The Firebird

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In a certain land, in a certain kingdom — as they say in old Russia — on the far side of a certain tangled wood, a garden shimmered like a green jewel....

Inside that jewellike garden, an evil wizard named Kostchei the Deathless holds a princess and her nine maidens captive, turning all those who attempt to save them to stone. But help is nearby — Prince Ivan searching the nearby tangled wood for food, finds the young women and vows to save them. And with some help from the ...

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More About This Book

Overview

In a certain land, in a certain kingdom — as they say in old Russia — on the far side of a certain tangled wood, a garden shimmered like a green jewel....

Inside that jewellike garden, an evil wizard named Kostchei the Deathless holds a princess and her nine maidens captive, turning all those who attempt to save them to stone. But help is nearby — Prince Ivan searching the nearby tangled wood for food, finds the young women and vows to save them. And with some help from the powerful and mischievous Firebird, as well as with much true courage from within, Prince Ivan will slay a horde of demons and Kostchei himself in order to free the damsels.

Jane Yolen's rich, mystical narrative is based on both the well-known Russian folktale and the famous Balanchine/Stravinsky ballet. Enhancing that theme, Vladimir Vagin has created exquisite paintings with a double focus: The folktale takes center stage, while intricate vignettes of the ballet serve as a border. The result is a seamlessly woven multilayered tapestry of story and art that will make this book a treasure for ballet lovers new and old.

A retelling of the Russian folktale in which Prince Ivan encounters the magical Firebird who helps him defeat the evil Kostchei. Includes vignettes of the ballet at the bottom of each page, and an author's note with information about the folktale and the George Balanchine ballet.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
This gracefully structured picture book introduces readers to the famous Firebird ballet (choreographed by George Balanchine to Igor Stravinsky's music) and the Russian folklore that inspired it. Accomplished hunter Prince Ivan becomes lost in a strange, tangled wood where the only living creature is the magnificent Firebird, which he snares. In exchange for her life, the magical bird offers Prince Ivan one of her glorious feathers and a pledge of help if ever he should call upon her. The feather and Firebird serve Prince Ivan well when he battles evil wizard Kostchei the Deathless and frees the maidens imprisoned in Kostchei's garden. Yolen (How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?) crafts her well-paced tale from a variety of sources (listed in an author's note), including her own childhood memory of seeing Firebird danced by Maria Tallchief in 1949. Employing a design that is both stylish and informative, Vagin (The King's Equal) depicts a ballet performance in a panel that runs across the lower portion of each page, while the larger, top portion of the pages contain his dramatic interpretation of the story. From the brilliant, red-plumed Firebird to the sumptuously decorated house of the wizard, Vagin's crisply rendered paintings evoke czarist Russia. The elegant costumes and poses in his ballet scenes may well leave many readers eager to view a live performance. Ages 3-6. (May) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
Children's Literature
A Russian folktale and famous Balanchine/Stravinsky ballet have been brought together beautifully in this wonderful children's story. The princess and her nine maidens are being held captive by the evil wizard, Kostchei the Deathless, in a beautiful garden decorated with stone statues of the men who had once tried to save them. While wondering lost in the forest, Prince Ivan captures the firebird that feeds in the garden of the wizard. The magical Firebird gives Prince Ivan a fiery feather in return for her release, which he can use to call her if he needs. As she flies away, he follows her because he is very hungry. She leads him to the garden where he finds the ten beautiful women. The princess explains what needs to be done to rescue them. With the help of the firebird, Prince Ivan defeats the demons, kills Deathless and marries the princess. Yolen has brought back this wonderful story in the true tradition of storytelling. Vladimir Vagin's illustrations are magnificent, full of vibrant colors and action. Brief vignettes of the ballet are written at the bottom of each page and may need additional explanation to younger readers. A wonderful way to introduce children to the ballet. 2002, Harper Collins Publishers,
— Christina Burbage
School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-A well-known character in Russian folklore, the fierce and beautiful Firebird, is also featured in the ballet, set to the music of Igor Stravinsky. It is the ballet version of the story that Yolen and Vagin present in this richly hued picture book. Young Prince Ivan is hunting near the castle of the terrible demon Kostchei when he captures Firebird. In exchange for its freedom, the bird gives Ivan one of its feathers, which eventually helps him to defeat the demon and marry the beautiful princess imprisoned in the castle. The text makes the story clear and exciting, faltering slightly at the rhymed incantations: "Wave the feather in the air- Firebird will be right there." Yolen has based her telling on George Balanchine's choreography, which varies slightly from other versions. The Fokine version, found in Louis Untermeyer's Tales from the Ballet (Golden Press, 1968; o.p.), adds a magical egg holding the powers of Kostchei. The illustrations are especially useful in explicating the ballet. In the large painting at the top of each spread, the action is played out in the forest by the hero, villain, and bird. In the long, narrow artwork below the text, the scene on stage is shown, with costumed dancers portraying the Firebird and demons. Even the pit orchestra is given a scene in the beginning. Not to be confused with two stunningly illustrated titles of different folktales, Demi's The Firebird (Holt, 1994; o.p.) and Ruth Sanderson's The Golden Mare, the Firebird, and the Magic Ring (Little, Brown, 2001), Yolen's Firebird will be most appreciated as an introduction to the ballet.-Ellen Heath, Orchard School, Ridgewood, NJ Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
The Firebird is a character in several Russian folktales as well as the title character in the famous ballet choreographed by George Balanchine to music by Stravinsky. Yolen (Wild Wings: Poems for Young People, p. 349, etc.) combines these intertwined story strands to create a dual story of the folktale and the ballet. The design uses the folktale text and accompanying illustrations in the upper three-quarters of the pages, with a narrower segment of illustrations across the bottom quarter showing illustrations of the related story from the ballet. Prince Ivan is the hero of the tale, and with the help of the Firebird, he kills Kostchei the Deathless, also called the wizard of darkness, and his demons (scary black creatures with horns, tails, and cloven hooves). Kostchei is a fearsome fellow himself, with red eyes, pointed teeth, and nine-inch nails, and his death frees ten beautiful maidens and handsome young men from an evil spell so they can dance in joy and live happily ever after, of course. Yolen's tale is, as always, professionally and smoothly told, with the polished cadences of an authentic folktale. Highly detailed illustrations capture the Firebird's vibrant feathers, the ornate Russian costumes, and the fearful appearances of the wizard and demons. The double set of illustrations is somewhat detrimental to the folk tale, but will serve well as an introduction to the ballet. (author's note, bibliography) (Folktale. 5-8)
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780060285395
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 4/30/2002
  • Format: Library Binding
  • Edition description: 1 ED
  • Pages: 32
  • Age range: 3 - 6 Years
  • Product dimensions: 8.50 (w) x 11.00 (h) x 0.25 (d)

Meet the Author

Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen is the award-winning author of more than two hundred books, including fantasy, science fiction, and poetry, which earned her the moniker the American Hans Christian Andersen. Her titles include Odysseus in the Serpent Maze, The Dragon's Boy, and The Girl Who Loved the Wind. Jane Yolen divides her time between a farmhouse in Massachusetts and a house in Scotland.

Vladimir Vagin lived in Russia until he moved to the United States in 1990. Mr. Vagin has illustrated several books for children, including Katherine Paterson’s The King’s Equal and Celia and the Sweet, Sweet Water. He lives in Middletown Springs, VT.

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