Baba Yaga (Paperback)

by Katya Arnold (Author) "ONCE upon a time there lived an old man and an old woman..." (more)
Key Phrases: Baba Yaga

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Less compelling than Patricia Polacco's Babushka Baba Yaga (Children's Forecasts, July 12), which also features the witch of Russian legend, Arnold's rather thin story is noteworthy chiefly for the intriguing art that accompanies it. Here, Baba Yaga kidnaps Tishka, beloved son of an elderly couple, and takes him to her shack so that her daughter can cook him up for supper. But Tishka outwits the would-be chef, putting her in the oven in his place, and Baba Yaga unwittingly eats her daughter, whereupon Tishka escapes. Arnold supplies gouache paintings inspired by "lubok" pictures, a Russian folk art medium that dates from the 17th century. Her vibrantly colored illustrations, printed with separately executed black line drawings, resemble primitive woodcuts--a fitting match for this retelling of a Russian folktale. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 4-Bold illustrations combine with an absorbing story to create a Baba Yaga who definitely means business. For the text, Arnold has used her own translation of "Tereshichka," a tale collected by Aleksandr Afanas'ev in the 19th century. In a prefatory note, she explains Baba Yaga's role in Russian folklore, cites her source, and describes the media she used for the illustrations. Longing for a baby, a couple wrap a piece of wood in a blanket and rock it to sleep in a cradle. When the wood is transformed into a little boy, the delighted pair name him Tishka and raise him as a son. Although he has been warned about Baba Yaga, the boy is tricked by the evil witch and taken home to be her dinner. In a plot twist reminiscent of the Grimms' "Hansel and Gretel," Tishka feigns ignorance and asks Baba Yaga's daughter to show him how to enter the oven. In the process, the girl becomes the witch's main course and Tishka hides in a tree. Discovering she has eaten her own daughter, Baba Yaga flies into a rage and tries to cut down the tree with her iron teeth. A goose flying overhead saves the boy and is later rewarded with food and a warm home. The story's more brutal elements are nicely balanced by Arnold's extraordinary artwork and her storytelling talent. Inspired by Russian folk art, the vibrant illustrations are done in gouache on watercolor paper and outlined with heavy black lines. Their size influences the pace of the book-small ones accompany the pages of text; full-page and double-page spreads mirror the important plot twists. Suitable for sharing aloud with older children, Arnold's depiction of Baba Yaga pulls very few punches. In the process, it presents a slice of Russian folklore in an authentic and masterful style.
Denise Anton Wright, Illinois State University, Normal
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: North-South (June 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558585931
• ISBN-13: 978-1558585935
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.4 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,930,206 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good story, poor illustrations, October 4, 2000

By	Kurt A. Johnson (Marseilles, Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Baba Yaga: A Russian Folktale (School & Library Binding)

When an old couple feel bad that they have no child, they take a log, sing it lullabies and treat it like a baby. Then one morning, they wake to find that the log has magically turned into a boy. They raise the boy as their son, and warn him about the dreaded Baba Yaga that lives nearby. The boy is vigilant against her, but she tricks him and takes him prisoner. Through using his wits, the boy Tishka, escapes and punishes the evil Baba Yaga.

This story is short and easy to read, perhaps a little too short and easy for my seven year old reader, but a good story nonetheless. The unfortunate part of the book is the illustrations. The illustrator selected a 17th century style for her pictures, but they came out looking a little too primitive, and my seven year old did not like them. A surprising error was that the narrative describes the Baba Yaga as flying on a mortar and pestle, whereas the illustrations show her flying on a broom. This is surprising considering that the illustrator and the author were one and the same person.

Overall, despite my complaining, this is an OK book, with a charming story. If you or your children enjoy Baba Yaga stories, then this isn't a bad one to read.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars baba Yaga is my favourite witch, May 4, 2000

By A Customer

If you are tired of witches on brooms, read Russian folk tales, where baba Yaga uses more imaginative means of transport, lives in a house on chicken legs etc... Good illustrations are necessary to properly enjoy the story.