Berdibek Soqpaqbaev

Berdibek Ydyrysuly Soqpaqbaev (15 October 1924 – 24 July 1991) was a Kazakh children's writer, poet, and screenwriter. One of his most noted works is the novel My Name is Qoja which has been translated to 68 languages and adapted to film. The book tells several stories from the childhood of Qoja, a mischievous but lovable child living in a village of Soviet Kazakhstan. Academicians have compared the novel to the stories of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, particularly in their portrayal of the circumstances of average people in their respective places and times.

His works have had a profound impact on Kazakh literature and film.

My Name is Qoja was adapted to film in 1963.

Centennial celebration

In 2024, UNESCO held a session at its Paris headquarters to commemorate the life and works of the author, where a new French language translation of Kozha was presented. Centennial celebrations were also held in libraries in Kazakhstan.

Selected bibliography

A full bibliography is available on Kazakh Wikipedia article.

My Name is Qoja

Adapted to film in 1963 by Kazakhfilm. Journey to Childhood

Adapted to film in 1965.