Bibliography
Yelchin, Eugene. 2011. Breaking Stalin's Nose. New York: Holt. ISBN 978-0-8050-9216-5
Plot Summary
Young Sasha's dream is about to come true. Tomorrow, he will become a Young Soviet Pioneer and receive his red pioneer scarf. He's known the laws of the Young Pioneers since he was six and has been waiting for the day to become a real Communist like his father. Then his father is taken away by the Secret Police in the middle of the night. At school, Sasha accidentally damages a statue of Stalin. Suddenly, it seems the world has been turned upside down. Sasha must make a decision and his life will never be the same.
Critical Analysis
Breaking Stalin's Nose is Yelchin's debut novel. It was a 2012 Newbery Honor book and a Horn's Best Fiction book choice for 2011. In the "Author's Note," Yelchin describes his own experiences growing up in Russia in the Sixties. Although he didn't grow up under Stalin, Yelchin still felt his influence through the older generation of Russians keeping silent about their past because of their fear. Yelchin wrote this story to confront that fear.
Yelchin's Sasha has the preadolescent fantasy-oriented view of his world. He knows that everyone who lives in their komunalka respects his State Security father because "they stop talking when my dad comes in" - not realizing that they're terrified of his father. He's sure that Communist Russia is "the most democratic and progressive country in the world" and vows to "always be vigilant, because our capitalist enemies are never asleep." Through traumatic events, Sasha's political awakening begins and he states "I'm here with other unreliables and I can see much better from here." The book contains topics galore which can be used for class discussions, such as bullying, dictatorships, and betrayal.
Yelchin's graphite illustrations are like film noir on paper. We're able to feel the paranoia, fear and mistrust in each sublime scene. When Sasha's father is taken away by the Secret Police, all we can see are puffy uniform breeches and shiny, black boots running up stairs reinforcing the fact that the Secret Police were obscure. Sasha's traitorous neighbor, Stukachov, is reminiscent of a horror comic book character with missing teeth, a long, bony nose and clear, oddly-shaped eyes.
There aren't many books written for children that deal with Stalinist Russia, so this is a welcome entry. There is a companion website which contains extensive information to add to Sasha's story, including maps, pictures, information about Sasha's mother, the history of the Young Soviet Pioneers, living life in a komunalka, and much more.
Review excerpt(s)
“Mr. Yelchin has compressed into two days of events an entire epoch, giving young readers a glimpse of the precariousness of life in a capricious yet ever-watchful totalitarian state.” –Wall Street Journal
Yelchin skillfully combines narrative with dramatic black-and-white illustrations to tell the story of life in the Soviet Union under Stalin...The question of who is a good Communist underlies much of the plot...Yelchin's illustrations are filled with pathos and breathe life into the narrative. Though there are many two-dimensional characters, mostly among the adults, Sasha and Borka are more fully drawn. While the story was obviously created to shed light on the oppression, secrecy, and atrocities under Stalin's regime, Sasha's emotions ring true. This is an absorbing, quick, multilayered read in which predictable and surprising events intertwine. Velchin clearly dramatizes the dangers of blindly believing in anything...—School Library Journal
Yelchin's debut novel does a superb job of depicting the tyranny of the group, whether residents of a communal apartment, kids on the playground, students in the classroom or government officials. It's the readiness of the group to create outsiders—bad ones, "unreliables," "wreckers"—by instilling fear in everyone that chills. Not many books for such a young audience address the Stalinist era, when, between 1923 and 1953, leaving a legacy of fear for future generations...Yelchin's graphite illustrations are an effective complement to his prose, which unfurls in Sasha's steady, first-person voice, and together they tell an important tale. A story just as relevant in our world, "where innocent people face persecution and death for making a choice about what they believe to be right," as that of Yelchin's childhood. --Kirkus Reviews
“A miracle of brevity, this affecting novel zeroes in on two days and one boy to personalize Stalin's killing machine of the '30s. …black-and-white drawings march across the pages to juxtapose hope and fear, truth and tyranny, small moments and historical forces, innocence and evil. This Newbery Honor book offers timeless lessons about dictatorship, disillusionment and personal choice.” —San Francisco Chronicle
"The cat-and-mouse chase that pits Sasha’s whole world against him will rivet middle-grade readers, but this title will hold special appeal for older students whose grasp of content outstrips their reading proficiency." —BCCB
“…this brief novel gets at the heart of a society that asks its citizens, even its children, to report on relatives and friends. Appropriately menacing illustrations by first-time novelist Yelchin add a sinister tone.” —Horn Book, starred review
...Set during the heart of Stalin's reign in the Soviet Union, the author brings the scenes, the language and the beliefs of Communism to readers as only one who has lived it could do...the book's illustrations will captivate readers. This is a well-written and accessible work of historical fiction for young readers. --Children's Literature
Connections
-To enhance the readers experience, review vocabulary they will find in the story. Here are examples of words they'll find: communist, capitalist, comrade, Soviet Union, democratic, Young Soviet Pioneers, citizen, communal, patriotic, secret police, spy, informer, Primus stove, Kremlin, traitor, Kolyma, authority, banner, state property, provocateurs, Motherland, proverb, Stalin, enemy, purify, influence, denounce, orphanage, blackmail, confess, interrogate, provinces, unreliable, sacred, executed, secret agent, vigilance, pride, honor, streetcar.
-Compare posters of the Young Soviet Pioneers to American posters during WWII. Do they have anything in common? Have students compare and contrast the posters.
-Have fiction and non-fiction related books available so students can extend their learning.
-Sis, Peter. The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain. ISBN 978-0374347017 (Caldecott Honor Book)
-Schmemann, Serge. When the Wall Came Down: The Berlin Wall and the Fall of Soviet Communism. ISBN 978-0753461532
-Link, Theodore. Communism: A Primary Source Analysis (Primary Sources of Political Systems). ISBN 978-0823945177
-Link, Theodore. Communism: A Primary Source Analysis (Primary Sources of Political Systems). ISBN 978-0823945177
-Hess, Karl. Capitalism for Kids: Growing Up to Be Your Own Boss. ISBN 978-0942103038
-Haugen, Brenda. Joseph Stalin: Dictator of the Soviet Union (Signature Lives). ISBN 978-0756515973
-Haugen, Brenda. Joseph Stalin: Dictator of the Soviet Union (Signature Lives). ISBN 978-0756515973
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