★A classic work by the internationally renowned children's author, creator of the iconic Russian animated character Cheburashka, and recipient of numerous children's literature awards, including the Russian Federation's Culture Award, Edward Uspensky!
★Edward Uspensky's books, short stories, and poems have been translated into over 25 languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide, including in the Netherlands, France, Japan, Finland, and the United States!
★This book tells the story of an ordinary boy's adventure into a magical world. First published in 1972, it was later adapted into films, plays, and other formats, and has been beloved by readers and audiences.
★This classic children's story is one of the most unusual in Uspensky's children's literature, accompanying generations of growth and worth reading by every child!
★Redrawn by modern excellent illustrators, it brings a different reading experience to children!
★Recommended for readers in middle and elementary school.

This book tells the story of an ordinary boy's adventure into a magical world. First published in 1972, it was later adapted into films, plays, and other formats, and has been beloved by readers and audiences.

The protagonist is a little boy named Mitya. He lives in the city but spends his summer vacation at his grandmother's house in the countryside. Grandmother Grafila Andreevna lives in a small wooden house near the forest. Mitya spends a summer filled with fantasy and adventure here. One day, grandmother sent Mitya to visit his distant aunt Egorovna in the forest. Grandmother told Mitya that Egorovna lived in a small house deep in the forest, but she didn't explain the route in detail. Mitya set off on his journey to the forest with the basket given by his grandmother. Mitya walked through the forest and accidentally arrived at a magical place. He found himself in a world full of magic, where everything was completely different from the real world. He met a talking gray wolf, who told him that he had arrived at a magical river called the "Magic River." Along this river, Mitya saw many fantastic sights: the river flowed with milk, the banks were made of jelly, and there were all kinds of talking animals and magical creatures. Mitya eventually arrived at Egorovna's house, but when he entered the house, he found that Egorovna had turned into a kind witch named Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga lived in a hut on chicken legs, and she was an amiable old lady with powerful magic.

Through a magical dish that could show all things in the world, Baba Yaga learned of an important event: King Makar decided to abdicate the throne and live a simple life in the countryside. King Makar was a kind-hearted man who preferred labor to sitting on the throne. However, his scribe, Chumichka, worried that the king's departure would lead to chaos in the country, so he tried to stop him. When Chumichka realized he couldn't persuade the king, he released the immortal demon Koshchei, who had been imprisoned in the palace's basement. Chumichka helped Koshchei become the new king and tried to eliminate the only witch who could stand against Koshchei, the wise and kind Vasilisa the Wise. Vasilisa the Wise, a wise and kind witch, escaped Koshchei's pursuit with her magic. Koshchei released the one-eyed demon Likh, the hypnotic cat Bayun, the nightingale bandit, and the three-headed dragon Gorynych to help him rule the country.

Baba Yaga and Mitya decided to help King Makar. They set off along the magical river, encountering many fantastic creatures and overcoming numerous obstacles. Mitya, who had no magic, relied on modern knowledge and logical thinking to cleverly solve magical traps and devise a plan to save the king. Mitya and Baba Yaga finally arrived at the kingdom. In an intense battle, Mitya and Baba Yaga used the water from the Magic River to turn the three-headed dragon Gorynych into three little goats, thereby weakening Koshchei's power. Vasilisa the Wise and her heroes also joined the fight and ultimately succeeded in imprisoning Koshchei again. After King Makar was rescued, he decided to live a simple life in the countryside. He asked Vasilisa the Wise to rule the country in his stead, as she was a wise and kind witch who could lead the country to prosperity. With Baba Yaga's help, Mitya returned to his grandmother's house and found that almost no time had passed. His grandmother told him that the adventure was just a dream, but Mitya knew it was all real. He promised his grandmother that he would come again next summer to continue exploring this magical world.

Through Mitya's adventure, the work explores the confrontation between good and evil, the relationship between power and the people, and the pursuit of freedom and happiness. It also presents classic elements from Russian folk tales, such as Baba Yaga and Koshchei, while giving them new images and personalities.

【Author】Edward Nikolaevich Uspensky (1937-2018)
A Soviet and Russian writer, screenwriter, and children's author. He was born on December 22, 1937, in the city of Yegoryevsk, Moscow Oblast. After graduating from high school, he attended the Moscow Aviation Institute. He began writing while in college and published his first work in 1960. After obtaining his engineering degree, Uspensky devoted himself entirely to literary creation. Initially, he focused on humorous writing, but later shifted to children's literature. Today, Uspensky is a household name as a children's author. His "Crocodile Gena and His Friends," published in 1966, became an instant bestseller among children in Russia and remains popular to this day. In 1969, the Soviet Union's Soyuzmultfilm studio decided to adapt Uspensky's picture book works and invited the studio's excellent animation master Roman Kachanov to produce them.
Uspensky is the creator of the iconic Russian animated character Cheburashka, who first appeared in the classic work "Crocodile Gena and His Friends." After debuting in the Soviet Union's widely known animated series "Crocodile Gena," Cheburashka quickly became the most popular guest in the children's morning shows, becoming the Soviet Union's longest-lasting animated character — "This is a strange-named, clumsy, furry animal. It looks like a rabbit, dog, cat, and kangaroo, but it is none of them. It has big eyes, a round head, and a short tail. Its slightly confused kindness and extraordinary sincerity can overcome all evil... Its symbolic meaning is that Russians are kind, patient, and forgiving of everything." The image of Cheburashka has accompanied several generations of Soviet and Russian children's childhood memories, and it has also appeared in international sports events. Since the 2004 Athens Olympics, Cheburashka has frequently been chosen as the mascot of the Russian team. In Athens, it became a brown, cute creature. At the Turin Winter Olympics, the white one shone with ice and snow, and in 2008 in Beijing, it amazed everyone with the auspicious bright red color from Chinese culture.
In addition to this, Uspensky also created "The Tumbler and His Friends." These works were adapted into animated films and are beloved by children. In 1974, Uspensky created a series of popular characters in "Uncle Theodore, the Dog, and the Cat." In 1994, Uspensky published the work "Professor Chaynikov's Lecture." At the same time, he also wrote scripts for animated films, contributed to the popular children's program "Baby Monitor" and the TV program "Radio Nanny," and also hosted the TV program "The Ship Has Come to Our Port."
Uspensky has received awards such as the "All-Union Best Children's Book Award," the Russian Federation's Culture Award, the Chukovsky "National Children's Literature Award," and the Spark Magazine Award. His books, short stories, and poems have been translated into over 25 languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide, including in the Netherlands, France, Japan, Finland, and the United States!
Edward Uspensky passed away in Moscow on August 14, 2018, at the age of 81. His funeral was held on August 18 at the Central House of Writers in Moscow. In memory of this beloved children's author, Russian media recently reported that a memorial statue will be erected in Moscow in his honor.