“If You Were Me and Lived in….Russia” by Carole P. Roman

A Ruble for Your Thoughts

Pack your bags, and put on your traveling clothes!  It is time to embark on more world travels with Carole Roman as she describes what it is like for children growing up in diverse parts of the globe.  This time, Ms. Roman takes us on a trip to Russia, also known today as The Russian Federation.

Although the book talks about how cold it is in certain parts of the nation, the author points out what a huge country Russia is, and the other types of weather that make up the land.  However in the cold areas, it is really frigid.  We learn that if a child lives in that area, for protection from the freezing cold, they would need to wear a thick furry hat, complete with ear flaps, called a shapka ushanka.

Holidays are different here, as well as, the same.  Highly promoted during the communist era as a substitute for Santa and Christmas, Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost) and Snegurochka (his granddaughter) dressed in blue and white, leave presents at the New Year under a decorated Novogodnaya Yolka (New Year Tree)–complete with a star on top. Included are great descriptions of the food eaten, along with fireworks and dancing that are sometimes part of the celebration.

The foods enjoyed by children here are much different than their American counterparts eat, but it is really interesting to learn what they are.  Some examples are borscht (beet soup) and caviar (fish eggs).  The children’s names sound very different, too, but are common in this country.  Girls are often named Natalya or Tatiana while boys may be named Ivan or Maxim.  In the back, there are two pages of Russian words that have been used in the book, along with pronunciations and meanings.

This children’s book is aimed at three to eight-year-olds.  It is a soft, paper-bound book with twenty-nine pages full of illustrations.  Whether the child reads this book, or has it read to them, they will hear a good story and have a pleasant experience.  But the sneaky thing about this book, and the ones in this series is, learning also takes place.  This 5-star book is fun to read, yet I learned things, so I am sure a child would learn as much as me–if not more!  I recommend this for anyone who wants to gain knowledge about Russia in an easy format, on a child’s level.

I’d like to thank the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal.

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