Product Description

A wicked spell has changed the Tsarevitch, a handsome young prince, into ice. Now only a poor peasant girl named Katya can save him, using ingenuity and her grandmother's magic nesting doll. But the Grand Vizier, the cruel wizard who cast the spell, has no intention of letting Katya destroy his handiwork, and he will fight her every step of the way. Is Katya strong enough to prevail and set the Tsarevitch free?

Illustrated by Laurel Long.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #580777 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Opulent oil paintings, as lushly colored and intricately detailed as a Russian lacquer box, set the stage for this original folktale. As Katya's grandmother lies dying, she bequeaths Katya a magic matryoshka, or Russian nesting doll, and tells her that she may open it three times in an hour of need. The girl sets out to make her way in the world and soon arrives in a city under a wicked spell: "It is always winter without thaw, night without moon, and dark without dawn," an innkeeper explains. Worse, the handsome young Tsarevitch has been turned into living ice. With the help of her nesting doll, which releases first a bear, then a wolf and finally a firebird, Katya is able to break the enchantment, give the conniving Grand Vizier a taste of his own frosty medicine, and find true love. Ogburn's (The Jukebox Man) assured storytelling memorably joins together classic fairy-tale elements with Slavic imagery; her tale reads like one already tested by time. Long (The Mightiest Heart) weaves a kind of visual magic in a series of darkly lavish scenes. Her paintings simultaneously recall ornate tapestries, Russian icon art and the romantic elegance of Trina Schart Hyman. All ages. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 4-An outstanding literary fairy tale that effectively captures the drama and splendor of traditional Russian folklore. Katya is given a magical nesting doll by her dying grandmother but is told that she can only use its magic three times. After entering a land of eternal winter, the young woman discovers a prince who has been turned into "living ice" through an enchantment. Aided in turn by a bear, wolf, and firebird that appear from inside the doll, Katya is able to restore the prince to his former self and destroy the villainous Grand Vizier. Needless to say, she and the prince live happily ever after. While the writing is filled with description and poetic images, it is the stunning full-page artwork that steals the show. Created using oil paints on paper primed with gesso, the illustrations are alive with detail and reminiscent of the miniaturist style used in Russian decorative items such as lacquered boxes, pins, and some nesting dolls. The palette reinforces the plot with black, blue, and purple gradually giving way to red, gold, and white. The page layout and design are also outstanding. This accessible, gorgeous title will undoubtedly pique children's interest in Russian folklore and nesting dolls. Becky Hickox Ayres's Matreshka (Doubleday, 1992; o.p.) and Corinne Demas Bliss's The Littlest Matryoshka (Hyperion, 1999) also feature the dolls in magical or anthropomorphic roles.
Denise Anton Wright, Alliance Library System, Bloomington, IL
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 4-8. In this original fairy tale based on Russian traditions, Katya inherits magical matryoshka dolls from her grandmother, who warns her only to open them "if her need is great"; after three times, "the magic will be gone." Katya journeys out and encounters a land frozen in a permanent winter night. A power-hungry wizard has frozen the prince as well, and Katya decides to use her magic to release the spell and bring back the day. Each turn of the doll reveals a different animal--a bear, a wolf, and a firebird--that helps, in three subsequent episodes, to weaken the wizard's curse. Finally the wizard is defeated, but it's not until Katya kisses the prince that he thaws, and the two are married "most happily, of course." Children will enjoy the story's lyricism, suspense, and traditional conventions, but it's the pictures that really root the story in a magical realm. Formal, ornate paintings, reminiscent of the scenes on lacquered Russian boxes, depict Katya traveling through enchanted landscapes that children will want to savor up close. A romantic, richly illustrated story for children who love traditional fairy tales. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

A Russian Role Reversal Tale of Sleeping Beauty
In Sleeping Beauty, the young woman is enchanted and lies in a death-like sleep until awakened by love's first kiss. In The Magic Nesting Doll, it is the Russian prince, the Tsarevitch, instead who has been charmed into an icy block by his uncle, the Grand Vizier. A peasant girl, Katya, hears of his fate and moves Heaven and Earth to save him. If you love the story of Sleeping Beauty, you will, if you are like me, love this book as well.

Katya has been reared by her grandmother at the edge of the forest. Before she dies, Katya's grandmother gives her a nesting doll, a matryoshka, and tells Katya the doll has magic powers. "If your need is great, open the doll and help will come." Katya can only do this three times, however. "After that, the magic will be gone." She is told though, "Keep the doll and remember me."

Soon after her grandmother dies, Katya finds that the world is gripped by an icy hand. The sun, moon, and stars are all gone. An innkeeper tells her about the frozen Prince, and she makes her way to his side. The Grand Vizier does his best to deflect Katya, but with the help of her doll, Katyia is unstoppable.

I appreciate stories like this one because they take familiar fairy tales of human loss and love, and allow females to play the heroine's role. In too many of our classic stories, the males are the "good guys" and some woman is portrayed as the source of evil. In real life, people of both sexes probably have equal potential for good and questionable behavior. A story like this one makes that point without being too obvious about it.

The book also rings deep within me like the allegories of tales about spring, and the reawakening of the Earth. In legends and myths, women are often portrayed in the role of bringing life back again . . . so Katya's role as Earth Mother seems appropriate.

The book also uses references to animals that are important in Russian folk lore such as bears, wolves, and fire birds. This makes a connection to Russian thmes in a way so that when you see Russian ballets, this story will come to mind. And this story will remind you of the ballets, if you know them already.

The nesting doll is an interesting metaphor for the idea of coming closer to your real self, as well. That psychological reference will be understood implicitly by many, even if they cannot articulate it.

This book is wonderfully improved by the illustrations. They are primarily done in a style reminiscent of Art Deco, but with an oriental patterning and detail that make them richer. You will be reminded of stained glass. With vivid colors and strong contrasts, the conflicts in the story are enhanced and strengthened. This is one of the most appropriately illustrated childrens' book that I have ever seen. Well done, Ms. Laurel Long!

But, to me, the greatest part of this book is that for all of its magical references, it relies on the character and intuition of Katya for its power. This is a wonderful statement about the personal power that we all have hidden within us, like the normally covered nesting dolls.

After you have finished enjoying this story with your child or grandchild, I suggest that you talk together about where else personal initiative can make a difference in someone else's life. Then encourage your child or grandchild to take that initiative, and learn her or his power directly.

May you all live happily ever after!

Wonderful story, stunning art!
My mother got this book and another one also illustrated by Laurel Long (The Mightiest Heart by Lynn Cullen) for my son and daughter for Christmas. The very first thing I noticed was the beautiful, BEAUTIFUL artwork. It's definitely a picture book worth having for the *pictures*! :-)

The story itself is also excellent. It is good bedtime story length. The plot is a wonderful Sleeping Beauty fairy tale with a female heroine. Katya swears to break the evil spell that the Grand Vizier has cast on the Tsarevitch, and she succeeds with the help of the magic nesting dolls (matryoshka) her dying grandmother left her.

My children and I have really enjoyed this book.

A great story, wonderful illustrations
This book is fairly long for a picture book, and so it may be hard for younger kids (or just kids with short attention spans) to sit through, even though the story is good. The illustrations, though, are breathtaking, and i am sure that there are a lot of younger kids who could make up their own intricate stories just based on the pictures. It's nice to see, as well, a fairy tale type book where there is a heroine who is saving the prince (or tsarovitch, in this case), though i guess it would have been nice to see Katya battling a dragon or something rather than just making wishes. Oh, well. It's a delightful book nonetheless. :)