Rating: 
Summary: The brave girl who returned from Baba Yaga's hut
Review: "Baby Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave" will strike all readers, whatever their age, as a variation on the Cinderella story. This is because Vasilisa's mother died when she way young and her father remarried a woman with two cruel and ugly daughters. Of course Vasilisa's father dies as well and her wicked stepmother turns out to be, literally, a witch. However, being a witch is a minor thing in a world where Baba Yaga lives in her house built with the bones of her victims in the gloomy forest. Baba Yaga is probably the most famous witch in the folklore of the world and certainly the one of whom the most stories are told. Russian folklore is filled with stories of the fearsome witch with the iron teeth, who is sometimes known as "Baba Yaga Kostianaya Noga" (Baba Yaga Boney Legs) because even though she has a ferocious appetite, as this story shows, she is as thin as a skeleton. Unlike the conventional witch who wears a hat and travels on a broomstick, Baba Yaga sails through the air sitting in a large mortar with her knees up against her chin, pushing against the floor of the forest with a pestle. When she appears a wild wind begins to blow and the spirits that often accompany here start to wail and shriek. For children in Russia or pretty much anywhere in Eastern Europe the name of Baba Yaga is one to send shivers up the spine, so when Vasilisa's wicked stepmother contrives a reason to send our heroine into the forest to borrow a light from Baba Yaga, they know that this is not a good thing. At the start of this tale, retold by Marianna Mayer, young readers not yet familiar with the legendary Baba Yaga are told that humans are her favorite food and that few have ever survived a visit to her crooked hut made of human bones. However, they are also told that the story of this particular young girl and her encounter with Baba Yaga bears repeating. Vasilisa heads off into the forbidding forest, taking with her only her favorite doll, a token of the love of her real mother. In addition to the luminous illustrations by K. Y. Craft, what makes "Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave" so compelling is that it bespeaks a complexity long gone in terms of most children's stories today. For example, as she walks through the forest to Baba Yaga's house Vasilisa sees some different colored horsemen. Later on we learn who they are, but they do not play any real part in the story, they are just part of the rich tapestry of the tale. Of course is you are talking about rich tapestry that is a good description of Craft's artwork, which usually consists on each spread of a full page illustration, a nice little border design of animals in the forest, and a little design around the first capital letter of each page.
Rating:
Summary: The brave girl who returned from Baba Yaga's hut
Review: "Baby Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave" will strike all readers, whatever their age, as a variation on the Cinderella story. This is because Vasilisa's mother died when she way young and her father remarried a woman with two cruel and ugly daughters. Of course Vasilisa's father dies as well and her wicked stepmother turns out to be, literally, a witch. However, being a witch is a minor thing in a world where Baba Yaga lives in her house built with the bones of her victims in the gloomy forest. Baba Yaga is probably the most famous witch in the folklore of the world and certainly the one of whom the most stories are told. Russian folklore is filled with stories of the fearsome witch with the iron teeth, who is sometimes known as "Baba Yaga Kostianaya Noga" (Baba Yaga Boney Legs) because even though she has a ferocious appetite, as this story shows, she is as thin as a skeleton. Unlike the conventional witch who wears a hat and travels on a broomstick, Baba Yaga sails through the air sitting in a large mortar with her knees up against her chin, pushing against the floor of the forest with a pestle. When she appears a wild wind begins to blow and the spirits that often accompany here start to wail and shriek. For children in Russia or pretty much anywhere in Eastern Europe the name of Baba Yaga is one to send shivers up the spine, so when Vasilisa's wicked stepmother contrives a reason to send our heroine into the forest to borrow a light from Baba Yaga, they know that this is not a good thing. At the start of this tale, retold by Marianna Mayer, young readers not yet familiar with the legendary Baba Yaga are told that humans are her favorite food and that few have ever survived a visit to her crooked hut made of human bones. However, they are also told that the story of this particular young girl and her encounter with Baba Yaga bears repeating. Vasilisa heads off into the forbidding forest, taking with her only her favorite doll, a token of the love of her real mother. In addition to the luminous illustrations by K. Y. Craft, what makes "Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave" so compelling is that it bespeaks a complexity long gone in terms of most children's stories today. For example, as she walks through the forest to Baba Yaga's house Vasilisa sees some different colored horsemen. Later on we learn who they are, but they do not play any real part in the story, they are just part of the rich tapestry of the tale. Of course is you are talking about rich tapestry that is a good description of Craft's artwork, which usually consists on each spread of a full page illustration, a nice little border design of animals in the forest, and a little design around the first capital letter of each page.
