Russian Girl

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Photojournalist Kendall follows up his acclaimed Eskimo Boy: Life in an Inupiaq Eskimo Village with a revealing look into the life of nine-year-old Olga Surikova, a resident of the small Russian town of Suzdal. Taken over the course of several months in autumn and winter, the crisp, bright photos depict Olga in her first tentative days in third grade; weathering the loss of a tooth; at home helping to prepare a birthday dinner for her father; at work on her grandmother's farm; with her friends building and decorating a snow woman. One particularly moving shot shows the girl with her arms around her mother, crying because her father has criticized her for her marks at school. Kendall, an unobtrusive observer, captures Olga and the other townspeople conducting themselves naturally, whether attending a church service or visiting a poorly stocked market. The accompanying text supplies background about Russian history and customs, while appended recipes, an alphabet chart and a list of common Russian words add to the overall sense of exploration and discovery. Ages 5-9. (Mar.)

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-Olga Surikova, nine, is a child whose family is struggling because of the many changes brought about by the collapse of the Soviet Union. Her parents hold two jobs in order to make rent payments on their two-bedroom apartment, and she and her brother lead equally busy lives. Though food in the market in their rural town is scarce and long lines are common, their grandmother's small farm helps supplement their diet. The clearly written text discusses Olga's day-to-day life-school, friends, activities, parental pressure- in terms that will be familiar to American children. The full-color photographs are well composed and extend the text ably. An added attraction is the inclusion of the Cyrillic alphabet with a pronunciation guide. There is enough information here for a short report, but the main draw will be for pleasure reading. A natural for pairing with Irene Trivas's Annie...Anya (Orchard, 1992).- Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA