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RUSSIA - PRODUCTS - BOOKS/MUSIC/VIDEOS
How to order
If you prefer not to order on line, you may place your order by mail (ORDER FORM) or telephone (203) 877-4007. On-line ordering is not available for international shipping. Please call to place your order.
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New products added 5/30/07
BOOKS
A Primary Source Guide to Russia by Christopher Blomquisto
- Price $19.95
The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world. Made up mostly of flat plains, tundra, taiga, and steppes, Russia lies across two continents, Europe and Asia. Czars and empresses ruled this giant country for almost 400 years, until the Communists came to power. Today Russia is building a modern and free economy. This primary-source tour for kids includes an example of Cyrillic writing from the eleventh century and the proclamation stating that the Soviets had taken over the government in 1917. Hardcover.
A Ticket to Russia by Tom Thomas Streissguth
- Price $22.60
This book gives young readers a fresh perspective on the key aspects of this huge country's land, people and culture. Grades: K-2. 48 pages.
Anastasia From Russia Sticker Storybook - Price $1.50
Anastasia is a little Russian girl who loves to dance! Dress her with 23 eye-catching stickers, featuring traditional clothing, including a fur-trimmed jacket, leggings, boots, mittens, and a richly colored babushka.
Angel on the Square, by Gloria Whelan
- Price $15.95
It is a golden time for the aristocracy of St. Petersburg in the fall of 1914. The daughter of a lady-in-waiting, Katya Ivanova is safe behind palace walls. She takes her vacations on the imperial yacht and her tea with the Tsar's daughters. The royal family feels like her own. But outside the palace, a devastating war sweeps through Europe, and deep unrest takes root in Russia. As the flame of revolution ignites in a country where the rich have always ruled, Katya's once-certain future dissolves. National Book Award-winning author Gloria Whelan transports readers to a crumbling, war-torn Russia, where one young woman, growing up in the shadow of a revolution, must take her future into her own hands. Recommended for ages 10 and up. Hardcover, 304 pages.
Baboushka and the Three Kings by Ruth Robbins
- Price $15.95
The Russian folktale about an old woman's endless search for the Christ child. Hardcover, 32 pages. Ages 4-8.
Babushka Baba Yaga by Patricia Polacco
- Price $6.99
Baba Yaga is a witch famous throughout Russia for eating children, but this Babushka Baba Yaga is a lonely old woman who just wants a grandchild to love. Kids will respond to the joyful story of the outsider who gets to join in, and Polacco's richly patterned paintings of Russian peasant life on the edge of the woods are full of light and color. Paperback. Ages 5-8 years.
Babushka Mother Goose by Patricia Polacco
- Price $7.99
Meet Yasha, whose beard grows down to the ground and keeps growing, and an old babushka who lives in a boot with too many children. Beloved storyteller Patricia Polacco draws from her Russian heritage to retell folktales and rhymes from Mother Goose, Aesop, and Ukrainian folklore that reflect the heart and homeland of her storyteller grandmother, her Babushka. As in all her work, Polacco's enchanting patterns and bold colors provide the perfect match for the stories and rhymes. Paperback. Ages 3-5 Years.
Borya and the Burps! An Eastern European Adoption Story by Joan McNamara
- Price $18.00
In recent years more children have been adopted from Eastern Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet Bloc countries than from any other region of the world. Yet until now, there have been no picture books designed to tell their stories of finding a forever family through adoption. Borya and the Burps! fills a big hole for families who adopt from Eastern Europe. This delightful book gently illustrates some of the confusion children feel when they are removed from the multiple caretakers and groups of children whom they know within their (often deprived) orphanages and are moved into a loving but unfamiliar new family with a sensory-enriched (but possibly overwhelming) home environment. With their whole world turned upside down, children are still able to struggle to make sense of these changes and ultimately blossom within a new family, with a parent or parents who will be theirs forever.
Although Borya and the Burps! is one of the very first books on international adoption from Eastern Europe to be widely available to families, families who have adopted from other regions of the world may find this story valuable as well. Simple comments from parents while reading about what was the same and what was different for their child can personalize this story. Adoption of children from orphanage care does share some common themes and situations in all parts of the world, and thus parents can share this story with their children irregardless of where their child’s orphanage was or will be located.
A good introduction for young, recently arrived children, this unique book will also become an often-used conversation starter for slightly older children ready to talk about their prior lives, their prior caretakers and companions, and what adoption has meant in their young lives. Hardcover.
