The author investigates the initial stage of formation of children's literature of the Russian Saami, without which the picture of the Saami literary process will be incomplete. This is the relevance of the presented material. Children's literature of the Saami has not been the subject of analysis of scientists, which indicates the novelty of the study. The aim of the work is to trace the origin of the Sami children's literature, to reveal its features at the initial stage. The material of the study was the scientific and cognitive literature of the last quarter of the XX century: ABC books, books for reading, books for students to get acquainted with the world around them, the works of the Saami writers, A. Bazhanov, O. Voronova, A. Antonova. The study involved archival materials of the Museum of Sami literature and written language to them. O. Voronova, materials on the development of languages and writing of the peoples of the North in the Murmansk region. The paper uses historical-literary and comparative methods of research. The analysis of the material showed that the formation of children's literature of the Saami of the Kola Peninsula took place in two stages and was associated with the creation of writing in the Sami language. In the 30-ies of XX century children's literature has established itself as a scientific and educational translation. In the 70-ies of XX century we can speak about the emergence of ethical and entertaining literature, which was presented as a translation in the Sami language, and original works in their native language. Children's literature of the Kola Saami at the stage of its origin was not distinguished from the adult literature and existed in the Saami and Russian languages. The circle of children's reading included both works written for children and works intended for adults, but close and understandable to children. Children's literature already existed in the Sami and Russian languages at the stage of its origin.