★ The story of “Scarlet Sails,” hailed as a “national dream totem of Russia,” is also a maritime romantic epic that has transformed the lives of countless people. Today, “The Scarlet Sails” has become a cultural symbol of Russia’s school-leaving ceremonies and St. Petersburg’s White Nights Festival!
★ An artistic collector’s edition of “Scarlet Sails”! Glinka gave the world a prophecy about the scarlet sails, and Mikhail Bychkov has given that prophecy colors that will never fade. This book itself is a scarlet-sailed ship that sails forever across the ocean of paper—carrying all the dreams that have yet to be exchanged for reality.
★ Brand-new illustrations by Mikhail Bychkov, nominee for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, recipient of IBBY’s “World’s Best Illustrator” honor, and winner of the Golden Medal for Book Illustration from the Russian Artists’ Union!
★ A work of beauty for all ages! It serves as the perfect text for inspiring idealism and providing emotional education to young readers, teaching them how to safeguard their inner “scarlet sails” in a pragmatic world—while also offering adults an artistic depth that invites contemplation and reflection.

When the legendary fable penned by Alexander Grin, a master of Russian Romantic literature, meets the magical brush of Mikhail Bychkov, an internationally acclaimed illustrator and nominee for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the story of “Scarlet Sails”—a tale hailed as a “national dream totem of Russia”—is imbued with an unprecedented visual vitality.

Follow the orphaned girl Asol as she makes her home in the seaside town of Kaperne:
—Witness how she holds fast to the childhood prophecy that “the Prince with Scarlet Sails will one day arrive,” preserving the starlight in her eyes even amid a simple, unadorned life.
—Join Captain Gray as he steers the “Secret” through stormy seas, and see how a single vow sets the entire ocean ablaze with a burning, heartfelt romance.
—Be there on that miraculous morning—when the rising sun dyes the bay golden and a ship bearing scarlet sails, as vibrant as a beating heart and as fiery as the dawn’s glow, slowly glides into view—fulfilling the dream that the whole town has long dared not speak aloud...

With his distinctive visual poetics, Bychkov transforms the symbolism, idealism, and maritime metaphors in Grin’s writing into images that are both vividly real and strikingly surreal. He skillfully balances the rugged textures of a North Sea fishing village with the dazzling splendor of fantastical scenes, creating illustrations that seem to capture reality through a veil of tears—blurring the boundary between the everyday and the miraculous.

[Author] Mikhail Bychkov
One of the most outstanding contemporary illustrators and artists in Russia, renowned for his exquisite artworks, particularly his outstanding contributions in the field of book illustration. He is a recipient of numerous prestigious national and international awards!
He has participated multiple times in the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB) and has served as the chairman of the IBBY jury for the St. Petersburg section of the BIB International Biennial of Illustrations for over a decade!
His works are regularly exhibited in museums and libraries and are preserved in Russian museums such as the Dostoevsky Museum, the Tolstoy Museum, and other Russian museums, as well as in private collections in Russia and abroad.
In 2020, the renowned Russian documentary filmmaker Evgeny Gorinkin produced the documentary "Returning to Childhood," which focuses on creators of children's books, with Mikhail Bychkov as one of the key figures!
In 2021, Mikhail Bychkov was awarded the Gold Medal—the highest honor for achievement in book illustration—by the Union of Artists of Russia!
In 2020 and 2021, he was nominated as a candidate for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, an award in the field of children's literature that is considered on par with the Hans Christian Andersen Award!
From April 12 to May 20, 2023, the exhibition "Mikhail Bychkov: Illustrations and Books" was grandly held at the Russian State Children's Library, featuring several top Russian artists, including Igor Oleynikov, winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration!

Mikhail Bychkov was born in 1951 and graduated in 1969 from the Secondary Art School affiliated with the I.E. Repin Academy of Arts. From 1970 to 1973, he studied in the mural painting studio of the I.E. Repin Academy of Arts under Professor A.A. Mylnikov. In 1975, he graduated from the Book Graphics Department of the Leningrad Branch of the Moscow Polygraph Institute. Since 1982, he has been a member of the Union of Artists of Russia. Since 2011, he has served as the chairman of the IBBY jury for the St. Petersburg section of the BIB International Biennial of Illustrations.

Bychkov's illustrative style is typically characterized by its meticulous attention to detail and vivid expressiveness, bringing the plots and characters in texts to life for readers. Having grown up reading classic works, he approaches creating illustrations for them with both reverence and trepidation, producing page after page of artistic masterpieces. Before creating his works, he not only carefully reads the original texts but also delves into the literary and national history, studying even the smallest details before picking up his brush. In his creations, Bychkov respects tradition while daring to innovate; his illustrations are delicate, refined, and beautiful. The timeless exotic charm in his oil paintings seems to leap off the canvas, perfectly blending art with literature. This not only enriches readers' sensory experience but also deepens their understanding of the emotional, cultural, and historical contexts of literary works, greatly influencing how readers grasp and feel these works as a whole. Mikhail Bychkov is committed to creating illustrations that possess literary value. He believes that in children's books, the artist's task is to create a world of kindness, love, and confidence, to showcase the beauty of the material world created by human hands, and to foster children's love for books, as well as their admiration for beauty and the diversity of nature.

Bychkov's work is not limited to book illustration; he has also participated in numerous art projects and exhibitions, theatrical productions, museum exhibitions, educational programs, and various cultural and artistic activities. His artistic style and techniques have received widespread acclaim and recognition both domestically and internationally, making a significant contribution to contemporary Russian art. Several of his works, including "Diving • Rescue Dog • Shark," "The Sea," "Childhood," and "The Silver-Hoofed Goat," have already been licensed for publication in China!

[Awards and Honors]
1997—Silver Medal for Illustration at the Moscow International Book Fair!
2002—Honorary Certificate from the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY)!
2002—Included in IBBY's list of the world's best illustrators!
2003—Winner of the "Book of the Year" award at the All-Russian "Illustrator Writer Competition"!
2004—Annual Book Award from the Russian Publishers Association!
2004—Honorary Medal from the 2nd Independent Graphic Biennial in St. Petersburg!
2005—Honorary Certificate from the Russian Academy of Arts!
2006—Winner of the "Best Book of the Year" competition by the Russian Publishers Association!
2006—First Prize in the International Art Competition for Books among CIS Countries!
2008—Literary and Artistic Award presented by the Government of St. Petersburg!
2013—First Prize in the "Image of the Book" category ("Best Illustration for Children and Adolescents") at the Russian International Competition for Illustration and Book Design!
2013—Certificate for the Best Book of the Year from the Jury of the Leningrad Children's Reading Club!
2014—Marshak Literary Award—“Artist of the Decade”!
2015—Certificate for the Best Book of the Year from the Jury of the Leningrad Children's Reading Club!
2015—Honored by the St. Petersburg State Academic Institute of Art!
2016—Certificate for the Best Book of the Year from the Jury of the Leningrad Children's Reading Club!
2020—Nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award—one of the world's largest awards in children's and青少年 literature!
2021—Gold Medal for Achievement in Book Illustration awarded by the Union of Artists of Russia!
2022—Nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award—an award in children's literature considered on par with the Hans Christian Andersen Award!