Colors of Russia by Shannon Zemlicka
- Price $15.95
What is Russia? It is white like the vast snowfields of Siberia, blue like Lake Baikal, and gold like the dome of a Russian Orthodox Church. Through compelling illustrations, young readers are introduced to the startling beauty and intriguing beauty of Russia, the largest country in the world. Hardcover. Grades 1-4.
Cooking the Russian Way by Gregory Plotkin and Rita Plotkin
- Price $24.99
What better way to teach your child about his native culture than through traditional food dishes. This book, geared to ages 10-18, is more than just a cookbook. In addition to kid-friendly recipes, it contains maps, color photos and information about history, food, holidays and festivals of Russia. Hard cover, 72 pages.
Count Your Way Through Russia by Jim Haskins
- Price $5.95
Presents the numbers one through ten in Russian, using each number to introduce concepts about the Soviet Union and Russian culture. Paperback. 24 Pages. Grades 2-4.
How the Russian Snow Maiden Helped Santa Claus by Gail Buyske
- Price Book alone - $16.95
Book with matching 5-piece Matroyshka - $69.99
A cross-cultural Christmas treasure! Santa Claus is overworked one year and writes for help to his friend Father Frost, the Russian Santa. Santa Claus asks whether Frost's granddaughter and helper, the Snow Maiden, could come to the North Pole and pitch in. Father Frost agrees and sends the Snow Maiden to the North Pole with a nesting doll (a matryoshka) to remind her of her home in Russia. Hardcover, 32 pages.
Available alone or as a set with matching 5-piece Matroyshka.
Book only
With Matroyshka
How to Draw Russia's Sights and Symbols (Kid's Guide to Drawing the Countries of the World) by Melody S. Mis
- Price $19.95
Provides a comprehensive colorful introduction to key sights and symbols of Russia. Cultural and natural landmarks are covered. The country's history, geography, and economy are also explored. To help bring this information to life, each book supplies east-to-follow directions and step-by-step illustrations so readers can draw some of the wonderful things they are learning about. Hardcover. 48 pages.
Luba and the Wren by Patricia Polacco
- Price $6.99
When Luba helps a frightened wren, it promises to grant all of her wishes. "I am content, I have no wish," Luba says-at first. Then Luba's parents convince her to ask for a bigger house. After that, they want an estate, and later, they ask for a palace. With the granting of each wish Luba hopes her parents will be satisfied, but instead they only want more. Where will it end? This Russian version of The Fisherman and His Wife masterfully illustrates the rewards of simplicity and the dangers of greed. Paperback. Ages 5-8 years.
Nikolai, The Only Bear by Barbara Joosse
- Price $15.99
There are one hundred orphans at the Russian orphanage, but Nikolai is the only bear. He growls when he speaks and claws the air when he plays. "Play nice, Nikolai," the keepers say. No one wants to take Nikolai home. Until one day, when a fur-faced man and a smooth-faced woman come to visit from America. They growl with him and play with him, and sing songs that make him feel soft-bearish. And when it's time for them to go home, Nikolai knows that he has found the right family at last. Charmingly illustrated by newcomer Renata Liwska, this is an adoption fable that any child who's ever felt like an outsider will easily relate to. Hardcover. 32 Pages. Ages 3+.
Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Polacco
- Price $6.99
Babushka always wins first prize in the Easter festival in Moscow for her exquisitely painted Ukrainian eggs. When she finds a wounded goose outside her house, Babushka takes her in, cares for her until she is strong again, and names her Rechenka. The goose lays an egg each morning for the old woman, but as she begins to heal, she flies around, knocking over Babushka's jars of colored paints and breaking all her Easter eggs. Babushka is miserable, until Rechenka miraculously lays brilliantly colored eggs; the old woman wins first prize once more. Polacco's story is truly rewarding; Babushka's gift for coloring eggs comes across in a splendid array of folkloric patterns, minute detail and batik-like paintings. Babushka is given credit, but the artistry is Polacco's. Intricate designs and opulent colors shade every page, right down to the onion-shaped domes and peasants' festival garments. Paperback. Ages 4-8.
Russia, A Primary Source Cultural Guide by Suzanne J. Murdico
- Price $26.95
Russia has had a unique history. From its conquest by early Mongols to its official independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, this fascinating country entices and intrigues all who come in contact with it. Readers will learn about the stunning architecture of the Kremlin and St. Petersburg; famous artists, writers, and composers like Kandinsky, Tolstoy, and Tchaikovsky; the many ethnic groups in the country; the influence of religions; what daily life, school, and work are like; and much more in this informative book about a mesmerizing country. Hardcover.
