"Breaking Stalin's Nose" Book Review

1.      Bibliography

Yelchin, Eugene. 2011. BREAKING STALIN’S NOSE. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 9780805092165

2.      Plot Summary

Ten year old Sasha is a devoted young Communist in the Stalin-era in the Soviet Union.  He admires Stalin and his followers which includes his own father who works for the State Security.  Together, they all live with forty-six others in a communal apartment with one toilet, thin walls, and no privacy.  Sasha dreams of becoming a Young Soviet Pioneer, but the day before he makes this commitment, his father is arrested and put in prison for no real reason.  Sasha’s day gets even worse when he accidently breaks the nose off of Stalin’s nose on a statue at school and is terrified to be convicted of a terrorist for what will be considered a hate crime.  After watching friends, neighbors, and even family members betray each other and make false confessions, he is rethinking his devotion to Stalin and the Young Soviet Pioneers.  Now that his father is in prison, he is homeless and faces with a difficult decision of denouncing his father in public in order to join the Soviet Pioneers, or walking away.  The novel has an open ending when Sasha walks away from the ceremony and does not join the Young Soviet Pioneers, and gets in a three day wait line to see his father in prison.  There, he meets a nice woman waiting to see her son who keeps Sasha warm in line, feeds him, and offers a place for him to live after they hopefully are allowed to see their loved ones in prison.

3.      Critical Analysis

Eugene Yelchin does a remarkable job sharing the horror and fear the people in the Soviet Union had during this time period.  By using a ten year old character, Yelchin presents the horrors that happen in the background of the storyline, so readers get the perspective of a somewhat still sheltered character, making this novel more appropriate for young children.  Yelchin is able to get the message across to readers how people in this day and age were so terrified of Stalin that they almost worshiped him by beginning the novel with Sasha writing a letter of devotion to Stalin at such a young age.  Readers may be confused with the concept of fear and devotion, and may be frustrated with the false testimonies and betrayal of characters.  Yelchin’s spot art illustrations bring the text to life for readers to connect with.  This quick read novel will enlighten readers of the real fear this era left for future generations.  Yelchin’s author’s note in the back gives more history and background and will inspire readers to further research this topic.

4.      Review Excerpt(s)

Newberry Honor Book – 2012

Horn Book Magazine – “Although this story takes place over just two days, it is well paced, peeling off the layers of Sasha’s naiveté to show him, and young readers, the cynicism of the system he trusted.”

Peter Sis, author of The Wall – “An important book for all people living in free society.”

5.      Connections

*Readers Theater:  Chose one chapter of the book and create a readers theater for students to perform to increase comprehension and fluency.

*Look up the pledge Stalin had people living in the Soviet Union during this time and interrupt meaning.  Compare it to our pledge in the United States.