Book Review 103: Kids and Cubs by Olga Perovskaya

A collection of fantastic tales which takes the readers to a completely different world; the stories of the wonderful bond shared between children and animals; with beautiful illustrations to accompany each of the tales - Olga Perovskaya's Kids and Cubs is an absolutely delightful read. Although it is considered to be a part of children's literature, I think that both children and adult will enjoy this gem of a book alike.

The bright and colourful cover of the book with small illustrations of two wolves, a fox, a stag, a horse and a tiger quite intrigued me. Just as I had laid my eyes on this beautiful book, I knew this book will definitely be an interesting read. But as I started reading the book, I understood that my first impression of this book being 'interesting' is an understatement. I could not stop reading once I had started. 

The author reminisces the memories of her blissful childhood days which she had spent with her family in rural Kazakhstan (then part of the USSR). She goes on to narrate the tales of their life in the lap of mother nature, with a collection of animals that they took care of - a pair of wolves, a Siberian stag, a fox, a tiger, and a stallion. The warm and pleasant stories of the author and her sisters - Sonya, Yulia, and Natasha; how they took care of the animals; the lovely bond they shared, are beautifully described. The book is so beautifully described that while I was reading I felt like I was a part of their life in Kazakhstan, in the early twentieth century, watching all the events unfold in front of my eyes.

Originally published in 1925, Kids and Cubs (Rebyata i Zveryata) was written by Perovskaya in Russian. Later, the book was translated into several languages and is popular around the world.

This particular edition of the book (published by Niyogi Books), includes timelines of the author's life and the original year of publication that provides the literary, historical, and cultural context of the book. 

I absolutely loved reading this delightful book. It is one of my favourite books now. I definitely recommend this book to all my fellow bibliophiles. Trust me, you'll love this book. Do give it a read!


About the author: Olga Perovskaya (1902–1961) was a children’s writer in the erstwhile Soviet Union. She is best known for her book Kids and Cubs (Rebyata i Zveryata) based on her childhood in Kazakhstan. Kids and Cubs is popular around the world and has been translated into several languages. During the Great Purge, she was arrested and sent to prison for 10 years but was later released and sent into exile.


My rating: 5 of 5 stars.
Publisher: Niyogi Books.
First Published: July 2020.
Pages: 114
Price: ₹295/-

Buy this book from Amazon.

Thanks to the publisher, Niyogi Books, for the review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. 

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