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Breaking Stalin's Nose
One of Horn Book's Best Fiction Books of 2011
Sasha Zaichik has known the laws of the Soviet Young Pioneers since the age of six:
The Young Pioneer is devoted to Comrade Stalin, the Communist Party, and Communism.
A Young Pioneer is a reliable comrade and always acts according to conscience.
A Young Pioneer has a right to criticize shortcomings.
But now that it is finally time to join the Young Pioneers, the day Sasha has awaited for so long, everything seems to go awry. He breaks a classmate's glasses with a snowball. He accidentally damages a bust of Stalin in the school hallway. And worst of all, his father, the best Communist he knows, was arrested just last night.
This moving story of a ten-year-old boy's world shattering is masterful in its simplicity, powerful in its message, and heartbreaking in its plausibility.
Sasha Zaichik has known the laws of the Soviet Young Pioneers since the age of six:
The Young Pioneer is devoted to Comrade Stalin, the Communist Party, and Communism.
A Young Pioneer is a reliable comrade and always acts according to conscience.
A Young Pioneer has a right to criticize shortcomings.
But now that it is finally time to join the Young Pioneers, the day Sasha has awaited for so long, everything seems to go awry. He breaks a classmate's glasses with a snowball. He accidentally damages a bust of Stalin in the school hallway. And worst of all, his father, the best Communist he knows, was arrested just last night.
This moving story of a ten-year-old boy's world shattering is masterful in its simplicity, powerful in its message, and heartbreaking in its plausibility.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published September 11, 2011
137 people are currently reading
7042 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,523 reviews
November 30, 2018
Ok. I'm not going to lie. For a kid's book this is some dark shit. Maybe not for someone from another country but for me it was. It definitely opened my eyes to what life was like under Stalin in the Soviet Union and the people's mentality. It was fanatical, full of fear and paranoia, and oppressive. I mean yikes. Kids were pretty much brainwashed. Kids and adults lived in fear of being thrown in jail and shot as spies for the smallest of offenses. In turn they lived their lives as best they could, trying to be perfect citizens. In all honesty this book was interesting but disturbing. It's about a kid's loss of innocence and realizing that not all is what it seems. I'm glad I read it because it was enlightening but I think this book will stay with me a long time. Due to the dark content I would only recommend this for ages 12 and up.
June 19, 2022
کتاب از زبان یک کودک در زمان شوروی استالین نوشته شده. پسری که آرزوی پیوستن به پیشاهنگان جوان شوروی رو داره و پدرش در اداره امنیت شوروی کار میکنه. پدری که مورد تحسین شخص استالین قرار گرفته. ابتدای داستان در اولین شب پدر ساشا (همون کودک) توسط همکارانش دستگیر میشه و این شروع ماجرای ساشا هست. کل داستان به نظر یک استعاره و تمثیل بزرگ از مدل زندگی کمونسیتی در شوروی هست. داستان ساده و جذابه و تصویرگری جالبی هم داره
January 10, 2015
I thought this was amazing. I could really feel the place, it was eerie. The illustrations matched the mood entirely. This was a very thoughtful work. The story was NOT run-of-the-mill. Very original and fast-paced. This book is sophisticated enough for adults, and simple enough for children (who are ready for this subject matter). I was really blown away by this. I highly recommend it for pretty much anyone.
August 29, 2016
İnanılmazdı.
Baskıcı bir toplumda haliyle bastırılmış duygular içinde boğuşan bir çocuğun dünyasını okuyoruz Stalin'in Burnunu Kırmak kitabında. Gerçekten 100 sayfa içine tüm dönem sığdırılmış, kelimeler yüreğinize işleyecek kadar özenle yazılmış. İllüstrasyonlar kendine hayran bıraktıracak kadar özel ve güzeller.
Yalnız Newbery Onur Ödülü ve Yılın En İyi Çocuk Kitabı ünvanını alan kitaplar arasındaymış Stalin'in Burnunu Kırmak, iyiki kitaba küçükken denk gelmemişim.
Öyle ya bu eşek kadar halimle zaman zaman yutkunamadım okurken, hüzün ve çaresizlik içine battım; ne çocuğu ayol?! Delirdiniz mi siz?
Zaten yazar Eugene Yelchin, Genç Sovyet Öncüsü olmak istediği zamanları Sasha Zaichik aracılığıyla bir aktarmış bize.
