The Fox and the Hare

The best book for early reading is undoubtedly a fairy tale presented briefly and clearly, with bright and understandable pictures for children.

The tale of the cunning fox, the timid hare, his unfortunate defenders the wolf, the bull, and the bear, and the heroic rooster with illustrations by the greatest master of children's illustration Yuri Vasnetsov, has been read and shown to children from a very early age.

The artist has created expressive and memorable characters. The thrifty and hardworking hare is preparing for winter by storing cabbage and carrots, crafting a warm little hut with a hatchet; while the little fox, despite her cunning mind, miscalculated: instead of a warm little house made of logs, she built herself a "crystal palace" out of snow and ice.

Around the main characters, Vasnetsov creates an attractive fairy tale world, which thanks to additional details looks quite real. There are the huts, the stove, and smoke from the chimney; the coats worn by the characters, felt boots on the hare's paws, and rowan trees laden with large berries, household items – a shovel, a ladder, a basket. The hapless assistants of the hare – the wolf, the bull, and the bear – are no less expressive. But especially remarkable is the brave rooster with a real saber on his shoulder.

Such illustrations captivate the child, concentrate their attention, help to master new words and images, and evoke emotional responses.

The book is recommended for children from the first year of life for repeated viewing of the wonderful painted illustrations, as well as for reading and discussing the fairy tale with the help of adults.