Baba Yaga Gets a Modern Makeover in Playful New Fairy Tales
A Review by the Magadan Municipal Cultural Institution Centralized Library System for Our Readers
Olga Kamysheva, The Big Book of Baba Yaga Fairy Tales
Warm, witty, and just a little mischievous, Olga Kamysheva's fairy tales about Baba Yaga have long been a bestseller in children's literature. This collection brings together six enchanting stories: "No New Year's Eve!", "But Father Frost Isn't Real!", "Where Are You, Snegurochka?", "Baba Yaga Leads the Investigation", "Vacation with Baba Yaga", and "Baba Yaga's School".
"Baba Yaga Leads the Investigation" – Join Baba Yaga, Father Frost, Snegurochka, Koschei the Deathless, and the Brownie on a whimsical adventure. This kindhearted, magical, and hilarious tale—paired with bright, playful illustrations—will leave young readers spellbound and fill them with the joy of the holiday season.
"Baba Yaga's School" – Baba Yaga is bored. Leshy's grandchildren have gone back to their swamp, leaving her all alone in her clever little hut. So she packs up and heads off to visit them—just in time! The forest school has shut down, and with no one to teach the little imps, they've been raising chaos nonstop. They nearly boiled the last teacher, the Water Goblin, alive! Baba Yaga decides to take matters into her own hands, already imagining herself accepting the "Best Teacher of the Year" award… until her first lesson begins. Read on to find out what happens!
"Vacation with Baba Yaga" – Baba Yaga had been dreaming of a summer getaway by the sea! Her suitcase was packed, her inflatable mattress ordered… when suddenly, three grubby little creatures showed up at her door. Turns out, Leshy's grandchildren had come to visit, but he'd been called away on urgent business to the other end of the forest. He begged Baba Yaga to change her plans and babysit the kikimoras. And so, her vacation begins. May the forest gods help us all!
"Where Are You, Snegurochka?" – Baba Yaga longs to return to Father Frost's estate—after all, New Year's Eve is coming, and that's where the real fun is! But she's too ashamed. After the chaos she caused at last year's celebration, no one would want to see her again… So she hatches a plan: she'll return as the hero who saves the day by "kidnapping" Snegurochka and then "rescuing" her.
The estate is buzzing with guests, the holiday is nearly here, and Snegurochka—who was supposed to arrive from Kostroma on the magical train—is nowhere to be found. Then Father Frost receives an anonymous ransom note. What now? Where are you, Snegurochka?..
"No New Year's for you!" Baba Yaga grumbled, utterly bored in retirement. She lived in the city now, in a comfortable apartment, with everything she could want—a TV, sweets, even a smartphone. But what was the point? No creaky hut on chicken legs to chat with, no handsome young men to lure into the forest. Her fingers itched with mischief—what trouble could she stir up to make the whole world remember her name?
And then there was Ded Moroz, splashed across every TV channel—now there was someone with real respect!
So Baba Yaga made up her mind: No New Year's this year!
"Ded Moroz is a fraud!" Baba Yaga had become Ded Moroz's right-hand assistant, living in his winter domain. But one day, just before the holidays, she stumbled upon an online ranking of fairy-tale characters. And who do you think topped the list? Ded Moroz! The injustice! She slaved away, breaking her back—yet all the glory went to that old man? No, this wouldn't stand! Baba Yaga vowed to prove to everyone that Ded Moroz was nothing but a useless old fool. And just then, Koschei the Deathless dropped by for a visit. Now there was a partner in crime!
The New Year's celebration was in full swing. But wait—Ded Moroz wasn't the real one?!
