When we travel around the world and aren’t always certain where we’ll spend our next Christmas, I tend to collect piles of books for the kids in difference places, just so they’ll have some new presents to read, no matter what. This year, I gifted them a stack including several from the Magic Tree House series and this, Seven Simeons by Boris Artzybasheff. I knew that this book would be a nighttime read for us, yet I’m surprised at how entertained both my kids and I were by this very special retelling of an old Russian tale.

In Seven Simeons, a very handsome King Douda realizes that he will likely never marry, since he will never get to meet a princess who’s as pretty as he is handsome. Alas! But then he chances upon a family of brothers whose magical powers pave the way for him to finally catch a bride, the prettiest princess from the lands across the vast ocean.

The setting for this tale is simple, the magic unique, and the story captivating, making this a highly satisfying read, both for my kids (6, 7) and for me (neither 6 nor 7). We were surprised to find out that the princess’s name is almost identical to my daughter’s (the most beautiful princess on this side of the ocean), and it was nice to have obvious breaks in the text, allowing us to cliff-hanger it for the next night.

I was especially enthralled by Boris Artzybasheff’s complex illustrations, using what appears to be just four colors. Even on the cover’s interior are single-line drawing of moon and stars that seem simple enough, but are in fact masterful doodles by an obviously gifted artist.

I know we’ll return to this book again and again, and I encourage you to find a copy whenever you can. You might have better luck finding a reprint than the 1937 Russian version!

©2018 E.T.