Russian Children's Literature and Culture

Russian children's literature and culture are obscure subjects in the West. When they come up in a conversation, even the most Russia-savvy students shrug their shoulders and produce a genuinely puzzled look on their faces. Some might recall folk tales about Baba Yaga, a witch who lives in the forest in a windowless and doorless hut that turns around on chicken legs, but hardly any would be familiar with the many popular children's tales from Soviet times. The state dispensed lavish funds on supporting children's literature and culture in the Soviet period, but when these subsidies ended with the crumbling of the Soviet system in 1991, the institutions of state-sponsored children's culture vanished, leaving the production and distribution of children's literature to the free publishing market. The two introductory articles to the collection discuss the formation, development, and downfall of Soviet children's literature, as well as the emergence of new children's literature in post-Soviet Russia. Part I explores specific genres, themes, and issues of children's literature and culture in Soviet and post-Soviet eras. Part II is concerned with popular children's entertainment, including theater, cinema, cartoons, and comics. Finally, Part III introduces some of the most celebrated children's authors.Balina, Marina is the author of 'Russian Children's Literature and Culture ', published 2007 under ISBN 9780415978644 and ISBN 0415978645.