Monday, April 4, 2011

At the Wish of a Fish: A Russian Folktale


At the Wish of a Fish: A Russian Folktale

Written by: J. Patrick Lewis
Illustrated by: Katya Krenina

Elementary Grades

"In this imaginative classic Russian tale, Emelya, a lazy simpleton, catches an enchanted fish. The pike promises to grant Emelya his every desire if he will pitch the fish back into the sea, and soon everyone is transfixed by Emelya's powers. Formerly, he did no chores; but now, buckets of water march into his house, and kindling is split and stacked at his command. When Emelya meets the tsar's daughter, he falls in love with her and requests the pike to make her fall for him, too. When they want to marry, the tsar refuses his daughter's hand to a simpleton and casts them both into the sea. The pike rescues them and turns Emelya into a nobleman, and the tsar finally approves the marriage. Children will marvel at the cleverness of a man who, though a fool, knows what to wish for and gets what he wants. Krenina's richly colored watercolors provide additional magic to a delightful, fanciful romance."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.letteroftheweek.com/russia.html

http://www.jpatricklewis.com/

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