Ohla Bereza and
Yana Barabash
Book talk: Ukrainian Paws and Whiskers on the Island, Ohla and Yana
for children 10 years or older
Thursday 19 Feb 11am​
Rope Store
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Join writer Olha Bereza and artist Yana Barabash for a lively, heartwarming session based on their charming new book! Discover the story behind its creation — from Yana’s colourful pictures to Olha’s playful words — and hear funny real-life tales about pets who travelled all the way from Ukraine to their new homes on the Isle of Wight. Then roll up your sleeves for a mini hands-on activity: draw and colour your own creation, guided by Yana, a professional artist trained at the M. Grekov Art College in Odessa. Creativity, laughter, and paw-sitive vibes guaranteed!
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About Ohla & Yana:
Olha Bereza, a qualified psychologist fluent in Russian, Ukrainian, and English, is the author of the children's book called Four Seasons of the Green Land (under pen name Holley Dovetail).
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Yana has been painting since 11 years developing her skills almost every day. She enjoys doing figurative art, and portraits mixing different styles, and techniques. She has already illustrated a Ukrainian fairy-tale book published in Europe.
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This book is the joint creation of two Ukrainians living on the Isle of Wight — writer Olha Bereza and artist-illustrator Yana Barabash — born from Yana’s initial idea.
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On the Isle of Wight, an unlikely Ukrainian refugee family is staying with the lovely Mr. and Mrs. Watkins in Freshwater: a mischievous cat, a sweet but not-so-bright dog, and a musically gifted guinea pig with their devoted young owner, Marusya. Normally, dogs don’t get along with cats, and cats don’t get along with guinea pigs, but this mismatched trio sticks together through everything. Still, settling into a new country isn’t easy! With plenty of language and cultural mix-ups, even the pets find themselves hilariously confused. Full of humour, and heart, this is a tale of friendship and furry fun.
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X: @Dovetail_Holley
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instagram: _govoryat
​Only children attending need a ticket.
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Ukrainian Paws and Whiskers on the Island, Thursday 11am​
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