Little Anya and Straw Hubert

Author: Vítězslav Nezval
Illustrator: Viktor Dmitrievich Pivovarov
Publisher: Melik-Pashaev
ISBN: 978-5-00041-253-4
Pages: 344 (Offset)
Cover type: 7B - hard (thick paper or cardboard)
Illustrations: Color
Dimensions: 230x178x27 mm

A brilliant text, a brilliant translation, and brilliant illustrations—this is what distinguishes the Russian edition of this unusual fairy tale, which is close in spirit to the famous "Alice in Wonderland". The first and only publication of "Anečka-Nevelička and Straw Hubert" in Russian took place in 1980, but the book still has an enviable community of fans. 
The book was created by three extraordinary people: Vítězslav Nezval—a famous Czech avant-gardist and language experimenter; Viktor Pivovarov—one of the most famous "unofficial" Russian artists of the 20th century; Asar Appel—a writer, poet, and translator, a virtuoso master of words.
After falling asleep once in a cart, a village girl named Anečka-Nevelička wakes up in the city. Her companion becomes a boy named Straw Hubert. They enter a wondrous space called the Land of Somewhere-Else. 
In Somewhere-Else live characters beyond comprehension: a Camel with a hump that can be unzipped to reveal a radio inside; a Man with Claws who composts tickets; a Circus Director who cries pearls; a Parrot who cannot stand the confusion and goes mad; little Lilliputian Negroes who turn into little white Negroes, then into little white fish, then into little white ants, and so on.
Mysterious and highly unusual adventures await the heroes. Despite its apparent surrealism, the fairy tale has a coherent plot. The book's undeniable embellishment is its rhyming refrains and little songs.
Thanks to its exquisite wordplay, intriguing plot, and beautiful illustrations, the book is rightly considered a true masterpiece of children's literature.
Recommended for reading and enjoyment from primary school age through old age.