Rating:
Summary: The brave girl who returned from Baba Yaga's hut
Review: "Baby Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave" will strike all readers, whatever their age, as a variation on the Cinderella story. This is because Vasilisa's mother died when she way young and her father remarried a woman with two cruel and ugly daughters. Of course Vasilisa's father dies as well and her wicked stepmother turns out to be, literally, a witch. However, being a witch is a minor thing in a world where Baba Yaga lives in her house built with the bones of her victims in the gloomy forest. Baba Yaga is probably the most famous witch in the folklore of the world and certainly the one of whom the most stories are told. Russian folklore is filled with stories of the fearsome witch with the iron teeth, who is sometimes known as "Baba Yaga Kostianaya Noga" (Baba Yaga Boney Legs) because even though she has a ferocious appetite, as this story shows, she is as thin as a skeleton. Unlike the conventional witch who wears a hat and travels on a broomstick, Baba Yaga sails through the air sitting in a large mortar with her knees up against her chin, pushing against the floor of the forest with a pestle. When she appears a wild wind begins to blow and the spirits that often accompany here start to wail and shriek. For children in Russia or pretty much anywhere in Eastern Europe the name of Baba Yaga is one to send shivers up the spine, so when Vasilisa's wicked stepmother contrives a reason to send our heroine into the forest to borrow a light from Baba Yaga, they know that this is not a good thing. At the start of this tale, retold by Marianna Mayer, young readers not yet familiar with the legendary Baba Yaga are told that humans are her favorite food and that few have ever survived a visit to her crooked hut made of human bones. However, they are also told that the story of this particular young girl and her encounter with Baba Yaga bears repeating. Vasilisa heads off into the forbidding forest, taking with her only her favorite doll, a token of the love of her real mother. In addition to the luminous illustrations by K. Y. Craft, what makes "Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave" so compelling is that it bespeaks a complexity long gone in terms of most children's stories today. For example, as she walks through the forest to Baba Yaga's house Vasilisa sees some different colored horsemen. Later on we learn who they are, but they do not play any real part in the story, they are just part of the rich tapestry of the tale. Of course is you are talking about rich tapestry that is a good description of Craft's artwork, which usually consists on each spread of a full page illustration, a nice little border design of animals in the forest, and a little design around the first capital letter of each page.
Rating: 
Summary: Baba Yaga--the world's most frightening witch
Review: BY&VtB is a Russian Cinderella-tale of sorts featuring Vasilisa, whose only companion is a talking doll made by her mother. Sent by her wicked stepmother to the hut of Baba Yaga for a light, Vasilisa escapes only by completing vast quantities of houswork. My main problem with this story is that Vasilisa doesn't actually do any of the work--the doll does--leaving Vasilisa only to cook dinner for her (very scary) captor. Why does this earn Vasilisa the epithet "the brave"? A better name for her would be "Vasilisa the Complacent" since she never actually takes control of the situation or shows any will of her own. From the moment her father dies to the time her wicked stepmother is destroyed, she bends to the will of any imposing figure that commands her if for no other reason than she can't think of an alternative (see page 2 of the story)! Don't let the title fool you... Vasilisa is not an example of a strong, clever heroine like you'd expect! On a more positive note, the illustrations are wonderful. Richly ornamented, finely detailed paintings occupy every other page. The text is decorated by orientalized landscapes and persianesque illuminations. Oh, and the paintings of Baba Yaga are terrifying! I spent a long time absorbed in the artwork of this book. It truly is enchanting! Bottom line: Don't look to this story for a strong female protagonist. Enjoy it rather for its fine illustrations--they will be reward enough.
Rating:
Summary: Baba Yaga--the world's most frightening witch
Review: BY&VtB is a Russian Cinderella-tale of sorts featuring Vasilisa, whose only companion is a talking doll made by her mother. Sent by her wicked stepmother to the hut of Baba Yaga for a light, Vasilisa escapes only by completing vast quantities of houswork. My main problem with this story is that Vasilisa doesn't actually do any of the work--the doll does--leaving Vasilisa only to cook dinner for her (very scary) captor. Why does this earn Vasilisa the epithet "the brave"? A better name for her would be "Vasilisa the Complacent" since she never actually takes control of the situation or shows any will of her own. From the moment her father dies to the time her wicked stepmother is destroyed, she bends to the will of any imposing figure that commands her if for no other reason than she can't think of an alternative (see page 2 of the story)! Don't let the title fool you... Vasilisa is not an example of a strong, clever heroine like you'd expect! On a more positive note, the illustrations are wonderful. Richly ornamented, finely detailed paintings occupy every other page. The text is decorated by orientalized landscapes and persianesque illuminations. Oh, and the paintings of Baba Yaga are terrifying! I spent a long time absorbed in the artwork of this book. It truly is enchanting! Bottom line: Don't look to this story for a strong female protagonist. Enjoy it rather for its fine illustrations--they will be reward enough.
Rating:
Summary: Marvelous Pictures/Cute Fairy Tale-Highly Recommended
Review: I had a trompe-l'oil mural done in my breakfast nook, in my Spanish bungalow. The idea was that one eating at my breakfast table would be sitting outside in a garden setting. I checked out various books from our public library and this is how I discovered the illustrator K. Y. Craft. My mural is now Craft-inspired and marvelous. I had to order this book in particular because of the marvelous Russian-inspired pictures. K. Y. Craft puts such amazing detail into everything she does, whether its the border around the page or the picture itself. You could literally design a child's room by framing these pictures. The story itself is a mix of Cinderella and Hansel & Gretel, with the prince being a Tsar at the end.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent illuminated manuscript-style illustrations!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story! The folktale has elements of many familiar fairytales, including Cinderella, and Hansel and Gretel. Most impressive, were the illuminated manscript- style illustrations which drew your eye on to the next page. There are beautifully rendered pictures and borders on almost every page! Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Lush illustrations make this a must buy
Review: I was absolutely astonished by how well illustrated this book is. The pictures of Vasilisa are superb, and the book remains true to its Russian origin by including (among other thing) the drawings and words for Russian foods when describing a banquet. The pictures of the Baba Yaga are very detailed, but also a little scarey, which is something to keep in mind if you have very young children. I am extremely particular about which children's books I buy, but this book would be a must buy for any collection.
Rating:
Summary: A very scary variation on Cinderella myth. Wonderful art!
Review: My two daughters, 7 and 5, love this book. It's very well written and vivid, and the illustrations are wonderful.
Rating:
Summary: Marvelous Pictures/Cute Fairy Tale-Highly Recommended
Review: This book is wonderful. I love the way Mayer writes her childrens books. Also K. Y. Craft is a wonderful illustrator. This book would be a fine addition to any library, child or adult.
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