★ A generation of “children of the transitional era” stands at the crossroads between the old Soviet system—marked by the Young Pioneers and a collectivist way of life—and an unknown new world defined by the market economy and the influx of Western culture. Their childhood coincided with the country’s dramatic upheavals, turning their personal coming-of-age into a profound metaphor for the nation’s transformation.
★ This is both a personal coming-of-age story and a microcosmic chronicle of societal transformation—not through grand historical events, but through the sounds of trams, the scent of cafés, and a red scarf that was never worn—capturing the quiet yet profound end of one era and the beginning of another.
★ Focusing on childhood and adolescence during the years of Soviet reform, the work explores youth and the pains of generational change amid a shifting era, offering a nostalgic yet deeply resonant exploration of its themes.

This is a warm, nostalgic coming-of-age novel set against the backdrop of the Soviet Union’s reform era. The story revolves around childhood during a time of upheaval, focusing on themes of hope, breaking through adversity, and the shifting tides of history. The protagonists are children who were among the last to receive the “October Child” title from the Young Pioneers—but who never actually joined the Pioneer organization. The narrative unfolds amid a Moscow undergoing rapid change: the first imported cars appearing on the streets, newly emerging cooperative cafés, the wildly popular hypnotist shows of Kaspirovsky, and the familiar clanging sound of Tram No. 26 passing by outside the window...

Moscow in the second half of the 1980s was a city in flux: lines of people snaking through the streets as they waited to buy goods, frequent rallies and marches in the squares, the rise of cooperative economic ventures, and growing calls for openness and transparency. At the heart of the story are five children living in the southwestern district of Moscow—and their parents, a diverse group that includes scientists, engineers, linguists, state employees, and a community pediatrician. The children are busy juggling music lessons, losing themselves in books, experiencing the bewildering stirrings of first love, falling ill and staying in bed, and butting heads with adults. Through repeated reunions and partings, they gain and lose friends, all while the world around them is transforming at breakneck speed. In just a few short years, the country they call home undergoes seismic changes: the familiar old order crumbles, and these young people are forced to learn how to build their own new future with their own hands.

In this new work by Maria Danilova, a finalist for the Krapivin Literary Prize, the author uses a warm, nostalgic voice to tell a coming-of-age story set in the era of perestroika. Between the lines, the novel brims with the power of awakening, undying hope, the courage to break free from adversity, and a relentless pursuit of freedom. The book’s design was created by illustrator Nina Kuzmina.