The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain

Written and Illustrated by: Eugene Yelchin

Candlewick Press, 2021. Autobiography.

Newbery Honor winner Eugene Yelchin has written a memoir of his life growing up behind the iron curtain. With his entertaining humor and drawings you learn what it was like to live in Russia during the cold war. You read about the small one-room apartment with a tiny bathroom and no bedroom, the lack of food, and the worry of a KGB spy lurking in the kitchen. With lots of doodles to help tell the story, Eugene recounts what it was like to be expected to follow all the rules and develop a talent that would help Russia be recognized by the world.

This first-person account brings readers into the world of Eugene's childhood. Readers will enjoy learning about the Soviet Union and the talented people who defected and didn't come back home to Russia after traveling aboard. An inspiring story about a young boy who discovered his artistic talent while sleeping under the table. An excellent middle grade book that teaches the history of the cold war but reads more like a story. Perfect for readers fifth grade and up.

Comments

If You Like...KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters has been one of the most talked-about movies of the summer. If you loved this movie as much as I did, you don't want the magic (or the music) to stop. Try reading these books that touch on some of the same topics and themes as the animated hit! Brick Dust and Bones By M. R. Fournet New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Fiction. 247 pages. Orphaned Marius works in the family business--as their cemetery's ghost caretaker. However, Marius also moonlights as a monster hunter in order to earn the costly Mystic currency he needs to bring his mother back from the dead. As the window to bring his mother back begins to close, Marius's exploits get more and more dangerous, and he may have set his sights on a monster too big to handle on his own. Like Mira, Marius longs for familial connection, and his work as a monster hunter will satisfy the thrill of demon hunting for fans the movie. Where's Halmoni? By Julie J. Kim Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2017. Comics. W...

Review: The Memory Spinner

The Memory Spinner Written by C.M. Cornwell New York : Delacorte Press, 2025. Fiction. 281 pages. Fantasy is a genre that I don't often read. When I finish a good fantasy book, I always ask myself why I don't read more of them! This book made me ask myself that exact question. Lavender is a young girl who is struggling after the death of her mother. Her father doesn't like talking about the family's loss, and Lavender feels very alone in knowing how to grieve and cope with her feelings. Making the grieving process even harder for Lavender is the fact that she is struggling to hold on to memories of her mother. The family runs an apothecary shop where Lavender is an apprentice. She has dreamed of her apprenticeship for a long time, putting in a lot of work to show her father she is a valuable asset. Unfortunately, while working side by side with her father, Lavender starts to notice that memories of her mother aren't the only thing she is having a hard time recallin...

Five Faves: Favorite Picture Books Focusing on Food and Family

Next month is a month where my family will plan lots of time together—most of which will be spent eating food together. And I wouldn’t be the librarian I am without sharing this list of great titles where food and family are the focus of each story. So, pull up a snack and settle in to read these five picture books that just might make you pull your loved ones closer while also reaching for a snack! Fish Fry Friday Written by Winsome Bingham Illustrated by C. G. Esperanza New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2025. Picture Book. The young kid who is out of school for a Friday gets to spend the day with Granny. On Fridays, Granny goes and catches fish to use for the family fish fry on Friday nights. The narrator loves spending time with Granny as she teaches about fishing, filleting, and frying up good times with food and family. Grilled Cheese? Yes, Please! By Tim Kleyn New York: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2024. Picture Book. ...

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog