illustrator: Lüüdia Vallimäe-Mark
Translator: Yunna Moritz
Eesti Raamat
1980, 23 pp
fiction, poetry
Гном дек унала
Illustrator: Ruben Mkojan
Translator: Svetlana Grigorjeva-Soto
String
2007, 44 pp
fiction, poetry
Зайчонок – черные глазки
Illustrator: Andrei Keleinikov
Translator: Irina Tokmakova
Detskaja Literatura
1972, 14 pp
fiction, fairy-tale, picturebook
Как искали елку
Illustrator: Olev Soans etc...
Translator: Valentin Ruškis
Eesti Riiklik Kirjastus
1954, 20 pp
fiction, poetry
Крылль
Original title: The Book of Krõll
Language: Russian
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: Jelena Rakejeva
Eesti Raamat
1984, 48 pp
fiction, poetry, story in verse
Крыль
Illustrator: Georgi Štšukin
Translator: Asar Eppel
Nõukogude Kinokunsti Propaganda Büroo Leningradi osakond
1974, 18 pp
fiction, picturebook
Мидри музъем
Original title: Wonderland
Language: Udmurt
Translator: Nadežda Ptšelovodova etc...
Udmurtia
2008, 80 pp
ISBN: 9785765904312
fiction, storybook, poetry
Озорной Крыль
Illustrator: Georgi Štšukin
Translator: Galina Diomidova
Perioodika
1980, 18 pp
fiction, picturebook
Оповідання про Трійну й Тааві
Original title: Stories about Triinu and Taavi
Language: Ukrainian
Illustrator: Igor Višinski etc...
Translator: Nina Mištšenko
Veselka
1977, 24 pp
fiction, picturebook
Отть в космосе
Illustrator: Halja Klaar
Translator: Galina Diomidova
Perioodika
1979, 20 pp
fiction, picturebook
Папа, я и зайчонок
Illustrator: Rein Tammik
Translator: Galina Diomidova
Perioodika
1982, 20 pp
fiction, picturebook
Пилле-Рийн
Illustrator: Natalja Munts
Translator: Galina Demõkina etc...
Detskaja Literatura
1975, 16 pp
fiction, storybook
Пилле-Рийн
Illustrator: Ana Evtuşenko
Translator: V. Ciumac
Literatura artistică (Литература артистикэ)
1977, 62 pp
fiction, storybook
Пілле Рійн
Illustrator: Mikola Jemeljanov
Translator: Oleksandr Zavgorodni
Veselka
1984, 87 pp
fiction, storybook
Рассказы о Пилле-Рийн
Illustrator: Silvi Väljal
Translator: Galina Demõkina etc...
Detskaja Literatura
1967, 95 pp
fiction, storybook
Рассказы о Трийну и Таави
Original title: Stories about Triinu and Taavi
Language: Russian
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: Tatjana Vaino
Eesti Raamat
1974, 24 pp
fiction, picturebook
Сказка про зайчонка, который не хотел спать
Illustrator: Jutta Maisaar
Translator: Tatjana Vaino
Eesti Raamat
1974, 14 pp
fiction, fairy-tale, picturebook
Умелый маляр
Illustrator: Edgar Valter
Translator: Boris Štein
Eesti Raamat
1974, 35 pp
fiction, poetry, story in verse
Цара фантезией
Original title: Wonderland
Illustrator: E. Rîndina
Translator: N. Josu
Literatura artistică (Литература артистикэ)
1985, 47 pp
fiction, poetry
2018
The White Ravens (Mr. Nightingale from Nightjar Street)
2004–2009
Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award candidate
2010
Tallinn Coat of Arms Badge
2009
Estonian State Cultural Award
A bust of Ellen Niit was unveiled at a park in the Hungarian town of Kiskőrös
2005
Lifetime achievement award from the E. W. Ponkala Fund for furthering cultural relations between Finland, Estonia, and Hungary
1999
Order of the White Star, III Class
Annual Children’s Literature Award of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (At a Rainbow-Light Moment)
1996
IBBY Honour List (Krõll Makes Pancakes)
1994
Karl Eduard Sööt Children’s Poetry Award (Hello There, Little Lamb!, How Krõll Tried to Mop the Floor)
1978
Juhan Smuul Annual Prize of Literature (Triinu ja Taavi uued ja vanad lood)
1977
Honored Writer of the Estonian SSR
1971
Juhan Smuul Annual Prize of Literature (Open Door Day)
The White Ravens (Mr. Nightingale from Nightjar Street)
2004–2009
Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award candidate
2010
Tallinn Coat of Arms Badge
2009
Estonian State Cultural Award
A bust of Ellen Niit was unveiled at a park in the Hungarian town of Kiskőrös
2005
Lifetime achievement award from the E. W. Ponkala Fund for furthering cultural relations between Finland, Estonia, and Hungary
1999
Order of the White Star, III Class
Annual Children’s Literature Award of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (At a Rainbow-Light Moment)
1996
IBBY Honour List (Krõll Makes Pancakes)
1994
Karl Eduard Sööt Children’s Poetry Award (Hello There, Little Lamb!, How Krõll Tried to Mop the Floor)
1978
Juhan Smuul Annual Prize of Literature (Triinu ja Taavi uued ja vanad lood)
1977
Honored Writer of the Estonian SSR
1971
Juhan Smuul Annual Prize of Literature (Open Door Day)
