Beverly Brodsky

When their father goes to market, sisters Sasha, Masha and Marusha each ask for a present, but it is Marusha's crystal apple which proves the most beautiful. In it she can see the cathedrals of Moscow and the ships sailing on the River Volga. But when her new treasure is broken through the carelessness of her sisters, Marusha learns an important lesson about the ability to see beauty...

A simple tale about the power of imagination, The Crystal Apple might have appealed to me in different circumstances, but unfortunately, I found myself irritated by McDermott's lack of attribution, and by her artwork. Styled "A Russian Tale," the clear implication is that this is a folk story. But although the jacket flap informs the reader that this picture book is based on the author's Russian heritage, no further details are given, and I am not entirely sure that it IS in fact a folktale. I also didn't care for McDemott's illustrations, with their almost abstract shapes, and too-vivid purple and red palette. With the wealth of Russian folktale adaptations available, I think the reader can do better than this.… (meer)