Author • Turkish literature

İsmet Bertan

He was born in 1959, in a small village of Manisa. After studying Turkish Language and Literature in the university, he worked as a teacher for a couple of years. He moved to İzmir afterwards and worked as a documentary program producer and director in TRT (Turkish Radio Television) for many years. His first children’s novel Speedy Tosbi (Hızlı Tosbi, 2005) was published together with its picture book Little Tosbi Looks for His House (Minik Tosbi Evini Arıyor, 2005) in “Colour Your First Book” series for younger readers. Speedy Tosbi was awarded by IBBY Turkey as “Children’s Novel of 2005”. Bertan gathered his stories for children in his book The Great Duo (Muhteşem İkili, 2006). He retold some traditional tale motives in his novel Cengâver, The Bewildered Hero (Şaşkın Cengâver, 2009). He greeted our animal friends on the streets with his children’s novel Gawky, Stumpy, and Bitty, Tramp Tramp Tramp! (Hödük, Güdük, Bir de Bıdık, Rap Rap Rap!, 2012). His historical novel series “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia” covers standalone novels about the ancient civilizations which were settled in Anatolia and attracted the attention of not only young adult but also adult readers. Prisoner of Golat Castle (Golat Kalesi Tutsağı, 2006) tells what happened in Cappadocia thousands of years ago. Tiger Queen (Kaplan Kraliçe, 2008) is about Black Sea Amazons who revolt against cruelty. The King’s Ambassador (Kralın Elçisi, 2009) is a magnificent novel about Hittites. The Land of Thousand Gods; Midas and the Magician (Midas ve Sihirbaz, 2010) is a breathtaking adventure extending from Anatolia to the mysterious world of Ancient Egypt. Bull Fighter (Boğa Güreşçisi, 2011) takes readers to 11^th century and is about a Turcoman nomad’s migration. Pirate Girls (Korsan Kızlar, 2013) takes readers on a voyage guided by Captain Piri’s unique maps to the eerie, deep blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Golden Slave (Altın Köle, 2014) is an adventure from three thousand years ago in Urartu Land. Several titles in “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia” series were translated to Bulgarian and Serbian. His latest children’s novel Broken Compass (Bozuk Pusula, 2022) is about a mysterious road story of a grandfather and grandson.