Aleksandra Ishimova (Russian: ÃÂûõúÃÂðÃÂýôÃÂð ÃÂþÃÂÃÂøÃÂþòýð (ÃÂÃÂÃÂøÿþòýð) ÃÂÃÂøÃÂüþòð) ( â ) â was a Russian translator, and one of the first professional Russian children's authors.
After childhood in her birthplace of Kostroma, Aleksandra Ishimova studied in private boarding schools in Saint Petersburg. In 1818 a scandal involving her father occurred, and Ishimova left Saint Petersburg together with her family to live in the northern provinces.
In 1825 it was possible to return to Saint Petersburg, and to receive from Tsar Alexander I a pardon for her father. There she opened a small school and made acquaintance with Pyotr Vyazemsky, Vasily Zhukovsky and Alexander Pushkin. Ishimova was the last correspondent of Pushkin: he wrote her a letter with an enthusiastic response to her historical stories, and sent a book for translation the day of his duel with Georges-Charles de Heeckeren d'Anthès.
Ishimova published two monthly journals: Little Star (ëÃÂòõ÷ôþÃÂúðû, 1842âÂÂ1863) for children, and Rays of Light (ëÃÂÃÂÃÂøû, 1850âÂÂ1860) for young ladies. Her book History of Russia in Stories for Children (ëÃÂÃÂÃÂþÃÂøààþÃÂÃÂøø ò ÃÂðÃÂÃÂúð÷ðàôûàôõÃÂõùû 1841) was awarded the Demidov Prize in 1852. Aside from this she translated and printed a number of novel narratives for children, many included religious and moral education. The best known among them were ëàðÃÂÃÂúð÷àÃÂÃÂðÃÂÃÂÃÂúøû (Saint Petersburg, 1839); ëáòÃÂÃÂõýýðàøÃÂÃÂþÃÂøø ò ÃÂð÷óþòþÃÂðàôûàüðûõýÃÂúøàôõÃÂõùû, passing six editions beginning in 1841; ëÃÂþûþúþûÃÂÃÂøúû, (Saint Petersburg, 1849) for children in orphanages; ëÃÂõÃÂòþõ ÃÂÃÂõýøõ ø ÿõÃÂòÃÂõ ÃÂÃÂþúø ôûàôõÃÂõùû (Saint Petersburg, 1856âÂÂ1860; two editions); and ëàðÃÂÃÂúð÷àø÷ áòÃÂÃÂõýýþù øÃÂÃÂþÃÂøø ôûàúÃÂõÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂýÃÂúøàôõÃÂõùû (Saint Petersburg, 1878).
She died at age 76 in Saint Petersburg.