Andrey Usachev - children's writer, poet and prose writer

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Andrey Usachev is a children's writer, poet and prose writer. He appeared in literary circles during difficult times, when all the good poems were created and the songs were all written. Another writer in his place would have gone to the bottom of literature long ago: to create criticism of children's literature or advertising. And Andrei Usachev set to work hard. He traveled to editorial offices without interruption, worked on television and radio, wrote songs for productions and performances. And everything worked out well for him.

Andrey Usachev: biography

Andrey Alekseevich Usachev was born on July 5, 1958 in Moscow. The poet's father is a worker, his mother was a history teacher. According to family legend, Usachev's grandfather knew Nadezhda Krupskaya and saw Hitler in person. The poet began writing poetry as a teenager in a vocal and instrumental ensemble, where he played the drums. After school, Andrey Usachev entered an institute in Moscow to study electronic technology, but after the 4th year he dropped out. After the army, the poet was enrolled in the philological faculty of Kalinin State University, from which he graduated in 1987. The thesis was on the topic:"The Poetics of Poems for Children by Daniil Kharms".

In 1985, the author began to publish, thanks to the magazine "Murzilka". After that, Usachev collaborated with "Pioneer", "Funny Pictures", "Crocodile"; for them he wrote feuilletons, humoresques, poems. In addition, Andrey Usachev worked as a watchman and dishwasher. He was also a janitor and stagehand.

Andrey Usachev: poems

In 1990, thanks to Eduard Uspensky, the poet published the first children's poetry collection "If you throw a stone up", for which he received the first prize at the competition of young writers. A year later he joined the Writers' Union. For several years, Usachev worked as a screenwriter and host of programs for children such as Cheerful Campania, Quartet, and Flying Sofa. Very quickly, Usachev became a popular author in Russian children's literature. In 1994, he wrote the poetic book "Petushkov's Dreams", in 1996 - "The Magic Alphabet", in 1998 - "The Fairy Alphabet", in 1999 - "Planet of Cats" and "The Casket", in 2003 - "The Rustling Song”,“Curious Barbara”and“A bug was walking down the street. He also has collections of fairy tales and fantasy for children "Smart Dog Sonya" - 1996, "Fairy Tale History of Aeronautics" - 2003, "Orange Camel" - 2002, etc.

Literature and other areas of activity of Usachov

More than 100 children's books by Usachov have been published in Russia. Two of his books were published in Israel in Hebrew, two books - in Ukraine, two - in Moldova. It is also published in Japan, Poland, Serbia. 5 books by Andrey Usachev recommendedRussian Ministry of Education for teaching in schools as textbooks.

Music based on the writer's verses was composed by famous composers: Teodor Efimov, Maxim Dunayevsky, Pavel Ovsyannikov. Andrey Usachev wrote the music for individual verses on his own. More than 50 children's songs with music and poems of the writer could be heard on TV. Twenty audio cassettes with his fairy tales and songs were released.

Besides prose and poetry, he wrote for the puppet theater. On his own and with other authors he created more than 10 plays. They are shown in twenty Russian theaters. Usachev gave a lot of time to television. In 1995-96, he released more than a hundred programs. 15 cartoons were shot at the STV and Soyuzmultfilm studios. One of them is full-length.

Usachev's cartoons and awards

According to his scripts, various studios of the country shot dozens of cartoons, as well as a feature film from 40 episodes "Dragon and Company".

A. Usachev is the author of five educational books recommended by the Russian Ministry of Education. His creations have been translated into several languages, totaling 3 million.

Usachev also wrote popular plays for children's theater, New Year's scripts. In addition, he paid a lot of attention to songs: more than ten of his collections have now been released. Andrei Usachev became a laureate of the Golden Ostap festival (2005), the Book of the Year competition (for the work 333 Cats) and Peter and the Wolf-2006 for the best work for children.