Oded Burla

Oded Yehuda Burla (Hebrew: עודד בורלא‎‎; June 23, 1915 – July 26, 2009) was an Israeli writer, poet, and artist. He is considered as one of the founders of children's literature in Hebrew.

Early years

Oded Burla was born on June 23, 1915 in Jerusalem to a Sephardic Jewish family. His father Yehuda Burla, was a famous Hebrew novelist. Burla's young brother, Yair, was also a writer and translator. His early years were spent moving between Jerusalem, Haifa and Zikhron Ya'akov. At 13, he transferred to the school at Kibbutz Beit Alfa and then Mikveh Israel, an agricultural school near Holon.

Career

From 1949 to 1955 Oded Burla lived in the USA where he taught in Hebrew schools, worked as an announcer and speechwriter for a radio station "Kol America". In addition, he started his artistic career. When he came back to Israel, Oded Burla had been admitted into Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in which he majored in graphics.^[1]

His first book, Letters to Liora, was Oded Burla's letters collection addressed to his niece when he was in the USA. He had never stopped drawing and his pictures were presented in many art exhibitions around the world. Oded Burla composed music for some children's songs.

Burla has written and illustrated 70 books. His books combine children's naivety and their sharpness, humor and amusing expressions. Most of his characters are animals put into strange adventurous situations. In his writings, Burla pays attention to every tiny detail and expresses love of nature. As a result, Burla was considered as the founder of an illogic children's literature in Hebrew culture. His last book was written in 1996.

Awards

In 2008, Burla was awarded the Bialik Prize for literature, (jointly with Yeshayahu Koren and Israel Eliraz).^[2]

Death

Burla died on July 26, 2009, at the age of 94, following a long battle with cancer. Shortly before his death, Letters to Liora was reissued, after remaining a collector's item for many years.

References

See also

• List of Bialik Prize recipients