Kitabın duygulara nokta atışı yaptığı bir gerçek.
Bunun nedeni hikayenin bir çocuğun gözünden anlatması ve illüstrasyonlar ile desteklenmiş olması sanmıştım.
Meğer çok daha fazlasıymış. Nur topu gibi bir 5 puan benden.
Geçmez artık bu baş ağrısı. Mutlu musunuz?
Read
September 29, 2013This book flew invisibly past my radar. I hadn't heard of it or even seen it until I read that it won the Newbery Honor. Obviously, I had to rectify that, so when my latest batch of books came from the library yesterday, full of this year's award winners, I wanted to read this one first.
Synopsis: Ten-year-old Sasha is a fervently loyal Stalinist, who is excited to become a part of the Young Pioneers (Stalin's youth organization) and extremely proud of his father, who works for the State Security (secret police). They live with 46 other people in a communal flat/apartment, happy -from Sasha's perspective- that they are the living epitome of Stalin's ideals. Then, in the middle of the night, the secret police come and roughly haul away his father. What follows is a quick succession of events that has Sasha questioning his loyalty and the validity of the system.
The action of this fairly quick and completely gripping story takes place over the course of only one evening and the following day. It's a book that contains important issues such as freedom (or the lack of it), paranoia, propaganda, idealism vs. reality, standing for right (or not).
Here are some thoughts I had as I read:
-I think Yelchin does a very admirable job of tackling his subject from a naive ten-year-old's perspective. It's a genius approach, reminiscent of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, where the limits of the young protagonist's understanding and maturity throws a spotlight on the horrors going on around them. What Yelchin seems to steer away from are Sasha's emotions. Deliberate devise or not, I think it's genius to downplay them, because again, it throws the spotlight onto the world in which he lives. The buildup of paranoia and hysteria that exists in the book -created by living in such a system- engulfs the reader in their own emotions. I think it would be completely overwhelming if we had to deal with both sets of emotions at once, especially for the targeted reading age group.
-In the beginning, Sasha is the perfect little Communist, just as he's been trained from baby-hood. Even as people are betraying his family, he doesn't feel a sense of betrayal, rather he admires their patriotism. There are also a few instances where Sasha has to choose to take a stand for right, and you can't help having empathy for his choices. (You will have to read the book to understand this in context.) I think it's a credit to Yelchin's writing ability that he can make us empathize with a boy with whom we have ostensibly very little in common.
-It's interesting to me how the author subtly shows the disconnect between child and adult. Here is Sasha's father, who has trained him to be a good little Communist from birth, and yet somehow expects him to know where the inconsistencies lie between the dogma and reality. It's a mistake we parents frequently make: assuming that our young children can see and understand those subtleties and inconsistencies.
-Yelchin, through young Sasha, gets to the heart of why this period of Russian history is known as The Great Terror: what happens to society as a whole and the individuals within it when every infraction is treated like it's the very worst possible crime? What happens when people are kept in such a state of terror and propaganda that they don't even realize they are the victims?
-The illustrations are dark, and have an exaggerated quality that perfectly accompanies the exaggerated paranoia. (There's an ironic one on pages 106-107 depicting the principal as Hitler.) The illustrations are reminiscent of Communist propaganda posters from the era. The other interesting thing to note is that we only see Sasha from the back or side -always turned away from the viewer- throughout the book, until we finally see his face for the first time on p. 137, just before the end.
-This book would make an excellent accompaniment to history lessons about that era for children age 10 and up. I'd have high schoolers read it as part of a Russian history unit. I think it would also make excellent book club reading.
Synopsis: Ten-year-old Sasha is a fervently loyal Stalinist, who is excited to become a part of the Young Pioneers (Stalin's youth organization) and extremely proud of his father, who works for the State Security (secret police). They live with 46 other people in a communal flat/apartment, happy -from Sasha's perspective- that they are the living epitome of Stalin's ideals. Then, in the middle of the night, the secret police come and roughly haul away his father. What follows is a quick succession of events that has Sasha questioning his loyalty and the validity of the system.
The action of this fairly quick and completely gripping story takes place over the course of only one evening and the following day. It's a book that contains important issues such as freedom (or the lack of it), paranoia, propaganda, idealism vs. reality, standing for right (or not).
