Caldecott Medal Winner
The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship
by Uri Shulevitz
Summary
The simple youngest son of a peasant family sets out to win the hand of the Czar's daughter and gathers a band of strange companions whose odd gifts help him pass every impossible test. Uri Shulevitz fills the Russian folktale with airy, finely drawn watercolors that send the magical ship soaring across wide skies and rolling countryside. Retold by Arthur Ransome, the story rewards kindness and humility over cleverness and rank.
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Historical Context & Significance
Arthur Ransome retold this Russian folktale, and Uri Shulevitz won his first Caldecott Medal for illustrating it.