Russia ABCs: A Book About the People and Places of Russia by Ann Berge
- Price $16.95
Privyet! Welcome to Russia! Come along on this ABC adventure through the biggest country on the earth. Read about diamond-studded eggs, the deepest lake in the world, and other fascinating facts. Hardcover. 32 Pages. Ages 4-8.
Russia Beyond Utopia Photographs by Andrew Moore, Foreword by Boris Fishman
- Price $40.00
Even after the fall of the Iron Curtain, Russia remains a nation shrouded in mystery. The country's modern aesthetic includes vestiges of its past that combine and collide with its present, reflected in such unusual imagery as an ornate palace which now houses a hip-hop rehearsal studio, and the stained-glass windows of a church that immortalize the icons of the proletariat. Photographer Andrew Moore explores Russia's majestic beauty and paralyzing decay with striking honesty, often finding them in the same frame. Russia: Beyond Utopia is an intricate hybrid of modern Russia'sunresolved past and uncertain present, revealing a country on the cusp of a new era. A 'must have' coffee table book. Hardcover.
Russian Folk Costumes Paper Dolls by Ming-Ju Sun
- Price $5.95
Dress two figures in 16 finely detailed costumes worn at folk festivals during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries in former republics of the Soviet Union. Wardrobes include beautifully embroidered shawls, skirts, tunics, trousers, and long coats from Russia, Estonia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. A great classroom teaching aid, this collection will delight paper doll fans and folk costume enthusiasts of all ages. 32 Pages.
Russian Folk Motifs
- Price $6.95
226 designs for royalty-free use, all meticulously rendered from authentic Russian art and artifacts, include motifs from Moldovian carpets, Ukrainian Easter eggs, stove tiles, gingerbread molds, architectural carvings, ancient metalwork, and much more. Depictions of Matryoshka dolls, ceramic toys, and woodcuts of characters from folklore appear as well.
Russian Picture Word Book: Learn Over 500 Commonly Used Russian Words Through Pictures by Svetlana Rogers and Barbara Steadman
- Price $3.95
Delightful learning aid contains 15 scenes of home, school, farm, beach, park, classroom, and other common environments - with more than 500 objects labeled in Russian. Complete list of Russian words and English translations included at back of book. Fun-filled, effective way for students of Russian to build and strengthen their vocabulary skills. 32 Pages.
Russian Punchneedle Embroidery by Gail Bird
- Price $5.95
Complete guide to the old Russian folk style of punchneedle embroidery contains simple instructions, easy-to-follow diagrams, and 28 delightful iron-on transfer patterns of flowers, birds, butterflies, leaves, and more. Needleworkers can decorate purses, belts, and other clothes as well as home furnishings such as pillows, wall hangings, table cloths, napkins, and more. 56 Pages.
Sasha and Babushka by Cornelia Evans and Vladimir Shpitalnic
- Price $19.95
Today is Sasha's birthday. Her grandmother has a wonderful surprise planned. Together, Sasha and Babushka ride the train to Moscow and go to a famous puppet theater. Join Sasha and Babushka for their special day! Ages 4-8. Hardcover + audio cassette.
Soldier and Tsar in the Forest, A Russian Tale by Uri Shulevitz
- Price $16.00
A robust, earthy tale about a Russian peasant soldier who runs away from the army because of unjust punishment and who, while hiding out in the forest, unwittingly saves the life of the Tsar. Hardcover. 32 pages.
The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship, A Russian Tale retold by Arthur Ransome
- Price $17.00
When the Czar proclaims that he will marry his daughter to the man who brings him a flying ship, the Fool of the World sets out to try his luck and meets some unusual companions on the way.
"A delightful picture-book version of the Russian folktale about the simple third son who, through the magical powers of the Listener, Swift-goer, Drinker, and others, performs the tasks set by the Czar and wins the princess. The handsome illustrations which fill the pages with animation and gleaming colors have a folk character and Russian flavor."
Hardcover. 48 pages.
