Gina from Siberia Paperback – January 1, 2018

This is a charming little story about a dog named Gina who moves with her human family from Siberia to New York. It's a simple little story about the normal fears of moving to a very new place, but the story is accompanied by vibrant illustrations that are a feast for the eyes. The book is based on a real family who actually did dress their dog as a baby to keep her safe in the move.I read it to my 6 year old granddaughter and her face just LIT UP when the book was done. "I really liked this book, I REALLY REALLY liked it!!!" she said. She loved Gina and could relate to her fears and liked that she made friends in her new home. She loved the pictures. And she was able to tell her mom all about how Gina moved from Siberia, all the way to "ummm... where is it... the place with the Statue of Liberty... NEW YORK!!!" and repeated over and over that it was "5,682 or 5,681 miles" (This is a big point in the book). She also thought New York must be a great place to live since it has so many different things to smell, and all that great street food!Honestly she loved the book so much, and was talking about it so much after, that I have to up my rating to 5 stars. The book is meant for children, not for me, and Holly definitely loves it.I had received an early e-copy from NetGalley and Animal Media Group for review purposes, but now that it's available I have ordered a hard copy to give to Holly for Christmas. I already know she's going to love it!

My 9 year old daughter read me this incredible story. We were swept away by it's imagery, story line and message.It was so touching and brilliant the way the Charlotte & Jane used a Dog to tell the story of a families immigration to this country and the many feelings a family goes through when taking that arduous journey. The illustration is STUNNING! A work of art...It was also a TRUE STORY! WOW! I HIGHLY recommend to any child big or small. Even for adults it is so well done.Hats off for the creation of this beautiful work.

Adorable Gina’s journey is full of memorable observations, smells, tastes and sounds. A beautiful, funny book with captivating illustrations. My four year old has memorized most of the sentences! This is a sweet tale (tail?) of friendship and family that any animal-lover will appreciate.Gift note: the book jacket & paper feels much more luxurious than most children’s books. This makes it a great gift idea, even for adults who might have a big move or a big transition ahead.

Love the illustrations. So realistic. The story is super cute. This book is unique and definitely makes a great addition to any library

This is a wonderful story that great for kids and for adults. The illustrations are amazing. Great gift item.

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A cute, interesting story of a dog emigrating to the USA with her family from Siberia. The hook of why this tale sticks out is due to the manner in which the family had to sneak the dog along with them until the coast was clear (I'll leave the explicit details to discovery by the reader).The illustrations are beautiful, full-stop. The colorful content within is intricate; I found different things in the pictures each time I flipped through the book (major bonus points for including a Jaws 2 reference). The artist's style is unique (to me, at least)---I'd be able to pick Gina out of a dog-drawing line-up with zero trouble. Her design is eye-catching to me, and such a thing is so very important when trying to ensure that a book stays at the front of the mind (especially when so much of a book's success hinges upon word-of-mouth recommendation).My wife and I are expecting a child in the fall, and so I'm on the lookout for books that I can read to my kid in the future; ones that span many different subjects, ones that would best serve as a teaching aid as he/she goes along in life, hopefully helping to foster charity and empathy.This is such a book.Gina From Siberia is a great way to introduce or reinforce the concept of different cultures/countries and to familiarize them with the tribulations and journeys of those who aren't Americans from the word "go". It'll be a great tool to segue into a base-level conversation about immigration or about how we as a global populace are all more similar than we realize sometimes; I mean, I'd totally be trying to smuggle my dog out of the country.Many thanks to NetGalley and Animal Media Group for the advance read.

Gina from SiberiaBy Jane Bernstein, and Charlotte GlynnIllustrations by Anna DesnitskayaIf a book is published by Animal Media, I know it will be moving and I will be captured by the story. So it is with “Gina from Siberia.” Gina, a miniature wire-haired fox terrier, lives a comfortable life with her family and friends in Siberia. When she learns they are moving to America, she is very sad, but she learns her family truly loves her when she is wrapped up like a child on the long trip. (Although the train conductor mutters that she is an “ugly Russian baby.”) When Gina arrives in NYC, she learns about new foods and new human and dog friends.We learn that Gina’s story is based on a true event from 1978, when the Backer family left Russia and moved to NYC. (The late 1970s was a different time from today. Russia was the Soviet Union and it was forced by different international forces to allow certain of its citizens, including long persecuted Jews, to leave and move to other countries.)Transportation also had different security requirements then, and Gina really could have passed as a child. How do I know this? My mother passed her miniature schnauzer off as an “ugly child” on an airplane trip from upstate NY to NYC during the same time period.“Gina From Siberia” is a very charming, very moving story, with wonderful, poignant illustrations that should be available as wall art. It is a book that will enchant both children and adults.(In return for an honest review, I was provided a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.)