Figure 1.--Vladimir Suteev was a prolific illustrator and creator of cartoons. A Russian reader tells us that one of his favorite Suteev book was the children's fairy tale The Crocodile, published in 1950. Here is a sceen from the book with the main boy character. He wears a Russian peasant shirt. (HBC calls them tunics.)

There were also both fiction and non fiction books published for children during the Soviet er. Most Soviet books seem to be single issue works. Our information on Soviet children's books is still quite limited. We have only begun to acquire information on individual books. The Soviets do seem to have had a very active publishing industry aimed at the younger reader. Few of these books have been published and distributed in the West. In some cases story selection and chracters does show an ifdeological basud. Many of these books did not have a strong ideolgical beant, but this seems to have varied over time. Many are beautifully illustrated. Some examples of early Soviet books Books such as Marshak's Otriad (Detachment, 1933) was about Young Pioneers having a good time at camp. Politschuk's Prigoda (A Happening, 1931) shows Young Pioneers in a factory. [McGill] We do not know of the children's series that were so popular in America and Britain. There were of course also school textbooks. Many of the textbooks for younger children were beauifully illustrated. A good example of a non fiction book is A Journey to Artek", a little booklet about life at a Soviet summer camp, in thos case the prestigious Artek camp. It was published by the Novosti Press Agency Publishing House. in 1976. Vladimir Suteev was a prolific illustrator and creator of cartoons. A Russian reader tells us that one of his favorite Suteev book was the children's fairy tale The Crocodile, published in 1950. Here is a sceen from the book with the main boy character (figure 1).

Non-fiction Books

There were of course also school textbooks. Many of the textbooks for younger children were beauifully illustrated.

Fiction Books

Our Russian readers have provided us some examples of Russian children's fiction books. We have foundcreferences to others in academic studies. They are books they rember and enjoyed as children. Some examples of early Soviet books Books such as Marshak's Otriad (Detachment, 1933) was about Young Pioneers having a good time at camp. Politschuk's Prigoda (A Happening, 1931) shows Young Pioneers in a factory. [McGill] Thecfactory setting shows an ideologal focus. We note, however many other Soviet era books with non-ideoligal themes and settings. Traditional themes seem to have been surprisingly popular. We do not know of the children's series that were so popular in America and Britain. A good example of a non fiction book is A Journey to Artek", a little booklet about life at a Soviet summer camp, in thos case the prestigious Artek camp. It was published by the Novosti Press Agency Publishing House. in 1976. Vladimir Suteev was a prolific illustrator and creator of cartoons. A Russian reader tells us that one of his favorite Suteev book was the children's fairy tale The Crocodile, published in 1950. Here is a sceen from the book with the main boy character (figure 1).

Sources

McGill University, Rare Books and Special Collections Division. "Children's books of the early Soviet era," 1999.

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