The Golden Mare, The Firebird, and The Magic Ring by Ruth Sanderson
- Price Book Alone - $16.99
Book with Matching Firebird Jigsaw Puzzle - $29.99
A lush retelling of a classic Russian folktale. Brave deeds and wondrous magic come together in this tale based on a classic Russian folktale. A young huntsman named Alexi leaves home seeking adventure and fortune. Instead, he finds the Golden Mare, who pledges eternal loyalty in exchange for sparing her life. With the mare's help, Alexi becomes the Tsar's best huntsman, but then the jealous Tsar presents him with several impossible tasks, threatening to have him killed if he fails. Each time, Alexi secretly enlists the help of the Golden Mare — and succeeds. But his final task is to win Yelena the Fair, a lovely young maiden whom the old Tsar wants as his bride. Will Alexi be able to use his own powers to save himself and Yelena? Hardcover. Ages 9-12.
The Firebird Jigsaw Puzzle is based upon Russian Fairy tales. This series of 4 puzzles, sold separately, each consists of 1000 pieces and measures 20" x 27". The artwork is by Lev Lominago.
Book only
With Puzzle
The Impossible Journey, by Gloria Whelan
- Price $16.95
One Russian night in 1934, Marya and Georgi's parents disappear. Despite high risks, Katya and Misha had spoken against the government. The children, alone and desperate, fear the worst. Will they ever see their parents again? But all it takes is one crumpled letter to give Marya and Georgi hope and send them on a dangerous mission to reunite their family. They must steal away in the dark of night, escape the city, and find passage to the great Siberian wilderness. And even then, if they succeed in getting away, their journey will have only just begun. In this companion novel to her breathtaking Russian epic Angel on the Square, National Book Award winning author Gloria Whelan takes readers on a remarkable journey that is both perilous and transforming. Recommended for ages 10 and up. Hardcover, 256 pages.
The Littlest Matryoshka by Corinne Bliss
- Price Book alone - $15.99
Book with matching 6-piece Matroyshka - $31.95
"Goodbye Anna," said Nikolai, and he kissed her forehead. "Keep your sisters safe inside you and may you find a happy home."
So begins the journey of matryoshka sisters Nina, Nadia, Vanda, Varka, Olga, and Anna, from a village in Russia to a toy store in America. But once there, the littlest sister, Nina, is swept off the edge of the shelf. While her older sisters find their way into the hands of a caring new owner, Nina begins a perilous journey that takes her from the street in front of the toy store, down waterfalls, rivers and streams. How will Nina ever be reunited with her sisters? This tender, old-fashioned story is a testament to the power of sisterly love and a celebration of matryoshkas, the cherished Russian nesting dolls. Hardcover.
Available alone or as a set with matching 6-piece Matroyshka.
Book only
With Matroyshka
The Magic Nesting Doll by Jacqueline K. Ogburn
- Price - Book alone - $16.99
Book with matching 4-piece Matroyshka - $39.99
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? Hardcover. 32 pages.
Available alone or as a set with matching 4-piece Matroyshka.
Book only
With Matroyshka
The Snow Princess by Ruth Sanderson
- Price $16.99
When the Snow Princess sets off to see the world, Father Frost and Mother Spring warn her never to fall in love, lest she lose her immortality. She journeys alone through many lands, keeping her heart cold, but finds herself drawn to a kind and handsome young shepherd named Sergei. The Snow Princess begins to fall in love with him, but her parents' warning haunts her dreams, and she must finally decide her own fate in the chaos of a powerful snowstorm that threatens Sergei's life. Inspired by a Russian ballet and illustrated with Ruth Sanderson's lush oil paintings, this original fairy tale will charm readers of all ages.
The Tale of the Firebird by Gennady Spirin
- Price Book Alone - $16.99
Book with Matching Firebird Jigsaw Puzzle - $29.99
In all the world there is said to be nothing more beautiful than the Firebird. When Ivan-Tsarevitch, youngest son of the Tsar, goes on a quest for the amazing bird, he finds himself flying over mountains and woods on a talking wolf, confronting a wicked Baba Yaga, and rescuing an enchanted princess from Koshchei the Immortal. But when he returns from his magical journey, he brings home the most precious treasure of all. Hardcover. Ages 5-8 years.
The Firebird Jigsaw Puzzle is based upon Russian Fairy tales. This series of 4 puzzles, sold separately, each consists of 1000 pieces and measures 20" x 27". The artwork is by Lev Lominago.
Book only
With Puzzle
Teach Me Russian - Price - Book and Cassette - $13.95, Book and C.D. - $15.95
Children ages 2-12 learn languages with ease and humor using this innovative book and audio set. Teaches numbers, the alphabet, days of the week, everyday phrases and more. Audio features familiar tunes sung by native children accompanied by professional musicians. Delightfully illustrated 20-page book suitable for coloring includes all song lyrics and translations.
