A RUSSIAN ARTIST, GENNADY SPIRIN, ILLUSTRATES CLASSIC TOLSOY AND CHEKHOV STORIES FOR CHILDREN

Born in a small town near Moscow, Russia, on Christmas Day, 1948, Gennady Spirin had an artistic talent recognized at an early age.  He graduated from Surikov School of Fine Art at the Academy of Arts in Moscow and Moscow Stoganov Institute of Art.  He developed his own style over the years, combining traditional Russian contemporary art technique with the great traditions of the Renaissance.  His sumptuous colors and delicate lines set his unique illustrations in a class of their own; they are full of realistic precision, but also have an ethereal quality that lends itself perfectly to both classics and fairy tale stories.

My next post will feature some of his fairy tale adaptations, but today I want to share two of his picture books written by classic authors of Russian literature...

PHILIPOK - this is a retelling of Tolstoy's simple tale set in 19th-century Russia. Young Philipok wants nothing more than to go to school with his elder brother, Peter. He waits until his grandmother falls asleep, gets his hat and coat, and sets out through the snow to the schoolhouse on the other side of the village. Cold and frightened when he arrives, he earns the privilege of staying at school.

KASHTANKA In this rather quirky story by Anton Chekov (also set in 19th-Century Russia), a dog, separated from her master, is taken in by a kindly circus performer.   Kashtanka quickly adjusts to her new surroundings, which are shared with a goose, a white cat, and a pig - but in the end she is heartwarmingly reunited with her original owners. (ages 8 and up)

FAMILY FAVORITES BY STEVEN KELLOGG...

Steven Kellogg's books are not to be missed, if you're looking for imaginative and humorous stories that will hold even the youngest child's attention and interest.  Since 1967, Mr. Kellogg has written and/or illustrated over 100 picture books for kids...here are some that were our own family's favorites for ages 4-8 (click on the pictures to see how much they are from Amazon, or find them at your local library):

Find out what happens when Louis' Uncle McAllister brings back "a wee bit of Scotland" to him for his birthday.  Hint: This tadpole GROWS!  Heartwarming and hilarious story of a boy's devotion to his pet.  My kids wanted this book read to them over and over and over again!


Have you ever tried to explain the answer to this question to a 4-8 year old child?  This book will do it for you, as David M. Schwartz's concepts and mathematical calculations are helped brilliantly by Steven Kellogg's fun, detailed illustrations.  Another book we read over and over!


Pinkerton, the Great Dane, decides that a football must be an egg, after his owner, Emily, comes home from school with information about penguins and their amazing parenting skills...chaos ensues before Granny saves the day.  Other Pinkerton Books: Pinkerton, Behave!,A Rose for Pinkerton (Picture Puffins), Prehistoric Pinkerton (Picture Puffins), and Tallyho, Pinkerton! (Picture Puffins).  These stories were based on Mr. Kellogg's own harlequin Great Dane, named - Pinkerton, of course!


A "what happened next?" story unfolds as a mother asks her daughter how the class field trip to the farm went.  Kind of boring she says, until Jimmy's boa got away...again, chaos reigns and hilarity follows.  Written by Trinka Hakes Noble, with illustrations by Steven Kellogg.