From the Ukrainian folktale Mitten

Evgenii Rachev, having spent his early childhood Siberia’s wild hunting ground, was familiar with the region’s wild animals. From the late 1930s he energetically took part in creating picture books and, after World War II, continued to illustrate many stories, mainly folktales or fables featuring animal characters. Mitten is a folktale that has been passed down in the Ukraine. In the story, an old man drops his mitten and, inside it, a mouse, a fox, and even a bear, start settling in together. Rachev displays his masterly visualizing skills in presenting this tale. His artwork is characterized by distinctive animal characters that wear national costumes. Mitten has been translated into multiple languages and published in many countries, including Japan, where it has been a favorite book among children since its first publication in 1965.