Book and Cassette
Book and CD
Teach Me More Russian - Price - Book and Cassette - $13.95, Book and C.D. - $15.95
The sequel to Teach Me Russian, you will travel through the year - visit a beach and farm, enjoy a picnic and birthday party, explore museums and celebrate holidays. Songs include Old MacDonald and Row, Row, Row Your Boat. 45-minute audio and 20-page book.
Book and Cassette
Book and CD
Two Little Girls - A Memoir of Adoption
by Theresa Reid - Price: $23.95
This is Theresa Reid's emotionally candid, vividly detailed account of how Natalie and Lana came to be her daughters—a journey that not only to Moscow and Kiev but into the deepest parts of a mother's heart. She addresses the personal issues that arise for many an adoptive parent—including the guilt over taking children away from their roots, the unknowable mysteries of her daughters' earliest childhoods, and the slow, stumbling steps toward trust and tenderness that played out between them. For any parent, adoptive or not, this book offers both a compelling story and valuable lessons and insights into the transformative power of loving a child. Hardcover. 304 pages.
Ukrainian Egg Decorating: A Holiday Tradition
by Ann Stalcup - Price: $19.95
Describes pysanky, the traditional craft of decorating Easter eggs in the Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Hardcover. 24 pages. Ages 4-8.
When I Met You: A Story of Russian Adoption
by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista - Price: $16.95
Based on the author's family's experience, this book describes a child's life before and after she was adopted from Russia. From scenes in the orphanage to the child’s Russian birthmother, this is one of the first children’s picture books to chronicle the special background of children adopted from Russia. Delicate watercolor illustrations perfectly compliment this poetic and heartfelt text, a celebration of the joy that adopting a child brings to a family. Hardcover, 38 pages.
MUSIC
Balalaika - Russia's Most Beautiful Tunes, The Stars of St. Petersburg
- Price $13.99
The Stars of Saint Petersburg stand out from most other instrumental groups on account of their continual search for authenticity. This collection offers you the most popular Russian tunes played with unusual sensitivity. The magic balalaika of Mikhail Danilov is accompanied by a bayan (accordion), guitar, bass balalaika, gousli (peasant harp), lojki (wooden spoons), rojok (wooden trumpet) and the jaleika (horn trumpet).
Best of Russian Folk Songs
- Price $12.99
This is a collection of the best known and best loved Russian songs by the Balalaika-Ensemble "Wolga". It includes the famous song Kalinka and others: The Red Sarafan, The Lonely Bell, The Legend of the 12 Bandits, and Evening Bells. The unique sounds of the balalaikas and the strong deep voices of the Russian singers gladden the hearts of all lovers of Russian folk music.
From Kiev to the Black Sea - Folk Music from Ukraine
- Price $12.99
VOTED: UKRAINIAN "FOLK MUSIC GROUP OF THE YEAR" - TRADITIONAL UKRAINIAN MUSIC AND INSTRUMENTATION. - SONG TITLES IN CYRILLIC SCRIPT - Booklet features text in English, German, French and Spanish.
You Are A Gift!
- Price $17.95
A collection of 13 lullabies and love songs for the Russian soul. These original songs, all in the Russian language, contain beautiful music and gentle lyrics rich in emotional and spiritual content, and address the most sensitive parts of the human soul and the deep longing inside of everyone to be loved just for who they are.
VIDEOS
Families of Russia Video - Price $29.95
Anya, age 7, lives in the industrial city Nizhny Novgorod, built hundreds of years ago on the Volga and Oka Rivers. We learn how important education is to Anya and her brother, and what her parents do. Dad works for the local water department and must fix a broken pump. Her mother shops for groceries at a modern-looking store and an open-air market. After school, Anya practices gymnastics, and we see her working out on the parallel bars. Her workout is demanding, and she falters sometimes, but she says she must keep trying in order to improve her skills. While their city apartment is tiny by American standards, there's room for a mini jungle gym in the living room. The next segment follows Nicolai, age 10, whose family owns a farm where everyone pitches in and nothing is purchased if it can be made at home. The village of Retkino is known for its woodworking, and we see local craftspeople making bowls on a lathe and painting them in intricate and colorful designs. Nicolai zips through the village on his little motorcycle, and joins his dad for a soothing "banya" (sauna) before bed. 30 minutes.
DVD
Video
BiLingual Baby Language Video - Introduce Your Child to Russian
- Price $16.95
This award winning series is fun and entertaining way to teach your child Russian. Start teaching your baby to be bilingual today!
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