Start to Infinity (1978)

 

A little over my usual 1975 limit but I just dug this one out of storage. It is basically a Russian space history book for children. I like the painted illustrations.

Shurlygin, Victor.  СТАРТ В БЕСКОНЕЦНОСТЬ (Start to Infinity.) Leningrad: Children’s Literature Press. (158 p.) 1978.

The Solar System Pop-up Book (1978?)

 

My first Greek space book. This is a fun pop-up book I found recently. It is pretty basic but I really like space pop-up books for their design and impact.

Adelva. The Solar System Pop-up Book. Greece: Dotam International. 12 pp. 1978

Utazas a vilagurbe/ Into Space (1978)

 

A little out of my defined time period but too good not to share.  This pop-up book was part of the burst in Russian children's publishing in 1978. It was originally published in Russian but I have seen copies in English and this one in Hungarian. The pop-ups are wonderful and since I last shared the Russian edition in 2011 it is time to take another look.

Find the Constellations (1978)

Find the Constellation (1978) is a little late for my time period but I really like the cover.  This is a very simple book illustrating 12 constellations by showing the shape of the stars and then an imaginative picture opposite.

V. KASCHENKO. Find the Constellations. Moscow.  21 cm. (24 p.) 1978. 

 This is an example of the text page opposite the drawing (for Pegasus)

The drawings of the constellation are great, this dragon might be my favorite

B KOCMOC/ Into Space (1978)

A little out of my defined 1945-1975 time period but too good not to share.  This pop-up book was part of the burst in Russian children's publishing in 1978.  Or at least that what it seems like to me.  I find a number of 1978-1983 Russian titles for children and a number were translated into English.

Since it is very hard to use a scanner to show pop-up books (my preferred tool) I had to wait until I could get someone to take photographs of this book.  Even the back of the book is beautiful:

There are a couple of American pop-up books about space, the most famous being about the Apollo 11 landing. I will have to try and take some photographs for you.

The feeling I get when looking at Russian books is like that of looking into a distorted mirror. The overall images are familiar but the details are just a little different.

The walk in space and seeing the Earth from orbit....

The return to Earth (on land!).....................

Docking in space....

 Exploring the Moon....

Our brave new future in space.....