The Babushka doll, also known as a "Matryoshka" or "Russian Nesting Doll," is a traditional Russian toy first made over 100 years ago. The doll has come to symbolize Russian folk culture, as well as the complex and beautiful layers of women.
Babushka dolls are made of wood and painted in bright colours and patterns. Each Babushka is made in a set of many round dolls, each a little smaller than the last. They separate at the middle so that each doll can be placed inside the one before it. There are some Babushka dolls with as many as fifty dolls nexted inside her.
This is the story of one very special doll, with five bodies that together make the Babushka.
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This is such a lovely book for children and I cannot wait to share it with my grandchildren.
Before I even began reading I was impressed by the beautifully stylised illustrations by Ana Beatriz Marques. In that aspect, even a pre-reader will enjoy poring over this book and it would be a lovely book to read to children too. It is also ideal for slightly older children to read for themselves.
Each one of the dolls represents a different personality feature and has an individual name. The outermost body, called Antonia, represents beauty, the second body, Loretta, wealth, the third body, Paula, represents talent, the fourth, Viola, wisdom and the innermost body, Mary, represents compassion and understanding.
As each individual body goes out into the world to seek the meaning of life they learn that there are no easy answers. Acutely observed, Ms Flores has depicted an age old desire whereby, at some point in our lives, we ask ourselves who we really are and seek to find an answer to that question?
The moral of this story is that, actually, we were there all the time and that we have to look into ourselves for an answer to that question.
This is a lovely book which I highly recommend.
ISBN: 978 1527260290
Publisher: ACL Creative Studio
About the Author:
I will have to check this out. I have one Babushka from when my father traveled to Russia back in the 80's. I'm a sucker for good children's illustrations. Looks like a lovely book.
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