Short-story
writer (b. 15 May 1935, Emet / Kütahya). She graduated from İstanbul High
School for Girls and Çapa Teachers Training School by passing external exams
(1962). She discontinued her education at İstanbul University, Faculty of Law.
She worked as a teacher at primary schools in İstanbul.
She
retired in 1977 and focused on her literary works. Her many books have been
published abroad and some of her books were adapted to Turkish. She has
participated in many meetings related to children’s literature abroad and in
Turkey where she has presented papers. Her first short story was published in
the newspaper Afyonkarahisar in 1950. Her articles, mostly on education, were
published in the review Kadın, in the newspapers Cumhuriyet (1965-67) and
Milliyet (1967) and in various other reviews.
She came
second at the 1964-65 Yunus Nadi Short Story Awards with her first book Döl
(The Seed). She won the 1974-75 Arkın Children’s Literature Tale Award with
Leylek Karda Kaldı (The Stork Was Left Behind in the Snow), the 1987 Turkey
Family Health and Planning Foundation Short Story Award with Gül Gelin (Rose
Bride), the 1987 Ministry of Culture and Tourism Children’s Literature Award
with Kafdağı'nın Ardına Yolculuk (The Journey Beyond the Kaf Mountain) and the
1989 İzmir Municipality Children’s Award with Parbat Dağı'nın Esrarı (The
Mystery of the Parbat Mountain). She also received the Golden Book Award in
1990, the Children Foundation Children’s Literature Award in 1991, the Kütahya
Journalists Association Honorary Award in 1995 and the Ministry of Culture
Eflatun Cem Güney Children’s Books Award (with the painter Nazan Erkmen) in the
same year. A Street in the Emet district where she was born was named after her
on 13 November 1995. She is a member of the Writers Syndicate of Turkey, the
Turkish Authors Association, the PEN Club and the Children’s Publications
Association.
WORKS:
Short Story: Döl (The
Seed, 1970), Geride Kalanlar (Those That Remain, 1975), Geriye Dönenler (Those
That Return, short story- interview, 1986).
Novel: Kıyamet
Çiçekleri (The Flowers of the Apocalypse, 2002).
Travel Lıterature (For Children And Teenagers): Kafdağı'nın Ardına Yolculuk (The Journey Beyond the Kaf
Mountain, 1987), Okyanus Ötesine Yolculuk (The Journey Beyond the Ocean, 1990),
Efsaneler Ülkesi Çin'e Yolculuk (The Journey to China, The Country of Legends,
1990), Bambaşka Bir Dünya Amerika'ya Yolculuk (A Different World Journey to
America, 1990), Kangurular Ülkesi Avustralya'ya Yolculuk (Australia, The
Journey to the Country of Kangaroos, 1991), Doğal Güzellikler Kenya'ya Yolculuk
(The Natural Beauty Journey to Kenya, 1992), Mısır'a Yolculuk (Journey to
Egypt, 1994), Güney Pasifik Adalarına Yolculuk (The Journey to the South
Pacific Islands, 2002). She has also written children’s story books.
REFERENCE: İhsan Işık / Yazarlar Sözlüğü (1990, 1998) - Türkiye
Yazarlar Ansiklopedisi (2001, 2004) – Encyclopedia of Turkish Authors (2005) -
Resimli ve Metin Örnekli Türkiye Edebiyatçılar ve Kültür Adamları Ansiklopedisi
(2006, gen. 2. bas. 2007) - Ünlü Edebiyatçılar (Türkiye Ünlüleri Ansiklopedisi,
C. 4, 2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013), Ömer Nida / Kadın
Romancılarımız - Başlangıçtan Günümüze Kadar 1892-1991 (1991), Behçet Necatigil
/ Edebiyatımızda İsimler Sözlüğü (18. bas. 1999), TBE Ansiklopedisi (2001),
Mehmet Nuri Yardım / Çocuk Edebiyatımızın Yıldızı Gülten Dayıoğlu: Çocuk Medya
Kuşatması Altında, s. 139-146) - Yazar Olacak Çocuklar (2004), Medine Sivri /
Gülten Dayıoğlu’ndan Bir Gençlik Kitabı Daha - Kıyamet Çiçekleri (Cumhuriyet
Kitap, 1.8.2002).