Review: A Little Sweetness Goes a Long Way
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 28, 2013
The Lollipop by Julia Gousseva begins where her previous story, The Firebird, left off. The two kids, Alex and Katie, just back from their previous adventure to retrieve the magic feather, awaken to their Russian heritage and wish to unearth more of its charm and meaning.Right off the start, "Here is the real ending of the firebird story," says Alex, as he opens the old book of fairytales. To his surprise he finds that the ending has been rewritten: "Alex and Katie left the magical meadow and went back to Aunt Katrina's house. They healed her leg, and they all lived happily ever after." This revelation has a subtle meaning for the entire story, suggesting that history can be altered by your actions, and so you possess the magic to alter the world.This time, Aunt Katrina introduces the two kids to a new fairytale, about Emelya, the youngest of three brothers who captures a talking fish. In turn for being let off the hook, the fish grants him three wishes. Emelya's third wish, to mary a fair maiden, ends up backfiring, as the tsar is enraged that his daughter falls in love with a commoner.The words have faded on the page, and Aunt Katrina explains, "This story has an end, but the end is yours to create." With this, the kids set off on a new journey, to help their fairytale hero, Emelya. At first they are guided by ball of golden thread, meant to lead them to their target and then bring them back home. But unlike the mythological Ariadne's thread, this one must be used sparingly. Dropped accidental too early in the journey, it forces the kids to resort to their own devices along the way. They meat the great Leshi, a creature who likes to confuse people, and princess Maria, the tsar's daughter who appreciates their willingness to help her.Will Alex and Katie find a way to release Emelya? More importantly, how would they go about their mission? In the end, the solution lies not in outsmarting the enemy but in allowing him to open up to new possibilities, see things a different way. A little sweetness--symbolized by the rooster shaped lollipop--goes a long way...Five stars.