Here are some thoughts I had as I read:
-I think Yelchin does a very admirable job of tackling his subject from a naive ten-year-old's perspective. It's a genius approach, reminiscent of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, where the limits of the young protagonist's understanding and maturity throws a spotlight on the horrors going on around them. What Yelchin seems to steer away from are Sasha's emotions. Deliberate devise or not, I think it's genius to downplay them, because again, it throws the spotlight onto the world in which he lives. The buildup of paranoia and hysteria that exists in the book -created by living in such a system- engulfs the reader in their own emotions. I think it would be completely overwhelming if we had to deal with both sets of emotions at once, especially for the targeted reading age group.
-In the beginning, Sasha is the perfect little Communist, just as he's been trained from baby-hood. Even as people are betraying his family, he doesn't feel a sense of betrayal, rather he admires their patriotism. There are also a few instances where Sasha has to choose to take a stand for right, and you can't help having empathy for his choices. (You will have to read the book to understand this in context.) I think it's a credit to Yelchin's writing ability that he can make us empathize with a boy with whom we have ostensibly very little in common.
-It's interesting to me how the author subtly shows the disconnect between child and adult. Here is Sasha's father, who has trained him to be a good little Communist from birth, and yet somehow expects him to know where the inconsistencies lie between the dogma and reality. It's a mistake we parents frequently make: assuming that our young children can see and understand those subtleties and inconsistencies.
-Yelchin, through young Sasha, gets to the heart of why this period of Russian history is known as The Great Terror: what happens to society as a whole and the individuals within it when every infraction is treated like it's the very worst possible crime? What happens when people are kept in such a state of terror and propaganda that they don't even realize they are the victims?
-The illustrations are dark, and have an exaggerated quality that perfectly accompanies the exaggerated paranoia. (There's an ironic one on pages 106-107 depicting the principal as Hitler.) The illustrations are reminiscent of Communist propaganda posters from the era. The other interesting thing to note is that we only see Sasha from the back or side -always turned away from the viewer- throughout the book, until we finally see his face for the first time on p. 137, just before the end.
-This book would make an excellent accompaniment to history lessons about that era for children age 10 and up. I'd have high schoolers read it as part of a Russian history unit. I think it would also make excellent book club reading.
May 18, 2018
Stalin döneminde yaşananları bir çocuğun gözlerinden anlatan kısa ve çok çarpıcı bir kitap. Ve bu bir çocuk kitabı, yetişkinler için yazılsa ortaya nasıl bir şey çıkarmış düşünmek istemiyorum. Kitabın sonunda yazarla yapılan bir röportaj var, yazma sürecinde duygusal olarak çok zorlandığını belirtiyor. Okurken ben de zorlandım, çünkü hepsi gerçek, hepsi ve daha kötüleri yaşandı. Birkaç gün önce The Death of Stalin'i izledim, o işin kara mizahla harmanlanmış tarafıydı. Bu kitap ise o dönemde yaşanan korkunç olayları çocukluğun saf düşünceleriyle aktarıyor.
En sevdiğim çocuk kitaplarına bir yenisi daha eklendi. Yazar aynı zamanda kitabın illüstrasyonlarını da yapmış, Sasha'nın sade yaşamı ve hikayenin karamsarlığıyla uyumlu çizimler. İyi ki okudum, öneren kişiye bin teşekkür.
En sevdiğim çocuk kitaplarına bir yenisi daha eklendi. Yazar aynı zamanda kitabın illüstrasyonlarını da yapmış, Sasha'nın sade yaşamı ve hikayenin karamsarlığıyla uyumlu çizimler. İyi ki okudum, öneren kişiye bin teşekkür.
January 23, 2022
A short read about how a young boy, after his father's arrest, begins to question everything he previously believed to be true about 'Comrade Stalin' and the Soviet government. Insightful and educational, it is so heartbreaking to read about these brainwashed children. I also think the author's note is important to put things in context.
⭐⭐⭐ ½
⭐⭐⭐ ½
March 18, 2025
Absolutely haunting. It’s intense to be in the mind of a child who idolizes Stalin and one event awakens him to the reality of what’s happening around him.
November 14, 2023
Extraordinarily quick read, but one that does a really nice job highlighting the conditions of the Soviet state, in a way that is eye opening for younger readers.
