Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Clavis (2016), Edition: Illustrated, 56 pages
Description
"The illustrations are absolutely fabulous and the book is worth reading just for those alone." - Yellowstone Library Once upon a time, in a land far away from here, lived a girl named Olga. Olga lived with her father in a beautiful house, and they were very happy together. Until Olga's father one day fell in love again ... His new wife was cruel and mean. And her sister Baba Yaga, who lived in a dark forest, was even meaner. Baba Yaga was a witch! It was said that she was fond of children ... for dinner! One day Olga's stepmother sent her to Baba Yaga. What was she supposed to do now? Baba Yaga, the witch from Slavonic mythology is coming alive in this fairy tale. An Leysen draws you into an imaginative story about a wicked witch and a sweet and brave little girl. For children ages 5 and up.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member LilyRoseShadowlyn
Not for younger readers, this beautifully illustrated retelling of an old legend about Baba Yaga the witch in the woods is a great fairy tale. The story is enticing and will have you on the edge of your seat. If you love the original versions of fairy tales, then you'll love this book!
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LibraryThing member Carlathelibrarian
Baba Yaga is a famous Russian fairytale. Olga is a little girl who's mother died and she and her father live happily together. When he falls in love with the sister of Baba Yaga (a witch who loves to eat children) he is under her spell. She treats Olga terribly and wants to be rid of her. She sends
The illustrations in this book are wonderful. They make the story seem magical and Olga is such a beautiful little girl. A great book when studying fairytales, especially if looking at ones from various cultures and lands. I would recommend this book to public, school and class libraries.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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her to see Baba Yaga, supposedly to get a needle and some thread. The little doll that Olga's mother made her before she died tells her to bring certain things with her. Off she goes and uses the things that she brought to help her once she arrives at Baba Yaga's cottage. As in most fairytales, there is a happy ending.The illustrations in this book are wonderful. They make the story seem magical and Olga is such a beautiful little girl. A great book when studying fairytales, especially if looking at ones from various cultures and lands. I would recommend this book to public, school and class libraries.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
Belgian author/artist An Leysen retells the classic Russian fairy-tale of Vasilisa the Beautiful in this lovely picture-book. In her retelling the heroine is named Olga, but many of the other details are the same: Olga is the daughter of a widower who remarries, and is mistreated by her new
Having greatly enjoyed Leysen's retelling of the French fairy-tale of Beauty and the Beast, and having always loved the stories surrounding this fearsome witch of Russian and Slavic folklore, I picked up Baba Yaga with some excitement. Overall I was pleased with what I found, appreciating both the story and the gorgeous artwork. That said, I did question the teller's decision to change Vasilisa's name to Olga, and wondered whether this represented a variant of the story unknown to me, or simply Leysen's own preference. Unfortunately, there was no author's note about sources here, so I could not answer that question. Leaving aside that issue, I also found myself a little less-than-thrilled at the depiction of Baba Yaga herself, who is described as riding a cauldron with attached broom, rather than the more traditional mortar and pestle, and who is unremittingly villainous here, rather than being a fearsomely ambiguous figure, sometimes bad and sometimes helpful. I do greatly enjoy Leysen's artwork, which alternates between deeply colorful spreads and ones done in a sort of sepia-toned outline, and I do recommend this one to fairy-tale fans. That said, readers might also want to check out Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave, which is my absolute favorite retelling of this tale.
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stepmother. Determined to get rid of her, the stepmother sends Olga into the woods to visit the fearsome witch Baba Yaga (here the stepmother's sister), but our heroine is aided by the magical doll left to her by her own mother, and triumphs in the end...Having greatly enjoyed Leysen's retelling of the French fairy-tale of Beauty and the Beast, and having always loved the stories surrounding this fearsome witch of Russian and Slavic folklore, I picked up Baba Yaga with some excitement. Overall I was pleased with what I found, appreciating both the story and the gorgeous artwork. That said, I did question the teller's decision to change Vasilisa's name to Olga, and wondered whether this represented a variant of the story unknown to me, or simply Leysen's own preference. Unfortunately, there was no author's note about sources here, so I could not answer that question. Leaving aside that issue, I also found myself a little less-than-thrilled at the depiction of Baba Yaga herself, who is described as riding a cauldron with attached broom, rather than the more traditional mortar and pestle, and who is unremittingly villainous here, rather than being a fearsomely ambiguous figure, sometimes bad and sometimes helpful. I do greatly enjoy Leysen's artwork, which alternates between deeply colorful spreads and ones done in a sort of sepia-toned outline, and I do recommend this one to fairy-tale fans. That said, readers might also want to check out Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave, which is my absolute favorite retelling of this tale.
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Language
Original language
English
Physical description
56 p.; 10.3 inches
ISBN
1605372900 / 9781605372907
Local notes
The classic fairy tale with enchanting illustrations.