Month: October 2013

There’s a great new review of Two Trickster Tales from Russia on the Lisa Hill SchoolStuff blog. This popular and influential blog is read by teachers and teacher-librarians throughout Australia.

Here it is.

The list of bookshops joining the list of our stockists keeps growing, with five more bookshops in Sydney and two in the Blue Mountains joining it just this week. Do consider supporting these wonderful independent booksellers by choosing to buy your copies of our book from them! It supports us too, of course!

Coming up in Sydney in next few days are two special library Storytime events for young children and their parents, with author of Two Trickster Tales from Russia. One’s in Balmain library on Thursday October 10th, the other at Waverley Library(Bondi) on Tuesday October 15th.  More details below.

Story Time with Sophie Masson @ Balmain Library

 

 

When:

 

10 Oct 2013

 

What time:

 

11:00 AM  –

 

Where:

 

Balmain Library
Balmain Town Hall, 370 Darling St
Balmain, NSW, Australia

 

Event Details:

 

Join us for a special Story Time at the Library with popular children’s author Sophie Masson and illustrator David Allan. Free event – Bookings required – 9367 9211.

 

More information:

 

Sophie will read her new picture book Two Trickster Tales From Russia which retells two lively traditional Russian folktales Masha and the Bear and The Rooster with the Golden Crest – beautifully illustrated in classic style by David.

 

Thursday 10 October
11am
Balmain Library
Bookings required – 9367 9211

 

WAVERLEY LIBRARY

Special event Tales for Tykes
Two Trickster Tales from Russia read
by author Sophie Masson
TUESDAY 15 OCTOBER 11AM
KIDS ACTIVITY ROOM
Meet a brave little girl who
outwits a big bad bear with
some pies; and a beautiful
but none too bright rooster,
his long-suffering friends,
and a cunning fox…
Well-known children’s author Sophie
Masson reads from her latest book, a
retelling of funny Russian folktales, Masha
and the Bear and The Rooster with the
Golden Crest. Join in the laughs and
meet Sophie, a prolific author and Chair
of the Australian Society of Authors.
Books will be available for purchase and
signing on the day.
Tickets issued on the day. For 3–5 year olds.

For more information call Waverley Library on 9386 7777.

 

We’re all very excited here at Christmas Press about the Sydney launch of Two Trickster Tales from Russia, which will be held tomorrow, Wednesday Oct 9 at 6.30 pm, at the Australian Society of Authors office in Ultimo.  We’re very proud that wonderful author Kate Forsyth will be launching the book! Books will be available for purchase and signing. Come and celebrate with us, if you’re in Sydney! All details here.

This fortnight’s edition of Buzz Words also had a great interview with David Allan and Fiona McDonald. Read it here!

Fantastic review by Anastasia Gonis in the new issue of Buzz Words, just out! Here it is, with the permission of Buzz Words.

Two Trickster Tales from Russia retold by Sophie Masson,

illustrated by David Allan (Christmas Press)

PB RRP $22.95 (buy direct from publisher, or from bookshops

listed on site)

ISBN 9780992283803

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

To all the people that have loved classic fairytales and longed for their resurrection, take heart! With its first publication, Two Trickster Tales from Russia, Christmas Press has returned the classic tale to new generations of readers with the promise that classic tales from all over the world will be reborn in a fresh and exciting fashion. This is a new enterprise with artist David Allan making his illustrative debut, who with designer/artist/writer Fiona McDonald and author Sophie Masson make up the trio that form Christmas Press.

This beautiful book contains two tales from Russia. In Masha and the Bear, a simple trip to the woods to collect berries leads Masha into a bear’s clutches. But she is clever and resourceful, and soon finds a way to get home. With The Rooster with the Golden Crest, a rooster that refuses to listen to logic, finds himself in the clutches of a hungry fox, not once but three times. He is saved from ending up as dinner by his fast-thinking friends, a cat and a thrush.

The illustrations are presented in colour, sepia, and black and white. Delicate lines and intricate details return with full page pictures, borders and double-paged spreads. The design and layout is superb and the language has been adapted well to weave in with and complement the entire structure of the book. The book can be read or listened to with equal pleasure.