NINA'S TREASURES

When food grows scarce, generous old Katerina feeds her hen, Nina, her flower seeds; in the spring, Nina produces extraordinary patterned eggs, initiating the custom of decorating eggs for spring festivals. The story is overlong, and its telling, while smooth, is bit clichÉd; however, the richly decorative illustrations, employing stylized figures and folk-art motifs dramatically displayed on white ground, make this an attractive addition to holiday collections.