A certified letter follows its intended recipient all over the world as the postal service attempts to catch up to him.
Hail To Mail
Russia
Materials from Russia
The Flying Witch
Whirr. Whirr. Clunkety-clank. Here comes Baba Yaga! Flying her mortar and pestle, the witch with the long iron nose scours the countryside for plump young children to eat. But will she be a match for the fiesty little girl she hopes to throw into her soup? New York Times best-selling author Jane Yolen has created a clever, original story based on hundreds of traditional Russian folktales about the famed scary old witch. Vladimir Vagin’s remarkably detailed borders and intricate scenes will give readers chills and laughs as they read this witty tale.
The Memory Coat
In the early 1900s, two cousins leave their Russian shtetl with the rest of their family to come to America, hopeful that they will all pass the dreaded inspection at Ellis Island.
Lara’s Gift
In 1914 Russia, Lara is being groomed by her father to be the next kennel steward for the Count’s borzoi dogs unless her mother bears a son, but her visions, although suppressed by her father, seem to suggest she has special bond with the dogs.
Sekret
Yulia’s father always taught her to hide her thoughts and control her emotions to survive the harsh realities of Soviet Russia. But when she’s captured by the KGB and forced to work as a psychic spy with a mission to undermine the U.S. space program, she’s thrust into a world of suspicion, deceit, and horrifying power. Yulia quickly realizes she can trust no one–not her KGB superiors or the other operatives vying for her attention–and must rely on her own wits and skills to survive in this world where no SEKRET can stay hidden for long.
A Photograph as a Momento
The book tells the story of the Armenian diaspora in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, one of the former republics of the Soviet Union. Traditionally, Baku was an international city where many different ethnic groups lived together for centuries. Armenians in Baku were an important part of the community. Historically, there were not many friendships between Muslim Azeri and Christian Armenians, but locally many families peacefully lived next to each other. The main character and the narrator of the book is Margo Manukian, an Armenian girl who grew up in Baku.
See the review at WOW Review, Volume VI, Issue 4
Uncle Fedya, His Dog, And His Cat
What would you do if you found a talking cat and your parents wouldn’t let you keep it? Why, run away, of course! In this funny, imaginative novel by Russia’s most popular children’s book writer, a small boy runs away from home and sets up housekeeping with two talking animals. Black-and-white illustrations.
See the review at WOW Review, Volume VI, Issue 3
Babushka’s Doll
Natasha isn’t really a bad girl. It’s just that she wants to play on the swing now, not after the wash has been hung up to dry. And she wants her soup now, not after the goats have been fed. Looking after Natasha keeps Babushka, Natasha’s grandmother, very busy.Then, after lunch, Natasha notices a doll sitting on Babushka’s shelf…a doll Babushka tells Natasha she played with just once when she was a little girl. When Natasha plays with the doll while Babushka goes to the store for groceries, she discovers why once is enough with Babushka’s doll…and finds out just how tiring it can be to take care of a child who wants everything now.
The Boy On The Bridge
It is 1982 and nineteen-year-old Laura Reid is spending a semester in Leningrad studying Russian, but when she meets Alyosha she discovers the dissident Russia–a world of wild parties, underground books and music, love, and constant danger.
Hostage To War
When Tatjana was ten years old, Nazi Germany declared war on Russia. Enduring terrible conditions and near-starvation in workcamps, Tatjana survived through liberation, but had more obstacles to overcome before fulfilling her dream to become a teacher.