Hello everyone, and welcome to my review!
If you're reading this, chances are you're looking for a great book to share with your kids. Maybe you're a parent yourself, or maybe you're just looking for something to recommend to the little ones in your life. Either way, I'm here to tell you about a book that's definitely worth checking out.
As a mom, I've got to say that I'm really picky about the books I read to my kids. I want something that's not only fun for them, but also engaging for me. I want to be able to sit down and have a conversation with them about what we're reading, and I want the story to be something that will stick with them long after we're done reading.
The Wizard of the City. Yuriy TomlinOne of the books that I just can't get enough of is The Wizard of the City by Yuriy Tomlin.
Yuriy Tomlin was a Soviet writer who was known for his fantasy and children's stories, and this book is a classic example of his work.
It was first published in 1963 and has been widely available ever since. You can find it on most online marketplaces, and I'm sure it's also available in libraries.
The Wizard of the City. Yuriy TomlinI have the 2015 edition from Mahayon with illustrations by Natalya Demidova.
This book is part of the Fun Company series, which includes many other great titles.
The Wizard of the City. Yuriy TomlinThe book has a great cover and a comfortable font that's easy to read for both kids and adults.There aren't illustrations on every page, but that's okay for older preschoolers and school-age kids.
The illustrations are nice and do a great job of conveying the emotions of the characters and the action of the story.
The Wizard of the City. Yuriy TomlinThe book is divided into chapters, but in my edition, they're just marked by a bigger space between the lines, which isn't a big deal.
I highly recommend it for middle school age kids. The main character is a fourth-grader, and I usually use that as a guideline, as each age group has its own unique problems and challenges that are relevant to kids of that age.
But school problems aren't really the focus here, just a side note. The story's about friendship, responsibility, and what can happen when you act on impulse, so you can easily start reading it with pre-schoolers.
The Wizard Walking Through the City. Yuri TominMy little one, Li, is seven years old and will start school next year. We've been reading this book, and it's been a hit. Overall, it's easy for kids to understand. Some outdated Soviet-era references might show up, but they're not a big deal and won't confuse modern kids.
The Wizard Walking Through the City. Yuri TominStyle is simple and enjoyable to read aloud. It's even hard to stop reading. The author wrote it with a light touch of humor. My daughter has laughed out loud many times. But beneath the surface of this lighthearted story, there are some really important and interesting themes.
The hero of Yuri Tomin's wonderful children's book, The Wizard Walking Through the City, is Tolya Ryzhkov - a lazy liar. And one day, because of his lying, he found himself in an unfamiliar courtyard and, by chance, got his hands on a box of magic matches that can fulfill any wish. To find out what wishes Tolya made and where they led him, read this entertaining, sometimes sad, and very instructive story.
This story's about a boy named Tolya Ryzhkov, who got incredibly lucky one day.
The Wizard Walking Through the City. Yuri TominTolya's not exactly a positive hero. He's a liar and a slacker, not very considerate of others. That's actually kind of strange and catches the reader's attention. After all, heroes in children's books are often 'heroes'.Tolya's a real and living character - the kind of kid you might meet in your neighborhood.
As the story goes on, Tolya thinks, grows, and changes.
Tolya's habit of spinning tall tales (which he made up without thinking about the consequences) led him to some unexpected events.
The Wizard Walking Through the City. Yuri TominWhile running away from the trouble he'd caused, Tolya stumbled into a mysterious room where a strange boy with shining blue eyes was counting matchboxes. Without thinking, Tolya grabbed one of the boxes and took off...And that's how he ended up with magic matches that can fulfill any wish. Who wouldn't be thrilled to have that kind of luck?!
A magician walked through the city. Yuri TominI have to say, Tolya was pretty stoked too. But his wishes? Not so much. I mean, if it was just about getting a bunch of treats, toys, and good grades for free, that's one thing. But his wishes were totally unrealistic and absurd.
A magician walked through the city. Yuri TominGetting his wishes granted brought Tolya joy, but only for a little while. Then the problems started piling up, like a snowball.Vacation the whole thing in an instant? Yeah, right. It's not like it's a big loss or anything. And what about the fame? All that effort would be for nothing...
But Tolya's going to have to learn what it's like to be in someone else's shoes. When someone else decides what's good for you and what's not. That's exactly what the magician does to everyone else.
How's he going to get out of this mess? Read on! I promise it's going to be a real page-turner and actually thought-provoking.
A magician walked through the city. Yuri Tomin
This story makes you think, and it's made me wonder: would it really bring happiness to have our wishes granted instantly, without any effort?
Would it be awesome if the people close to us stopped being themselves and just started doing whatever we want, without any regard for our actions?
Can we make friends who love and care for us genuinely, like in a fairy tale?
What is friendship, anyway? How does it show itself, and what's its value?
A magician walked through the city. Yuri TominIt's nice to have that kind of power and be able to grant our wishes, but where will it lead in the end? Will the magician start playing games with us?
I've been thinking, and I've come to the conclusion that having our wishes granted instantly doesn't actually bring us any benefits, even to the person who wished for it in the first place.
When I was reading fairy tales, I often wondered why we can't just make a bunch of wishes come True, like a hundred or so, and have them all granted instantly. Why would that be a bad thing? In his story, Yuri Tomin presents a situation like that, and it's up to the reader to make their own judgment about it.
A magician walked through the city. Yuri TominI like that this story doesn't try to teach us anything. It just shows us a situation that makes you think, and the conclusions aren't always clear-cut or refined.
Only at the end, the author wraps up the story, but honestly, just for himself:
Now I've finally got to the bottom of Tolya's story. And I'm dead certain that real happiness for a person comes from the wonders they create with their own hands.
That's all I want to say to everyone who's going to read this story.
---
It's interesting that, even after being re-published many times, the text of the story was edited only after the first edition. Including one chapter was removed, and I'm not even going to miss it.
You can easily find its screenshots online if you're curious.
The wizard walked through the city.In this chapter, it's mentioned what happened to the troublemaker Zaitsev, who Tolya turned into a dove. And that dove continued to behave just like it did when it was a human: stealing, drinking, and so on. It's written in a funny and humorous way, but not so much that kids would find it essential to read. To be honest, the book hasn't lost anything in this case.
---
So, the book turned out to be great.
The wizard walked through the city.It's written in a light, pleasant tone with a sense of humor that's understandable for kids and not too childish for adults. It's easy to read and fast-paced.
In the process of an engaging narrative, important questions are raised that are accessible for kids aged 6 and up, and possibly even older.
This story is interesting and relevant to modern kids, and even adults will enjoy it. The Soviet-era details that occasionally pop up don't hinder the reader's understanding.
The wizard walked through the city.I highly recommend it!
Another great read for kids in elementary school and older:
A fun book with a serious undertone. Or what to sneak past a school kid to make it enjoyable. (Waffle Heart by Maria Parr)
Under the story about the red cat that thought it was a goddess, there's actual 'healing literature' for all ages! I highly recommend it! (Tommasina by Paul Gallico)
Mom, you always said that a book can't start in the middle, but this book starts exactly like that. Read on faster! (The Dummy by V. Zheliznikov)
A good story with a happy ending. Well-measured and calm, but not without a hint of intrigue. The main idea of the novel: good things produce more good, and can overcome any obstacles! (The Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett)
Check out these and other books, and a lot more, in my profile.
Thanks for reading my review!
I've gotta say, the packaging was top-notch. The product was well-protected, and it looked like it had just left the factory. The manual was clear, and I liked that they included a quick-start guide.