Why I nearly had to pay excess baggage
04 November 07
I dragged back a huge stack of books from moscow, mostly children's stories and fairy tales. I love the Russian Winnie-the-Pooh books. I just found (and got really excited about) some of the Pooh cartoons on youtube which are about 110% better than the bastardised Disney versions. I totally remember watching them when I was little. The voices are brilliant!
There's an interesting blog about the Russian Winnie-the-Pooh here, if you're interested in a bit of history.
Did any of you grow up in Russia too? Do you remember any of this stuff? I was obsessed with all Soyuzmultfilm cartoons especially (click for youtube) Hedgehog in the Fog, Malish and Karlsson and Nu, pogodi!. I also loved any book by Nikolay Nosov to the point of obsession.
Here are some pictures from the books I bought:
Comments
I love being all nostalgic about things I read when I was little. As always, I love these photos. You mentioned when lived in Russia for 9 years, does that mean you moved here (to Britain) when you were 9? :)
Lil replied about 16 years ago.
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lovely books!! i love the illustrations. i wish i could visit russia sometime soon. betcha i will need to pay for excess baggage :D
tsilli replied about 16 years ago.
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wow, fabulous books!
Sandra replied about 16 years ago.
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i’ve been living in russia for 17 years! just moved to prague recently though.
and i totally see what you mean, i miss the cartoons so much! youtube’s been a saviour. and then again, i asked my parents to mail me nu pogodi.
have you seen this one?
not sure if it’s soyuzmultfilm but i’m in love with it.
Ellie replied about 16 years ago.
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All of this has made me so nostalgic. I grew up in Russia (am now living in Canada) and have not watched these cartoons in years. I know what I will be doing this afternoon!
maria replied about 16 years ago.
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Russia is an amazing country. I’ve never been but i’ve been exposed to it a lot throughout my life, and I’m quite fond of it.
Jemibook replied about 16 years ago.
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The winnie the pooh cartoon is so adorable. I back linked it to my blog. Thanks for being so lovely.
Amanda aka Fuzz replied about 16 years ago.
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I remember reading books like these when I was little and still lived in Russia. My grandmother would always buy me classic children’s books with lovely illustrations
Alisa replied about 16 years ago.
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These books are so perfect.
tommy replied about 16 years ago.
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Dear, thank you for sharing that vinni poh link! I have totaly fallen in love with this cartoon!
And the song vinni is singing in the first episode is so addicting! ;)
flo replied about 16 years ago.
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By the way, have you ever seen the cartoon with chipoklak? I don’t know how to spell it in English letters. The one with the mean old bag-lady and her long little dog and the crocodile (who is a friend of Chipoklak, the cute creature with big round ears).
Alisa replied about 16 years ago.
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i grew up in russia, and yes i do remember all that. i loved those cartoones. my favorite was cheburashka i krokadil gena. oh cheburashka is just the cutest ever. just recently, i found cheburashka as a cell phone charm on a japaneese (?) webshop. i just fell inlove and had him shipped to me across the world. you have to agree all these cartoons are so much better than all the once that are on right now. the old once were so charming, and really made you very happy. thank you for the link about soyuzmultfilm, i never tried to search on it. ooh what a nostalgie. you just made my day.
stacy replied almost 16 years ago.
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Aw, my brother and his wife live in Moscow! They’ve just moved there from New York…I am so so excited to visit them next year. Everything about Russian culture is so fantastic (my brother’s wife is Russian, so I know quite a bit). Our house is adorned with Russian Dolls in every shapes and form haha. Fantastic photos xx
Alice replied almost 16 years ago.
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This pictures take me back to the time when I was in art school (25 years ago) and I came back from Prague with a stack of children books. Everything was so cheap there at the time, and the illustrations in those books are still up to date!
I love the fox with her green dress!
Your photos are so nice!
Sabine replied almost 16 years ago.
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so, I can’t see a Pooh bear, but is that Goldilocks and the Three Bears that I spy?! Haven’t thought about these books in years!
Those drawings are just too adorable – you should be a Russian books bookseller in London, Kris; y/y?
anak replied almost 16 years ago.
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Oh I love those! stares I used to read your blog on LJ and I did not know you had Russian parents as well!
I lived in Russia (on the Black Sea coast) for about ten years and then my parents moved to Switzerland, where I became a little Swiss person all too quickly. Now I live in US – I seem to be going west :) I also remember the Alice in Wonderland illustrated book and cartoons! And “Yoooozhiiiiiiik”! They have some amazing crafts back in Russia, too – like the white and blue Gzhel’, I have far too many of those in my kitchen :)
Anyway, funny that you also grew up there :) and lovelove your blog, always!
La
La replied almost 16 years ago.
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i love the early Russian children films, A Tale of Time Lost from the 60’s is my favorite though. The modernism and colors are fantastic :)
Michelle replied almost 16 years ago.
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I was in russia till i was 8… and I am fascinated by these books myself! I took them to my place from my parents… so gorgeous. remember the cartoon where this little boy dragged a glove behind him on a string? It turned into a little puppie. Makes me feel like a little kid again..
masha replied almost 16 years ago.
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oh yes, i used to enjoy this cartoon a lot, too
Masha Barkovskaya replied over 15 years ago.
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Hey! I just found your blog (thanks to a recommendation from GoogleReader. Love it! Love your sketches! and most certainly love Neznaika by Nosov and one you didn’t mention, which is Prostakvashina. I came to NY from the Ukraine when I was 6 and there is certainly no comparing the art of Russian cartoons to American.
Yelena replied over 15 years ago.
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Ouch. (:
the winnie the pooh-video is just awesome!
so beautiful and cute^^
thanks for sharing ;)
Louis replied about 15 years ago.
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