Poet and prose writer Y. Zemlyak was born in Warsaw in the family of a civil servant. His childhood and youth were spent in Kharkiv.
From 1924 to 1927, he studied at the Ukrainian State Institute of Cinematography, and from 1927 to 1928, he attended a two-year party school named after Artem in Kharkiv.
From the age of 13, he worked as a messenger, archivist, and film technician. From 1928 to 1939, he worked in the editorial offices of the Kharkiv city and regional newspapers "Kharkiv Proletarian," "Kharkiv Worker," and "Socialist Kharkiv." From 1939 to 1940, he was the editor of the Main Administration of Chronicle and Documentary Films of the Ukrainian SSR, and from 1940 to 1941, he served as an editor-screenwriter at the Main Administration of Chronicle and Documentary Films in Moscow.
In 1941, he was sent to Kyrgyzstan to organize the Frunze Studio of Cinematic Chronicles based on a correspondent point established in 1939.
Since 1942, he worked as an editor at KirTAG, and from 1944 to 1947, he was involved in the construction of the Voroshilov and Alamedin Hydroelectric Power Stations, organizing reports, articles, and essays about the heroic labor of the builders. From 1948 to 1949, he was the deputy director of the Kyrgyz branch of the Literary Fund of the USSR, and in the following years, he worked as a freelance correspondent for Kyrgyz Radio, a literary consultant for the Union of Writers of Kyrgyzstan, and a literary staff member for the magazine "Chalkan."
His creative biography began in the 1930s with journalistic work, where alongside reports and articles, he wrote feuilletons, short stories, and poems. In 1934, his novella "The Feat" was published in the almanac "Soviet Literature," and later, small stories for children began to appear in the magazines "Friendly Guys," "Pioneer," and "Young Naturalist." He wrote scripts for short films. The first book by the writer was a collection of poems for children titled "Penguins," published in 1940 in Kharkiv. In 1949, a poetry collection "Parade" was published by Kirgosizdat, followed by "Fables and Feuilletons" in 1950, "Where Crayfish Winter" in 1956, and "Dreams Take Flight" in 1968. The poet completed an authorized translation of the works of R. Shukurbekov, published under the title "The Crow" in 1960, and dozens of poetry collections for children were released.
He has been a member of the Union of Writers of the USSR since 1948.
He has been awarded medals for "Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945," "Valiant Labor. In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of V. I. Lenin," "Veteran of Labor," and Honorary Certificates from the Supreme Soviet of the Kyrgyz SSR, TASS, and the State Committee for Publishing of the USSR.
He is an Excellent Worker of Public Education of the Kyrgyz SSR.
SEPARATE PUBLICATIONS
In Kyrgyz
Skiers. — F.: Kyrgyzokuupedmambas, 1954. — 15 p. Skiers.
In Russian
Parade: Poems. — F.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1949. — 8 p.
Fables and Feuilletons. — F.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1950. — 102 p.
We Are Friendly Guys: Poems. — F.: Kyrgyzuchpedgiz, 1954. — 64 p.
Our Kindergarten: Poems. — F.: Kyrgyzuchpedgiz, 1954. — 14 p.
Mop: Fables and Poems. — F.: Kyrgyzuchpedgiz, 1955. — 64 p.
Where Crayfish Winter: Poems, Feuilletons, Fables. — F.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1956. — 143 p.
My Zoo: Poems. — F.: Kyrgyzuchpedgiz, 1957. — 14 p.
New Game: Poems. — F.: Kyrgyzuchpedgiz, 1957. — 44 p.
Cholpon-Ata: Poem. — F.: Kyrgyzuchpedgiz, 1958. — 30 p.
Fly: Poems. — F.: RDSP, 1959. — 22 p.
Forest Holiday: Stories and Play. — F.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1959. — 68 p.
Riddles: Poems. — F.: Kyrgyzuchpedgiz, 1960. — 11 p.
Puddles: Poems. — F.: Kyrgyzuchpedgiz, 1960. — 12 p.
Boy and Ball: Picture Book for Preschoolers. — F.: Kyrgyzuchpedgiz, 1961. — 15 p.
Our Pioneers Are Coming: Poems and Songs. — F.: Kyrgyzgosizdat, 1962. — 48 p.
Colored Pencils: Picture Book for Preschool Age. — F.: Kyrgyzuchpedgiz, 1964. — 16 p.
This Is How Kids Play. — F.: Mektep, 1965. — 14 p.
This Is What Lesha Is Like. — F.: Mektep, 1967. — 17 p.
Sunny Spring: Poems, Songs, Satire, Humor. — F.: Mektep, 1967. — 95 p.
Dreams Take Flight: About Researchers of Central Asia. — F.: Kyrgyzstan, 1968. — 90 p.
Are There Such Kids Here? — F.: Mektep, 1968. — 12 p.
Who Is More?: Poems. — F.: Mektep, 1969. — 16 p.
Kids Are Very Good. — F.: Mektep, 1971. — 18 p.
Happy New Year!: Poems. — F.: Mektep, 1973. — 20 p.
Heart-to-Heart Talk: Poems. — F.: Mektep, 1975. — 32 p.
Listen, Friends: Poems. Miniatures. Poems. Fables. — F.: Mektep, 1976. — 107 p.
Teacher Alenka. — F.: Mektep, 1980. — 14 p.
Kids Are Very Good: Poem. — F.: Mektep, 1986. — 14 p.
Are There Such Kids Here?: Poem. — F.: Mektep, 1987. — 12 p.
TRANSLATIONS
Shukurbekov R. The Crow. — F.: Kyrgyzuchpedgiz, 1960. — 15 p.