March 11, 2019
Yelchin's debut novel examines life in Stalinist Russia through the eyes of Sasha, a young boy who idolizes Stalin. He believes the lies and half truths he has been told and rationalizes anomalies that don't fit his vision of Stalin's glorious leadership until the night before he is to join the Young Pioneers, the night his father is betrayed and arrested, the night he begins to see the painful truth about his father, his friends, and his idol. The explicit theme is shared by a substitute teacher in a Russian Literature class: "What 'The Nose' so vividly demonstrates to us today,' says Luzhko, 'is that when we blindly believe in someone else's idea of what is right or wrong for us as individuals, sooner or later our refusal to make our own choices could lead to the collapse of the entire political system. An entire country. The world, even.'
He looks at the class significantly and says, 'Do you understand?'
Of course, they have no idea what he's talking about. “This Luzhko is suspicious. I always thought so. All teachers use words you hear on the radio, but he doesn't. I don't know what's wrong with him. I turn and walk away."
Yelchin's illustration of Sasha's principal resembles Adolph Hitler. I don't think that's a coincidence. Our world continues to be deeply divided and far too many people accept ideas and doctrine at face value. Perhaps Breaking Stalin's Nose should be required reading for us all, a clarion call to think for one's self rather than blindly "drinking the Kool-Aid" of any cause.
He looks at the class significantly and says, 'Do you understand?'
Of course, they have no idea what he's talking about. “This Luzhko is suspicious. I always thought so. All teachers use words you hear on the radio, but he doesn't. I don't know what's wrong with him. I turn and walk away."
Yelchin's illustration of Sasha's principal resembles Adolph Hitler. I don't think that's a coincidence. Our world continues to be deeply divided and far too many people accept ideas and doctrine at face value. Perhaps Breaking Stalin's Nose should be required reading for us all, a clarion call to think for one's self rather than blindly "drinking the Kool-Aid" of any cause.
March 19, 2019
من از اشارهی ریز و استعاریش به «دماغ» نیکولای گوگول خوشم اومد.
کتاب خیلی هارشیه. به خصوص با توجه به اینکه برای کودک نوشته شده. در حد خودش هم خیلی با جزییات فضاسازی میکنه.
چیزی که در طول خوندن کتاب بهش فکر میکردم این بود که هیچوقت تاحالا کتاب غیر ایديولوژیک در مورد کمونیسم نخوندم که حاوی رضایت نویسنده باشه.
کتاب خیلی هارشیه. به خصوص با توجه به اینکه برای کودک نوشته شده. در حد خودش هم خیلی با جزییات فضاسازی میکنه.
چیزی که در طول خوندن کتاب بهش فکر میکردم این بود که هیچوقت تاحالا کتاب غیر ایديولوژیک در مورد کمونیسم نخوندم که حاوی رضایت نویسنده باشه.
July 14, 2012
My daughter, an elementary media specialist, read this book before me and in her review she wondered how the students would react to this book as it depicts a piece of history about which they will probably know little to nothing. I do agree with her. The cover is enticing, but I don't know that elementary students will get the book at all. However, I think this is a curriculum connection for teachers and a really good read aloud. Discussion to enlighten students about the history of the story and then making the correlation to places in the world where government tyranny is still prevalent lifts this book above a three star.
I have been toying with the idea of sharing it with our high school world history teacher. She is a reader and just might see possibilities for students older than the reading population for which this book aims.
I have been toying with the idea of sharing it with our high school world history teacher. She is a reader and just might see possibilities for students older than the reading population for which this book aims.
September 26, 2016
"Keramet bakan gözde değil, gören gözde" sözünün kanıtlanmış hali gibi bir kitap.
Bir çocuğun gözünden o dönemi okumak, yaşadıklarını hissetmek, her bir cümlesinin altındaki anlamı görmek oldukça etkileyiciydi.
Bir çocuğun gözünden o dönemi okumak, yaşadıklarını hissetmek, her bir cümlesinin altındaki anlamı görmek oldukça etkileyiciydi.
March 22, 2019
it was ok. It was weird. Good illustrations but a little weird.
January 29, 2017
Bölümüm gereği son zamanlarda biraz fazla maruz kaldığım Komünizm, en acımasız haliyle, Stalin'le karşıma çıktığında biraz rahatsız oldum. Bunu bir çocuğun gözünden dinlemekse olayı hem daha etkileyici hem de daha rahatsız edici kıldı.
