A Letter for Daria [Hardcover]

Ekaterina Gordeeva (Author), Gordeeva Ekaterina (Author), Antonina W. Bouis (Author), Daria Grinkov (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

In this wise and loving book, Olympic gold medal-winning skater Ekaterina Gordeeva talks to her young daughter, Daria, about the strength of family life and tradition as well as about a mother's hopes for her daughter. Illustrated with wonderful photos and Daria's drawings, this is a special book that mothers and daughters will want to share with each other.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Russian figure-skating champion Gordeeva follows up My Sergei, a tender tribute to her late husband and skating partner, with this equally sentimental collection of musings and advice for her daughter, Daria. Within a very loose chronology, Gordeeva shares memories of Daria's birth in 1992 and the hectic but happy family life she enjoyed until Sergei Grinkov's sudden and unexpected death three years later. But this is no maudlin recounting; Gordeeva reflects on the joys of her life and clearly expresses her hopes and dreams for her daughter in encouraging, nurturing words. Readers will take away a strong sense of familyAespecially in passages where Gordeeva stresses the importance of Russian babushkas (notably her own grandmother and great-grandmother) as an essential support system, and will detect their loving bonds in the numerous color photographs. The book has a rambling feel with no formal organization, and phrasing and sentence structure occasionally remind readers that English is not Gordeeva's native language. But regardless of format, Gordeeva's sincerity shines through and her life philosophy is one that will inspire many. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5AGold-medal winner Gordeeva writes to her six-year-old daughter in this autobiographical letter. Each of the nine short chapters touches on a different aspect or time in the skater's life. Although the easy-to-read text is clearly written and concise, Gordeeva does not go into depth about her or her late husband's lives. She touches on a few differences between Russian and American cultures, her feelings about training, and her thoughts on religion, and shares some of her hopes and dreams for both her and her daughter's futures. The result is a charming story through which readers can peek into the life and thoughts of a star athlete. Uncaptioned full-color photographs depict the happy family life the author describes. Although it will not suit the needs of report writers, this heartfelt account of an athlete's struggles and triumphs will enhance both sports and biography collections.ABarb Lawler, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 83 pages
• Publisher: Little Brown & Co (Juv); 1st edition (May 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316329940
• ISBN-13: 978-0316329941
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #395,569 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Winter Sports > Ice Skating & Figure Skating

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another wonderful book in which Katia shares her life., February 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Letter for Daria (Hardcover)

I was so pleased to have read another book by Ekaterina Gordeeva. I think it is wonderful that she continues to share her life with her fans. She truly has a beautiful story to share. I think we can only ask her to share what she is willing to tell, however. I think her first book was a wonderful tool for information on the Grinkovs. However, I think the thing to be remembered is that she wrote this book to Daria with the intention of looking to the future. I can say it would be great for her to mention more about Sergei, but the thing to remember is that he is a memory and that memory is only the base for Katia and Daria's future. I think Ekaterina did a beautiful job of displaying that. This book is a wonderful gift for mothers and daughters everywhere, and one I hope that Daria will treasure for the rest of her life. She is lucky to have a mother who has so much to say and has found such a beautiful way in which to say it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Touching, easy read for all ages!, January 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Letter for Daria (Hardcover)

A lovely book filled with photos. As enjoyable to me as well as to my nine year old daughter, both skating fans. We liked being able to see the photos of Daria as she has grown from a baby and how important her grandparents as well as her skating family have been to her and Katia. I would have liked to read more about Daria with Sergei also, and how she is coping, but perhaps this is too personal. We wish them the best and hope she publishes another book in the near future keeping us updated.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Delightful Book full of warmth and love, June 5, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: A Letter for Daria (Hardcover)

This is a delightful book that showcases a mother's obvious love for her daughter and for her own mother and grandmother. In this book Katia reveals as much or more about herself than she did in her previous book (also a great book) and tells lots of cute and funny antecdotes about her family. As much as I love My Sergei, I think I actually like this one better. But, you should know, it is written for an older children's reading level and is very different from My Sergei in style.

Just so no one is mislead, there is NO mention of abortion in this book. Katia says only that she was very lucky that her parents and Sergei were supportive of her having Daria - nothing more, nothing less. Nor does Katia mislead anyone about her (and Sergei's) arrangements for the care of her/their daughter while they were away from home on tour for half the year (her parents moved to the U.S. with them so they could care for Daria while her parents worked (touring) - all children should be so lucky to have their grandparents with them rather than spending long hours in daycare - and Katia expresses her gratitude that that option was available and her desire to do the same for Daria's children one day just as her grandmother took care of her while her own parents were away).

In short, this is a delightful book that anyone with a mother or a child can enjoy and appreciate whether they are fans of skating or not. The wisdom Katia has gained from her grandmother and mother and passes on (along with her mom) to Daria is delightful and rings true across all cultures. This book also has some interesting glimpses into Russian/Soviet culture as it differs from our own.