Boris Aprilov


Atanas Vassilev Djavkov, better known by his pseudonym Boris Aprilov, was a Bulgarian writer, playwright, dramaturge, satirist, and humorist, best known for his novels, plays, screenplays, and children's literature. He published works under the names Ahasver, Aho, and Ahoto, along with other aliases in the humorist journal Starshel.
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Biography

Atanas Vassilev Djavkov, known as Boris Aprilov, was born on 21 March 1921, in the small Bulgarian town of Malko Tarnovo. His father Vassil's family lived on welfare in Lozengrad until the liberation of Bulgaria from the Turkish occupation. His mother, Nanka, was an illiterate orphan from a peasant family, given at a very young age to a much older disabled veteran in an arranged marriage.
Aprilov's family moved to Burgas, where he completed his education. From his early school years, he published short stories, satiric essays, poetry, and prose in local newspapers.
In 1945, Boris Aprilov married Shela Abraham Cohen, born in Burgas. They met in the Burgas town library. They lived together and had two daughters: Djina Vassileva, born in Burgas on 15 November 1945, and Laura Vassileva, a writer born in Sofia.
In 1947, Aprilov was invited by the poet Radoy Ralin to work as a columnist for the satiric journal Sturshel, and the family moved to Sofia.
In 1956, Aprilov traveled to London and Western Europe with his wife during the Cold War.
An anonymous letter identified Aprilov as a spy. It was said that "Nasko" had been working as a British spy from a young age, that he sang aloud famous hits from English and American movies, and that he chose to travel to London instead of Moscow. Aprilov was warned by the leading editor of the journal, and he decided to resign before he was fired. As a result, he was blacklisted by the authorities, and as he was unable to find any employment as a journalist or editor, he lived exclusively off of his literary work.
From 1959 to 1963, Aprilov served as a lead dramaturge and screenplay editor in the Bulgarian State circuses.
Aprilov won many awards for his writing, including the Literary Prize of the Ministry of National Economy and the Golden Dolphin's Greatest Award.
Aprilov left Bulgaria and spent the last three years of his life in Tel Aviv, Israel, with his family. In 1991, his younger daughter died of lung disease. Shortly afterwards, Aprilov became sick himself; he died on 4 October 1995, in a Tel Aviv hospital. His wife also died a few months later in Tel Aviv.

Works

''Lisko'' series

Aprilov's wrote a series of books for children and adults about an adventurous fox named Lisko. Lisko travels from place to place, meeting characters from folklore and strange new creatures, and helping people along the way.
In 2019, 2020, and 2021, some of the Lisko books were reissued with new art by Mira Miroslavova and Petya Dimitrova-Leupep.The Adventures of Lisko in the Forest ;The Adventures of Lisko at Sea The New Adventures of Lisko contains the novels:
  • * Do not Touch the Suitcase
  • * Chimmy
  • * The Watch
  • * The Little Red Riding Hood
  • * The Pit
  • * The Python The Adventures of Lisko in the Land of the Square Beings The Newest Adventures of Lisko contains the novels:
  • * The Ghost ;
  • * The GrandPrise" ;Ten Adventures of Lisko contains the previous eight novels, and:
  • * The Wall
  • * ''The Blue Flamingo''

Other children's books

A Ball in the Sea Fairy tale. 1965Poncho the Foal Fairy tale. 1967The Parrot and The Butterfly Fairy tale. 1968One Small White Cloud Fairy tale. 1970The Six Little Penguins. 1978

Stageplays

Aprilov wrote many dramas and puppet plays for both children and adults.
The Egg
A children's puppet play about an egg that does not want to hatch "due to its unusual nature", but is convinced to hatch by its mother's love. It was performed in the State Puppet Theatre in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, where it received a gold medal from the Golden Dolphin awards.
The Six Little Penguins
A children's puppet play that was performed in the Czwerc Puppet Theatre in Białystok, Poland, where it received the Golden Dolphin's greatest award.
Chimi
The play has been performed in a number of countries, including the UK.