Her zaman dünyanın en berbat olduğu dönemde doğduğumuza inanıyor olsam da, şimdilerde farkediyorum ki, kötülük bu dünyada hep vardı. Dünya hiçbir zaman toz pembe bir yer olmadı ve ne yazık ki olmayacak. Bir zamanlar kötülük yüzünü Hitler'le, Stalin'le gösterdi, şimdiyse sahnede bambaşka aktörler, bambaşka insanlar var. Değişmeyen şey ise en çok etkilenenlerin daima en masum olanlar olması...
Kitaba bayıldım ve çok etkilendim. Ne çok kötülük ve ne çok masumiyet var dünyada!
Her zaman dünyanın en berbat olduğu dönemde doğduğumuza inanıyor olsam da, şimdilerde farkediyorum ki, kötülük bu dünyada hep vardı. Dünya hiçbir zaman toz pembe bir yer olmadı ve ne yazık ki olmayacak. Bir zamanlar kötülük yüzünü Hitler'le, Stalin'le gösterdi, şimdiyse sahnede bambaşka aktörler, bambaşka insanlar var. Değişmeyen şey ise en çok etkilenenlerin daima en masum olanlar olması...
Kitaba bayıldım ve çok etkilendim. Ne çok kötülük ve ne çok masumiyet var dünyada!
November 10, 2017
So well done. I was even more impressed when I read the author’s note at the end of the book and learned that the story of a loyal Communist boy who realizes that the government he has idealized isn’t as awesome as he thought is mostly autobiographical. It’s a short book with really interesting illustrations (also done by the author) and it is such a good picture of a child’s view of Communism. I loved that as an adult I could both sympathize with the child and see what he couldn’t see about his life.
February 19, 2012
I try not to question "the committee's" choices but this book flew across the room when I finished. It reads like a short story which should be featured on NPR's selected shorts. NOT and early chapter book.
Really, Schmidt and Ness didn't make the cut, but this got through?
Really, Schmidt and Ness didn't make the cut, but this got through?
October 17, 2019
It was interesting to see how people lived in communist Russia, but there was some strange parts.
January 21, 2022
Brilliant in its simplicity, Yelchin takes us into a slice of time during Stalin's Terror years through the eyes of a young boy.
January 6, 2021
Excellent. Atmospheric. Heart-wrenching. Most of all important.
February 4, 2012
Sasha wants nothing more than to be a member of the Young Soviet Pioneers. Sasha's father works for Stalin's State Security--secret police--and Sasha wants to be just like him. Stalin himself pinned the order of the Red Banner on his Sasha's father's chest and called him "an iron broom purging the vermin from our midst." If only Sasha understood exactly what that statement meant, and who was counted as "vermin".
Sasha's is the voice of innocent, blind loyalty. Throughout the book he makes statements that reveal his belief in the benevolence of Communism in the face of blatant contradiction. People aren't afraid of his father, they are "respectful". That boy, Four Eyes, who didn't do anything wrong, is being dragged away by the Secret Police, but that's okay because, "he'll get to see his parents" (who have been imprisoned as "enemies of the people"). After his father took his mother to the hospital, where she died, Sasha's Aunt Larisa said his father looked "guilty, not sad", and Sasha thinks there must have been a funeral and wonders why his father didn't take him. Probably because "he blamed himself for not being able to save my mom. He's not even a doctor, but he's that responsible."
In only two short days Sasha's world is turned upside-down. He learns more about Stalin's tyrannical regime than he wants to know. By the end of this brief novel, he is still denying much of the truth, but he has a new and painful understanding of what it means to be a Communist.
Breaking Stalin's Nose is brief, but powerful. It's written in a way children can understand. Will they comprehend the magnitude of Communism? Absolutely not. I don't even think I can comprehend that. But it's a start.
Here's the problem, though: I think this book's shelf appeal to children is virtually non-existent. I can't think of a single child who would read the jacket flap and want to read this. They have no idea who Stalin was or what a Communist is. As far as I know, they don't learn about it in school, either. I didn't.
However, the truth of this message is an invaluable one for us, for our children, and for their children. There will be some courageous educators who will be inspired to work this book into their curriculum. Historical background instruction is a prerequisite, but the potential for intense classroom discussion is immeasurable.
Outside of the classroom, in the home, is where this book can have the most power, though. Parents, get this book and read it with your children. Talk to them about Sasha's life. Tell them what you know about Communism, and if you feel you don't know enough, learn about it together. Our children must know this saga in history so they will not allow it to be repeated.
