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happylilkt's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
Yanka feels awkward and out of place in her village and full of questions about her past. With stories woven throughout the narrative, the reader accompanies Yanka on her journey of discovery—where she comes from and what she will choose to be.
This Russian inspired fantasy book is great for older elementary children/ middle graders.
Yanka feels awkward and out of place in her village and full of questions about her past. With stories woven throughout the narrative, the reader accompanies Yanka on her journey of discovery—where she comes from and what she will choose to be.
This Russian inspired fantasy book is great for older elementary children/ middle graders.
astrid24's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mdevlin923's review against another edition
2.0
Yanka is frequently called "Yanka the Bear" by the other villagers, and it makes her feel like an outcast...especially since she doesn't know her birth parents and instead lives with Mamochka (who found her in the woods). Yanka has always lived with this feeling, but it culminates on the day of a huge festival. She falls off of an ice fort and wakes up with bear legs. Determined to find her place in the world, she sets out to find out about her family. Along the way she meets many new friends, and discovers her true place and true family.
This story was very difficult to get into, and the pacing was poor. Towards the end, all of the obstacles started to feel a bit overdone. Cool concept, but terribly executed.
This story was very difficult to get into, and the pacing was poor. Towards the end, all of the obstacles started to feel a bit overdone. Cool concept, but terribly executed.
mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
“Stepping into The Snow Forest is like stepping into another world. The tall, tall trees make me feel small. My mind tingles and my senses come alive. Sometimes in the forest I feel so close to the story of my past I can almost hear it on the wind.”
I came across this book at one of my libraries and I just love books about folklore and magic, so this one had to come with me. It took me a bit to get through it. The first 100-ish pages were a tad slow and at times I wondered if I should just give up. Normally I would have. But I felt something tugging at me so I kept going. And I am happy I did because this turned out to be a very magical and beautiful book.
Meet Yanka, a girl grown up with many stories, but one she is still missing. That one of her family. She only knows that she was found in a bear cave when she was just a tiny thing. I really loved Yanka, but at times I just wished she had opened her eyes sooner. She kept saying she didn’t fit, but I could already see how much she was loved in the village. Even though she was big, even with how she looked, people cared for her. I loved how strong Yanka was. I mean, a lot of things happen in this book, a lot of things get revealed. And boy, many a girl or boy would have swayed away and just gone home, but not Yanka. She has important decisions to make and she does it well. She is strong and fierce. I loved that she was really thinking hard what she wanted to be. Bear? Human? Both? It definitely wasn’t an easy decision and it also required her to open her eyes and see the world, the people she knows. Because at the beginning of the story she may have made a whole different decision.
The book is filled with magic, adventure, folklore and a lot of heart. I really loved seeing all that Yanka encountered on her journey and the many new friends she made. The old friends she learned to trust more. I loved seeing a Yaga appear. There is a big dragon! There are curses! OH boy, there was so much and I was just totally into it.
Normally… I am not a fan of talking animals. But Snowtrap was pretty decent. Yes, sometimes very annoying and sometimes a bit too snobbish, but in overall this was a talking animal I could tolerate.
The stories that were interspersed throughout the book…. I loved the stories. But I do feel that maybe they should have been collected in a separate book. Or located at the end. I mean for most they just broke up the story for me. At times I just didn’t want yet another story about the forest. I just wanted to go on adventure. I wanted to see Yanka find out about herself and her family. Yes, sure, the stories gave us clues and gave us more insight, but it just was in the way for me.
The illustrations were absolutely gorgeous and I love the style of them. They fit so well with this magical story.
The ending was just WOW and WOW and there were twists and turns, revelations, but also it was a very wonderful and sweet ending and I love it.
So I would recommend this story. It’s a slow start, but after that it is just WOW and you cannot stop. I will definitely see if I can find the House with Chicken Legs in one of my libraries to give it a third try. Thanks to this story I definitely want to give it another chance.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I came across this book at one of my libraries and I just love books about folklore and magic, so this one had to come with me. It took me a bit to get through it. The first 100-ish pages were a tad slow and at times I wondered if I should just give up. Normally I would have. But I felt something tugging at me so I kept going. And I am happy I did because this turned out to be a very magical and beautiful book.
Meet Yanka, a girl grown up with many stories, but one she is still missing. That one of her family. She only knows that she was found in a bear cave when she was just a tiny thing. I really loved Yanka, but at times I just wished she had opened her eyes sooner. She kept saying she didn’t fit, but I could already see how much she was loved in the village. Even though she was big, even with how she looked, people cared for her. I loved how strong Yanka was. I mean, a lot of things happen in this book, a lot of things get revealed. And boy, many a girl or boy would have swayed away and just gone home, but not Yanka. She has important decisions to make and she does it well. She is strong and fierce. I loved that she was really thinking hard what she wanted to be. Bear? Human? Both? It definitely wasn’t an easy decision and it also required her to open her eyes and see the world, the people she knows. Because at the beginning of the story she may have made a whole different decision.
The book is filled with magic, adventure, folklore and a lot of heart. I really loved seeing all that Yanka encountered on her journey and the many new friends she made. The old friends she learned to trust more. I loved seeing a Yaga appear. There is a big dragon! There are curses! OH boy, there was so much and I was just totally into it.
Normally… I am not a fan of talking animals. But Snowtrap was pretty decent. Yes, sometimes very annoying and sometimes a bit too snobbish, but in overall this was a talking animal I could tolerate.
The stories that were interspersed throughout the book…. I loved the stories. But I do feel that maybe they should have been collected in a separate book. Or located at the end. I mean for most they just broke up the story for me. At times I just didn’t want yet another story about the forest. I just wanted to go on adventure. I wanted to see Yanka find out about herself and her family. Yes, sure, the stories gave us clues and gave us more insight, but it just was in the way for me.
The illustrations were absolutely gorgeous and I love the style of them. They fit so well with this magical story.
The ending was just WOW and WOW and there were twists and turns, revelations, but also it was a very wonderful and sweet ending and I love it.
So I would recommend this story. It’s a slow start, but after that it is just WOW and you cannot stop. I will definitely see if I can find the House with Chicken Legs in one of my libraries to give it a third try. Thanks to this story I definitely want to give it another chance.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
line_magnus's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was so good! A wonderful entwining of folklore and imagination, offering a rich and layered world for the main character to explore. I loved the characters, the writing, and the amazing stories that intertwined and connected in unexpected ways. The book takes a little while to really get going, but once it does, it's such a thrilling ride! Highly recommend 😊
lwjessika's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
decembermagpie's review against another edition
The book started to drag on. I also didn't like the direction the story was going.
beatriceb_'s review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
5.0
Yanka was found abandoned in a cave when she was just a toddler, with only a bear for company. Since then, she’s been raised by her loving adoptive mother, but she knows she’s different from the rest of the village (if for no other reason than her size and strength), and she’s always felt the lure of the forest calling to her. When Yanka wakes up one day with bear legs, she flees her village and goes on a journey of self-discovery, determined to find out where she truly belongs. The answer is more complicated than she imagined, which is what makes this story so beautiful. One of my favorite elements of the book is the way that folklore is woven into Yanka’s story. It all threads together masterfully in the end, and it does so in some surprising ways. The book features themes of found family and self-acceptance, and Yanka discovers that her differences don’t have to mean that she doesn’t belong. The writing is gorgeous and the setting is beautifully atmospheric. Any fan of fairy tales will love this twist on old Russian folklore.
kim_lommaert's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Abandonment