★Russian renowned artist Mikhail Bechkov has created a unique fairy-tale space in the book. His illustrations not only harmoniously complement Olesha's text but also restore the magic and festive atmosphere of the story, presenting readers with a world full of color.
★In 2024, the fairy-tale novel called "The Three Fat Kings" will mark its 100th anniversary, and its author will be commemorated for the 125th anniversary, which is a significant opportunity to reissue this new edition of one of the famous 20th-century Russian fairy tales!
★Mikhail Bechkov, honored by IBBY as one of the world's best illustrators, has had several of his works licensed for publication in China.

In 1924, due to the scarcity of ordinary paper, a writer penned his work on a roll of newspaper, writing on the ground as he had no table. This work later became a new myth and propelled its creator, Yuri Olesha, to fame.

In a country ruled by three corpulent kings who indulged daily in gluttony and seized the food, labor, and everything from the common people, the populace was left emaciated and suffering from hunger and toil. Where there is oppression, there is resistance. One day, the gunsmith Prospero and the acrobat Tiber led a rebellion. But soon, they were defeated; the gunsmith was captured, and the acrobat fled. The three fat kings decided to execute the gunsmith publicly. They even staged a performance to propagandize to the people how wonderful it was to live in a country ruled by the rich and the gluttonous...

This story recounts the adventures of several characters: the fearless tightrope walker Tiber, the young dancer Suok, the brave gunsmith Prospero, and the kind doctor Gasparo Arneli. The stories of these characters have touched the hearts of generations of readers. The courage, honesty, and loyalty to friendship of the heroes in the novel help people to overthrow the brutal rule, and kindness and justice triumph over deceit and ruthlessness.

In this fairy-tale novel, we can also see the reflection of many real-world issues, such as the wealth gap and the monopoly of power, which allows us to enjoy the pleasure of the fairy tale while also prompting us to think about the real world.

【Illustartor】Mikhail Bechkov
Born in 1951, Mikhail Bechkov is a renowned artist and children's book illustrator from Moscow, and a recipient of numerous prestigious awards. A striking feature of Bechkov's work is the astonishing precision and attention to detail. Before creating his illustrations, he not only reads the original work carefully but also delves into the ethnic history and the literature of the period, studying the minutest details before he picks up his brush to create. He uses his imagination to the fullest to provide perfect craftsmanship for his paintings. Many of his classic works, such as those in "Pippi Longstocking," "Peter Pan," and "Cinderella," have been created this way.

1997 — Silver Award for Illustration at the Moscow International Book Fair!
2002 — Honorary Certificate from the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) for illustrations in "The Red Sail"
2002 — Included in the IBBY Honor List of the world's best illustrators!
2003 — "Book of the Year" award at the All-Russian "Illustrator Writer Contest"!
2004 — Book of the Year by the Russian Association of Book Publishers!
2004 — Received the Maverick Picture Award at the St. Petersburg Biennale!
2005 — Honorary Certificate from the Russian Academy of Arts for illustrations in "Neva Street"
2006 — Winner of the Russian Association of Book Publishers' Book of the Year Award!
2006 — First Prize in the International Art Competition for Books of the Commonwealth of Independent States!
2008 — Received the Literature and Art Award from the St. Petersburg government!
2009 — His "Boris Smelov. Retrospective" was nominated for the Deutscher Fotobuchpreis, the best photo album award in Germany!
2013 — First Prize winner of the Best Children's and Young Adult Illustrators Award in Russia for illustrations in "The Silver-Hoofed Goat"
2013 — Received the Best Book of the Year Certificate from the Leningrad Children's Reading Club for illustrations in "The Silver-Hoofed Goat"
2015 — Received the Best Book of the Year Certificate from the Leningrad Children's Reading Club for illustrations in "Childhood"
2015 — Commendation from the St. Petersburg State Academic Institute of Arts.
2016 — Received the Best Book of the Year Certificate from the Leningrad Children's Reading Club for illustrations in "The Life of Saint-Exupéry"