Sasha's is the voice of innocent, blind loyalty. Throughout the book he makes statements that reveal his belief in the benevolence of Communism in the face of blatant contradiction. People aren't afraid of his father, they are "respectful". That boy, Four Eyes, who didn't do anything wrong, is being dragged away by the Secret Police, but that's okay because, "he'll get to see his parents" (who have been imprisoned as "enemies of the people"). After his father took his mother to the hospital, where she died, Sasha's Aunt Larisa said his father looked "guilty, not sad", and Sasha thinks there must have been a funeral and wonders why his father didn't take him. Probably because "he blamed himself for not being able to save my mom. He's not even a doctor, but he's that responsible."
In only two short days Sasha's world is turned upside-down. He learns more about Stalin's tyrannical regime than he wants to know. By the end of this brief novel, he is still denying much of the truth, but he has a new and painful understanding of what it means to be a Communist.
Breaking Stalin's Nose is brief, but powerful. It's written in a way children can understand. Will they comprehend the magnitude of Communism? Absolutely not. I don't even think I can comprehend that. But it's a start.
Here's the problem, though: I think this book's shelf appeal to children is virtually non-existent. I can't think of a single child who would read the jacket flap and want to read this. They have no idea who Stalin was or what a Communist is. As far as I know, they don't learn about it in school, either. I didn't.
However, the truth of this message is an invaluable one for us, for our children, and for their children. There will be some courageous educators who will be inspired to work this book into their curriculum. Historical background instruction is a prerequisite, but the potential for intense classroom discussion is immeasurable.
Outside of the classroom, in the home, is where this book can have the most power, though. Parents, get this book and read it with your children. Talk to them about Sasha's life. Tell them what you know about Communism, and if you feel you don't know enough, learn about it together. Our children must know this saga in history so they will not allow it to be repeated.
August 4, 2025
★★★★☆
I read this book in about an hour, so it’s pretty short. Its a good book, I became very attached to Sasha, and I wish I could’ve been there to help him understand what he was going through :(
what made it 4/5 stars for me was the writing style. I personally don’t like present-tense writing, as well as some of the descriptions just weren’t to my taste. (plus i didnt like the illustrations haha)
But this is still a powerful little story that made me feel very strong negative emotions about the horrible brainwashing that children like Sasha experienced. The woman at the end made me smile and feel warm inside.
A quote that stood out to me is “From the back row, the classroom looks different. I’m here with the other unreliables and I can see much better from here. Now I can see the whole room.” I think that’s the author’s way of saying that it’s hard to see the whole picture when you’re at the front, the top, when life is easy. Once Sasha had been moved to the back of the classroom (once his perfect world had been shattered) he saw the whole room better (he saw the whole picture).
But anyways this is a good book to read if you’re wanting to start to understand the heavy effect communism had on Russia.
I read this book in about an hour, so it’s pretty short. Its a good book, I became very attached to Sasha, and I wish I could’ve been there to help him understand what he was going through :(
what made it 4/5 stars for me was the writing style. I personally don’t like present-tense writing, as well as some of the descriptions just weren’t to my taste. (plus i didnt like the illustrations haha)
But this is still a powerful little story that made me feel very strong negative emotions about the horrible brainwashing that children like Sasha experienced. The woman at the end made me smile and feel warm inside.
A quote that stood out to me is “From the back row, the classroom looks different. I’m here with the other unreliables and I can see much better from here. Now I can see the whole room.” I think that’s the author’s way of saying that it’s hard to see the whole picture when you’re at the front, the top, when life is easy. Once Sasha had been moved to the back of the classroom (once his perfect world had been shattered) he saw the whole room better (he saw the whole picture).
But anyways this is a good book to read if you’re wanting to start to understand the heavy effect communism had on Russia.
February 8, 2012
This book was a very quick read and when I say quick I mean the author barely gives anyone, reader and characters alike a chance to breath. Taking place over a period of two days, Sasha's life if torn apart when his father is arrested and everything he knew about the world he grew up in is called into question.
I never felt like I got to know anyone in the book, not Sasha, his father or the people around them. The author basically points out who the bad guys are, who the good guys are and makes no effort to humanize anyone. The illustrations while beautifully done, are placed in the book in such a way as to break up the narrative which gave me the feeling I was missing something. Not only that some of the people are drawn oddly, almost like by making them seem weak the author was trying to drum up more sympathy for them.
