March 23, 2021

Half-Mermaid, Half-Dog, All Cute


Half-Mermaid, Half-Dog, All Cute
Baba Yaga is a much less marketable plush toy. Ikea Newsroom

We here at Russian Life are no strangers to mythical creatures. But Baba Yaga doesn't hold a glowing skull to this cutie.

The Mermaid Dog (собака-русалка) is the creation of nine-year-old St. Petersburger Savva. A doodle of the animal was chosen as one of only five in Ikea's yearly Soft Toy Drawing competition, chosen from a pool of over 66,000 entries.

Each year, the Swedish furniture company invites kids around the world to submit creative drawings of fantastic characters. The best caricatures are part of that year's Ikea "Sagoskatt" limited edition toy collection (We assume "Sagoskatt" means "stuffed toy" in Ikea Swedish). As such, Savva's mermaid-dog will be hitting store shelves later in 2021 alongside the other winning submissions from Canada, Lithuania, Poland, and the U.S.

According to Savva, who reportedly likes to draw and think up stories, the mermaid-dog, who sports a purple hat, likes to help all who are in trouble. We look forward to taking refuge in the soft arms of the mermaid-dog the next time we get lost in our labyrinthine local Ikea store.

Meatballs not included.

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Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
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Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

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