The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats (Volk i semero kozlyat), 1955. Russian Folk Tale Adapted by M. Bulatov. In Russian.

Волк и семеро козлят. Русская народная сказка в обработке М. Булатова. / Художник М. Успенская. Серия: Мои первые книжки.
Москва : Детгиз (Государственное издательство детской литературы), 1955.
16 с. : ил. Мягкая издательская обложка, обычный формат.
***
The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats (Volk i semero kozlyat). Russian Folk Tale Adapted by M. Bulatov. / Illustrator M. Uspenskaya. Series: My First Books.
Moscow: Detgiz (State Publishing House of Children's Literature), 1955.
16 pp.: ill. Softcover, standard format. In Russian.

This 1955 edition of the classic Russian folk tale "The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats" is a quintessential example of Soviet children's book design from the mid-1950s. Published by Detgiz in the popular "My First Books" (Moi pervye knizhki) series, this volume was designed to be one of the first literary experiences for a young Soviet child. The text is the authoritative adaptation by Mikhail Bulatov, a master of folklore who skillfully preserved the rhythmic repetition and cautionary tone of the traditional tale.
The book is brought to life by the illustrations of Marina Uspenskaya (1925–2007). Known for her warmth and lyrical style, Uspenskaya’s work in this volume is characterized by its gentle, expressive characters and a focus on domestic detail. Her depictions of the mother goat’s cozy hut and the frighteningly clever wolf are both narratively clear and aesthetically charming. Uspenskaya’s art from this period helped define the visual language of the "Thaw" era, moving away from rigid realism toward a more personal and emotive graphic style.
The "My First Books" series represented a pinnacle of Soviet pedagogical publishing, where top-tier artists and writers produced inexpensive yet high-quality paperbacks for mass distribution. This 1955 printing is a testament to the effort put into making classical folklore accessible, ensuring that even a small 16-page booklet was a work of genuine artistic merit.
For collectors of Soviet children's books, admirers of Marina Uspenskaya’s art, and historians of mid-century book graphics, this volume is a significant find. It captures the essence of a traditional Russian nursery tale in a format that has become a nostalgic icon for generations.