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Bibliography
Yelchin, Eugene.
Breaking Stalin’s Nose. New York: Henry Holt and Company,
2011. 9780805092165
Summary
Sasha Zaichik is a loyal communist, dedicated to Joseph
Stalin. Sasha longs to be just
like his father, an honored and awarded member of the USSR’s State
Security. Sasha has an unwavering
belief in communist ideals and sees that everything around him aligns with the
perfect world Stalin is working so hard to create. He lives with forty-eight people in a communal apartment with
one small kitchen and one toilet, which helps develop community and assists
them in taking care of each other.
When his father comes home, the neighbors fall quiet, not due to the
fear their faces show but because of respect for him as a good communist.
In the middle of the night, State Security officers come,
tear apart the room Sasha shares with his father and take his father away. As the neighbors move into the now unoccupied
room, Sasha is left reeling.
Certain that a mistake has been made, he goes through the night and the
next day with as much normalcy as possible, however every passing event turns
his world more upside-down.
Analysis
From the title and standard American perspective, Breaking Stalin’s Nose would appear to
be a typical book opposed to the ideals of communism and the beliefs of the
USSR during the early twentieth century.
These assumptions and background make the first chapter an amazing
hook. The book begins with a
letter to Stalin, praising him and the state he has created. Without a hint of sarcasm or mischief,
the letter speaks of the unfortunate American children and how blessed the
writer is to have been born under such a strong, wise leader. This conflict against traditional
American ideals continues throughout the book, driving the reader forward,
wondering if Sasha will continue in his firm belief or if his faith in Stalin
will be broken.
In his first novel, Zaichik has created an intriguing story that is supplemented by his black and white, cartoonish illustrations. For younger readers, the illustrations will serve to assist in picturing the world described, however the story stands strong on its own.
In his first novel, Zaichik has created an intriguing story that is supplemented by his black and white, cartoonish illustrations. For younger readers, the illustrations will serve to assist in picturing the world described, however the story stands strong on its own.
Awards and Reviews
*2012 Newbery
"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
"Through Sasha's fresh and optimistic voice, Yelchin powerfully renders an atmosphere of fear that forces false confessions, even among schoolchildren, and encourage neighbors and family members to betray one another without evidence. Readers will quickly pick up on the dichotomy between Sasha's ardent beliefs and the reality of life under Stalinism, and be glad for his ultimate disillusion, even as they worry for his future." -Publisher's Weekly
"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." --Kirkus Reviews
"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
"Through Sasha's fresh and optimistic voice, Yelchin powerfully renders an atmosphere of fear that forces false confessions, even among schoolchildren, and encourage neighbors and family members to betray one another without evidence. Readers will quickly pick up on the dichotomy between Sasha's ardent beliefs and the reality of life under Stalinism, and be glad for his ultimate disillusion, even as they worry for his future." -Publisher's Weekly
"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." --Kirkus Reviews
Connections
Explore the Breaking
Stalin’s Nose website.
Research Stalin and Communism to gain a deeper understanding of Sasha's experiences.
Sasha starts the book by writing a letter to Stalin. After having read the book, students can write another letter from Sasha to Stalin taking into account all the events from the book. What does Sasha have to say to Stalin now?
What would a world be like living in tight quarters with people you didn't know if you could trust? Imagine you live in a shared apartment. Write a letter to a friend explaining the ups and downs of this living situation while trying to persuade him to live in a room of your shared apartment.
Macmillan discussion guide
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