The wonderful natural world through the eyes of children

The author Yan Leopoldovich Larri is a Latvian from the former Soviet Union. He graduated from the Faculty of Biology of Leningrad University, worked as a journalist and became a science fiction writer. The Extraordinary Adventures of Karik and Valia , first published in 1937, is Yan Leopoldovich Larri's most famous book, loved by many generations of children and adults in the Soviet Union, Vietnam and all over the world .

The story is about the reluctant tourists including the brother Karik, the 6-year-old sister Valia and the biology professor Ivan Enotov. During a visit to the professor's house, the two brothers accidentally drank a strange liquid that shrunk them to the size of a bedbug and were carried on the back of a dragonfly to fly to the pond near their house. Professor Ivan drank this shrinking substance, went to the pond to find the two brothers, and began the adventure of the three uncles and nephews.

The author graduated from the Faculty of Biology of Leningrad University, so his knowledge of natural sciences, biochemistry, animals and insects is truly admirable, which helps him take readers from one surprise to another. Under the magical pen of Yan Leopoldovich Larri, the tiny world in the swamp is described extremely vividly, scientifically and attractively. On the way home, the three uncles and nephews meet, experience, collaborate or fight with countless species of insects and rich swamp plants such as: dragonflies, spiders, water bugs, mole crickets, ants, beetles, dung beetles, bees, flies, butterflies, flowers, carnivorous plants... Under the natural, childlike perspective of Karik and Valia, there will always be the concise, scientific explanations of Professor Ivan Enotov, so the biological world always exists in a truly fascinating and vivid way. For example, the phenomenon of ants knowing how to raise aphids like raising cows for milk, then ladybugs will eat the aphids because aphids harm crops... or the way my uncle and I make clothes from spider silk.

Although it was published nearly 100 years ago, I personally believe that The Extraordinary Adventures of Karik and Valia will continue to bring joy and interesting knowledge about the world around us to today's technological readers, children and adults alike. Although the Soviet Union has been absent from the world map since 1991, it is undeniable that during its existence, this socialist country has built a very advanced and humane education system. It is these fascinating and attractive popular science works that have inspired the love of nature, the desire to learn and explore for the Soviet youth, creating an outstanding intellectual class with scientific achievements comparable to those of advanced European and American countries during the period of rivalry between the two political systems in the world.

MERCURY

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/van-hoa/202505/the-gioi-tu-nhien-ky-thu-qua-con-mat-tre-tho-2505b0f/