The book also ends on a very depressing note, I personally didn't mind it, but any kid who picks up this book may be disappointed if they read it looking for a happy ending. This is one award winner that ended up being a miss for me.
I never felt like I got to know anyone in the book, not Sasha, his father or the people around them. The author basically points out who the bad guys are, who the good guys are and makes no effort to humanize anyone. The illustrations while beautifully done, are placed in the book in such a way as to break up the narrative which gave me the feeling I was missing something. Not only that some of the people are drawn oddly, almost like by making them seem weak the author was trying to drum up more sympathy for them.
The book also ends on a very depressing note, I personally didn't mind it, but any kid who picks up this book may be disappointed if they read it looking for a happy ending. This is one award winner that ended up being a miss for me.
February 6, 2023
An important read for any and all—to understand Russia under the 30 year rule of Joseph Stalin. Reading this in March 2022 amidst Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, this puts those world events in even better context. This is technically a children’s book, but I would encourage everyone to read it to grasp and understand the horrors of life in communist USSR under Stalin. The author, Eugene Yelchin, was born in Russia and lived this reality. He writes this from his first-hand experience. This is truly an important read.
October 11, 2011
Great story about a young boy's disillusionment with Stalin's violently oppressive regime in the Soviet Union. The age group this book is written for will need historical context to fully appreciate the story but it is well-suited for reading aloud and group discussion. In an afterward, the author discusses his own experience growing up in the Soviet Union.
January 31, 2012
A boy who has been brainwashed by Communist propaganda his entire life, learns the truth about his hero, Stalin, and the Soviet government.
October 31, 2015
A young boy that believes the lies of stalin. Sad that this was the life of so many people!
March 10, 2023
Goodness, this was a sobering look at life under Stalin. Illustrations and text level is perfect for younger kids - my 9 year old walked away saying “communism is so bad”. 😬
April 17, 2012
This book reminded me of Morris Gleitzman's Once, in that both main characters are boys who are very naive about the political situations in their countries. In Gleitzman's book it's the Nazis in WWII Poland; in Yelchin's book it's Stalin's Russia. Young Sasha considers himself a loyal supporter of Stalin and a good Communist like his father. On the eve of being inducted into the Young Pioneers, everything changes when his father is arrested. Suddenly he is alone, forced to look at everything around him with different eyes. It's a vivid portrayal of how a political system that so easily indoctrinates its young can just as quickly disillusion them. I've read a few YA novels about life in Russia at this time, but this one was the most vivid, the one that had the greatest emotional impact on me, I think because the protagonist is so young. The author states that the story is based on the experiences of his father, who survived Stalin's regime. This is the kind of book that brings the dry facts of history alive. Highly recommended!
February 16, 2012
The good:
-The idea of a children's book set in the Soviet Union
-Great pencil drawings by the author from interesting perspectives
-Possible educational/discussion tool for readers young and old about conformity, bullying, fear and right vs. wrong
-I'm glad that Yelchin made this novel to "expose and confront that fear [passed on from generation to generation"
The bad:
-I didn't feel anything while I was reading this book, which baffles me since the subject matter itself is not only interesting, but moving.
-Irritating that the illustration interrupted the prose, sometimes seeming to have a purpose and sometimes just because of a poor layout.
As you can see, it seems like there are more positives than negatives, but the first negative is a huge negative. The book is ambitious, even if it is a bit unclear who the intended audience is supposed to be, but it falls short because it doesn't have any emotional impact. It doesn't make the reader feel any of the pain, confusion and fear from interesting, varied perspectives; it merely describes them, if that.
-The idea of a children's book set in the Soviet Union
-Great pencil drawings by the author from interesting perspectives
-Possible educational/discussion tool for readers young and old about conformity, bullying, fear and right vs. wrong
-I'm glad that Yelchin made this novel to "expose and confront that fear [passed on from generation to generation"
The bad:
-I didn't feel anything while I was reading this book, which baffles me since the subject matter itself is not only interesting, but moving.
-Irritating that the illustration interrupted the prose, sometimes seeming to have a purpose and sometimes just because of a poor layout.
As you can see, it seems like there are more positives than negatives, but the first negative is a huge negative. The book is ambitious, even if it is a bit unclear who the intended audience is supposed to be, but it falls short because it doesn't have any emotional impact. It doesn't make the reader feel any of the pain, confusion and fear from interesting, varied perspectives; it merely describes them, if that.
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