(3) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Marinka chafes against her lonely destiny as she trains to be a Yaga like her grandmother, a witch who guides the dead to their afterlife among the stars. When she rebelliously pursues her desires at the expense of her responsibilities, everything spirals out of control. In this lyrical story, inspired by Russian folklore and shot through with grief, Marinka finds a way to balance her needs with those of others. Glos.

Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian

(3) K-3 Retold by Anthea Bell. Translated by Anthea Bell. A complex tale with Cinderella-like themes, translated and adapted from great Russian folklorist Alexander Afanasyev's original. Russian artist Morgunova's fanciful, finely detailed illustrations recall the aesthetics of Chagall, Klimt, and Picasso but are also uniquely beautiful. In a short introduction, the illustrator describes her interpretation of Baba Yaga, the woman from whom Vasilisa must get light, as an enchantress rather than a witch.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Kelly Murphy. Twelve-year-old orphan Mary can hardly believe her luck when she is adopted by Madame Zolotaya. Then Mary discovers Madame Zolotaya's true identity: Baba Yaga, that old crone from Russian folklore known for eating children. Instead of fearing her, Mary decides to ask Baba Yaga to teach her magic. Plucky Mary is a heroine to root for; figures from Russian folklore pop up throughout.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2016

(3) YA When Brooklyn teen Vassa heads into the endless night to buy lightbulbs, BY's (a convenience store on chicken legs) witchy owner Babs won't let her leave. With help from smart-aleck magical doll Erg, Vassa frees herself and other prisoners. Strangely lovely imagery mixes with the straight-up weird for a vivid, enjoyable urban fantasy inspired by Russian folktale "Vassilissa the Beautiful."

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Emily Carroll. After Masha's beloved grandmother dies, Masha answers a help-wanted ad to become assistant to the child-eating folkloric character. To win the position, Masha must creatively accomplish challenges set forth by Baba Yaga. This graphic novel shines in its pacing, harmony of image and text, and use of flashbacks and stories-within-stories to advance plot. With vivid coloring, Carroll's digital art establishes setting and tone.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2015

(1) YA An imprisoned man tells his story, Scheherazade-like, in letters to the tsar. He begins with Elena, a young girl in the impoverished Russian countryside, who meets privileged Ekaterina. Their lives collide and intertwine. Maguire savors every inch of his elaborate narrative, introducing tropes from Russian folktales and giving his characters plenty of play, especially the hardboiled Baba Yaga, who seems to exist outside of time.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2014

(4) 4-6 When Seraphina inherits a legacy from a mysterious great-aunt, she doesn't expect it to include a cottage that walks on chicken legs. As the new Baba Yaga, Seraphina takes her role seriously even as she tries to escape it. While a few story strands feel forced, readers eager for another folktale backstory will enjoy this romantic fantasy.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Vladimir Vagin. In a note, Yolen describes Baba Yaga, lists key sources, then adds that she herself created this tale. When a girl finds herself scheduled as Baba Yaga's next meal, she sends the hungry crone to buy turnips from her father, and he follows the witch back to the chicken-footed hut. Vagin's Disney-bright art features a dramatically beaked witch just scary enough to add tension to the brisk, cheerful, and entertainingly updated narrative.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2004

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Jessica Souhami. On her way to rescue her baby brother from the black geese who steal children, Elena helps three small creatures and receives three magical gifts that ensure her escape from a witch. Lurie summons exactly the right voice for a tale for the youngest children: clean, clear, flowing easily and directly from one thought to the next. Souhami's bright illustrations are as spare and lively as Lurie's beautifully honed narrative.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 1999

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Moira Kemp. A master reteller recounts the familiar Russian tale in which a little girl escapes Baba Yaga with the help of a rag doll, the last gift of her dying mother. The well-paced narrative is rich in imagery and humor. Kemp's colored pencil illustrations are rendered with accessibly childlike simplicity, but she also uses sophisticated composition and perspectives to enhance the drama. A prime pick for storyhour.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2000