In memoriam: Mikhail Davydovich Yasnov (1946-2020)

On October 27, 2020, a poet, translator, children's writer, and our longtime friend Mikhail Davydovich Yasnov passed away.

While we were just getting together with the thoughts of creating a scientific and not a critical magazine about children's literature, Mikhail Davydovich strongly advised not to delay this matter. And in 2012, the first issue of Children's Readings was released. Mikhail Davydovich immediately became a member of the Editorial Board of Children's Readings. That is, he was with us from the very moment the magazine was founded, when the prospects for the existence and development of this project were still very vague. He inspired and encouraged us in our seemingly adventurous endeavor, talking about the need to preserve and consolidate the professional community of specialists dealing with children's literature, and found this unifying potential in Children's Readings. Mikhail Davydovich was one of those writers who see scientists not as impassive vivisectors of their works but as enthusiastic researchers of texts and words, like poets. It was a great honor for the staff of our magazine to see Mikhail Davydovich among like-minded people.

His energy, enthusiasm, love for poetry and children's literature, benevolence, optimism, humor, love of life encouraged and infected. It's hard to believe that Mikhail Davydovich is no longer with us. R.I.P.