Strongest?: Teaching Children About the Power of the People - A Vintage Soviet Children's Story

Published in the USSR in 1974 "Strongest" (also known as "Who is the Strongest") is an interesting example of Soviet children's stories.

Written by Valery Suslov, the simple narrative has a younger brother, Alec, pestering an older one, Anton, as to what is the strongest thing in the world. Anton tells Alec of one machine or device after another that is stronger than the last but then Anton ends by asking Alec who it is that allows each of these powerful things to operate?

And that is the people of course. This leads Anton to ask Alec at the end, "Well, then, who's the strongest of all?" and Alec responds with "We are".


This simple homage to people's power is illustrated throughout with the stunning neo-modernist illustrations of V. Trubkovich. These are both whimsical and evocative.

42 years later, enjoy this lovely little story and its charming artistry.

(Click on illustrations to enlarge)

See also: From Revolution to Stalingrad to Space - Historical Sketches of the USSR for Young Adults

See also: Grandpa takes the kids on a 1976 Toronto trip to the original Captain John's!