Baba Yaga and the Wise Doll - Hardcover

Anonymous

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525459472 ISBN 13: 9780525459477

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile, 1998

Synopsis

In a retelling of the Russian fairy tale, Too Nice is tested by the witch Baba Yaga--if Too Nice passes, she gets the witch's jeweled toad, but if she does not, the toad gets her--and her only help is a wise doll, a gift from her mother.

About this title

From Kirkus Reviews:

Superb artwork enhances this offbeat, minimalist retelling of the old Russian folktale in which Baba Yaga the witch is outwitted by an innocent little girl, with the help of a magic doll bequeathed to her by her now-dead mother. The outlines of the tale are familiar enough: the hapless, persecuted child, here named Too Nice, driven into the forest by her cruel stepsisters, Horrid and Too Horrid; the witch's house on chicken legs; the impossible tasks that are accomplished with the aid of the magic doll; the child's return with one of Baba Yaga's possessions (here a predatory toad) that finishes off Too Nice's tormentors. Some of the more colorful details of other versions are lacking here, and Baba Yaga has more bark than bite; when Too Nice passes the final test, Baba Yaga dances elatedly, less a mortal menace than a therapist who has practiced tough love. Brown's illustrations add psychological depth to the tale, with the barely visible figure of Too Nice's dead mother embracing her daughter on the front cover, the ominous black endpapers, the depiction of Too Nice's siblings as carbon copies of her; the caricature of housewifery in Baba Yaga's scraggly broom, her sloshing cauldron, and the rows of preserve jars holding ingredients for ghastly stews. Particularly striking are the scenes where the doll's shadow, hugely magnified by the angle of the light, completes Baba Yaga's impossible tasks. It's not particularly ``Russian'' in style, but it is excellent witchy stuff. (Picture book/folklore. 6- 10) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 3?The ever-popular Russian witch nearly steals the show in this enjoyable picture book. One day, Horrid Child and Very Horrid Child send Too Nice Child to Baba Yaga's house to bring back one of the witch's toads. Fortunately, Too Nice has a magical helper, a doll given to her by her mother before she died. With the doll's help, the girl accomplishes seemingly impossible tasks set for her by Baba Yaga. The ultimate test is a question: "What was it you came for?" Too Nice's answer delights the witch and she gives her one of her bejeweled toads. It gobbles up Horrid Child and Very Horrid Child and hops back home. Too Nice stops being too nice and becomes "Just About Right." Oram's retelling downplays the frightening aspects of the witch. One flaw in the otherwise excellent retelling is the lack of any source notes for this version. Brown's atmospheric illustrations work wonderfully with the text. Using layers of acrylic paint and glazes, the artist has fashioned full-page illustrations that effectively merge reality and fantasy. They also have a sly humor about them. Baba Yaga's pet toads hang tightly onto the roof of her house as it gallops along on chicken legs, and after Too Nice Child answers her question favorably, Baba Yaga and her toads dance a jig on top of the dinner table. A bewitching offering.?Denise Anton Wright, Alliance Library System, Bloomington, IL
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0525459472
• ISBN 13: 9780525459477
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Brown Ruth