The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship: A Russian Tale (Caldecott Medal Winner)

The story is great, if a little predictable. The young fool sets off to find a flying ship and thereby win the princess. A magical old man helps him find the ship, then the fool picks up a bunch of people on the way to the czar's palace, all of whom have these weird special talents. Once at the palace, the czar doesn't want to hand over his daughter and sets before the fool a number of tasks, which amusingly, but somewhat predictably line up with the special skills of each of the people he picked up along the way.The illustrations leave a lot to be desired. Although they are fun, detailed and colorful, they miss many chances to illustrate the story more dramatically. This is surprising given that the illustrator claims in his bio to be a filmmaker in addition to a children's book author. His illustrations need some close-ups and more interesting angles!Still, I would recommend this book, it is a wonderful example of a Russian folk tale. In the hands of another author and illustrator, it could be even better!

This was my favorite book as a kid. I loved the uniqueness of each character and their special skills. Arrive with small tear in dust cover, so it lost a star for that.

Perfect condition

Loved the book as a kid. Teaches the importance of treating others with respect and with kindness without any expectation of a returned favor.

Wonderful retelling of classic Russian folk tale. Illustrations are perfect for sharing the story with children. This is a classic for all generations.

This item was not as descibed. It was all marked up with magic marker on almost every page and this was not secribed. Poor, poor.

The story of the fool and his remarkable flying ship is a classic through and through. The classic tale of how a single man is able, with the help of his clever friends, to fulfill every task the local ruler (in this case, the Czar) sets before him is both a pleasure to read and a joy to reread. In the case of the 1968 edition of this story, illustrated by Uri Shulevitz, I can't say that this is the definitive version of the tale to read to your kids. It's enjoyable, yes. It has a nice text and it flows rather well. Unfortunately, the illustrations are a bit lax and while the book is a good read, it doesn't endear itself as much as it might to the average child reader.In this book, there was once a boy who was a fool who had two elder brothers who were intelligent. The Czar commands that whosoever brings before him a flying ship shall marry his daughter. Intrigued, the elder brothers take off to do the deed and are never heard from again. The fool also goes off and in his travels he meets a wise old man. After sharing his repast, the old man gives the lad some strict instructions that sound ridiculous but ultimately lead to a beautiful flying ship. Once the lad takes off he gathers with him every man he sees on the road, no matter how bizarre. After landing in the Czar's backyard, the peasants on the ship do not sufficiently impress the lofty ruler. He then proceeds to set a series of incredibly difficult tasks for the fool, but in the end the magic men and the boy overcome every last one. Finally, the fool marries the princess and (as a result of his riches) is now handsome, clever, and impresses everyone he meets. The end.Completely disregarding an ending where not only do the clothes make the man but wealth as well, the book is a good one. Randsome has a nice grasp on the best ways in which to tell this tale, and the escalating silliness is impressive. I don't wish to put down the art that illustrator Uri Shulevitz worked so hard to produce for the book, but let's face facts. This is fairly bland stuff. Drawn with rather sketchy pencils and lines, the book is adequate but by no means overwhelming. The fool appears as an apple-cheeked young rapscallion but you don't really feel anything for him. Undoubtedly there are those that have loved these pictures since their youth and will be deaf to any criticisms I might offer. In such cases as those I'll merely say that should you wish to purchase this story, I recommend you sample other versions as well until you find just the right one. I doubt you'd be disappointed by a little comparison shopping. Though a fine creation and a loving book, it could do with a little pepping up in the art department.

"The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship" has remained to be one of the greatest Russian folktales ever told and has spawn many popular movies such as "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen." This story is written by Arthur Ransome along with illustrations by Uri Shulevitz and is an instant treat!The story starts out with a peasant fool whose older brothers are more favored by his parents than him. One day, the Czar of Russia proclaims that whoever builds a flying ship will marry his daughter, the princess. The two older brothers start on their way as their parents give them delicious food and lavish clothes. When the fool spots all this, he begs for his parents' permission too, but his parents only scoff at him and only give him bread and water. The fool meets a strange old man along the way and they end up having beautiful feast together. Then, the old man tells the fool to follow some instructions in building a flying ship. The fool follows these instructions and has a flying ship in no time. As the fool sails in his ship, he meets a listener, a runner, a sharpshooter, a drinker, an eater, a hay-carrier, and a brushwood carrier. They head to the Czar's palace and the Czar is none too pleased about the guests, so he sets them impossible tasks to do.This book has simplistic yet clear drawings and an imaginative style of storytelling that should be a favorite among children and paves way for other cult classics. Also, check out the Rabbit Ears' version narrated by Robin Williams. It is hilarious and creative.

I know this story from the Cosgrove Hall animation (which is fab!), so decided to buy the book for my children to acquaint them with the tale, as theyre a bit young for the dvd yet, but I was rather disappointed with this book. The illustrations are quaint but sparse/lack-lustre, especially given the vibrant scope of the story and they definately dont inspire imaginative engagement with the text for any age group. However the company that sold the book dispatched it in good time and it was in the condition described (which was fine for the cheap price). Regarding a recommendation, Id say purchase/watch the DVD instead!!!