Koshka's Tales: Stories from Russia

by James Mayhew

Book Overview

The wise old storytelling cat, Koshka, recounts the magical legends of Russia as she sits in an oak tree on the remote Island of Bouyan telling stories to the Tsarita and her son. These enchanting... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1856979431
• ISBN13: 9781856979436
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: Larousse Kingfisher Chambers
• Length: 77 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 9.4" x 10.9"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Kindergarten to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

One of the best collections of folk tales ever!

This beautifully rewritten story of intertwining folk tales is one of the best gifts my kids ever received. The stories are spellbinding individually, but told in the context of a story-within-a-story, they become mesmirizing. I once read one of the stories to my son's 3rd grade class and all the kids wanted me to come back to read more of the stories and to find out what happens to the prince and his mother. This is a must-have for any library.

Captivating, lyrical prose for adult and child alike

I loved this book, as did my 6- and 10-year-olds. It is based on folktales of Russia, but old folktales can be harsh and crude for our modern sensibilities. Attempts to rewrite their plots can sound corny and "politically correct". Mayhew's rewriting avoids all these pitfalls. It is a work of art in its own right, sounding to our ears more authentic than the originals. The details he adds, the lyrical prose, just the right amount of repetition - all add up to a story that we love to read and children love to hear.