This book was a little over my head when I was around 7 (ironically). It was not a Little Golden Book nor a Disney book!
It was a story book or what seemed to be a collection of related stories. An elementary epic? May be Scandinavian stories rather than Soviet.
The early 1970s edition I had was bright blue and the cover was at least 8 ½ x 11.
There were seven (or only six) sisters. In the picture book version each sister was wearing an ornate but monochromatic dress. I’m thinking they were different examples of the regional dresses worn, or maybe clan-type styles. But with a hippie-vibe art style.
I think each sister was sent out on some kind of unusual coming-of-age search. Or maybe they were kidnapped by seven (or six) different people and each had a story about how they got home.
I was a natural reader, but either the words were a bit too big for me or I was too interested in what they were wearing to remember much of the plot. (That, and home wasn’t peaceful so I was sleep-deprived…so it was a big, wordy, beautiful blur of a book.)
I’d still have the book, but since I didn’t seem to be reading it, Mom gave it away to charity. I still have books that I was given when I was even younger…
Long shot: The Crystal Apple?
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/beverly-brodsky-mcdermott/the-crystal-apple-a-russian-tale/
Hi. That does not feel familiar. Thank you for the helpful link.
Not sure if this is proper etiquette… but I was surfin’ Sunday and stumbled upon Seven Sisters waterfalls in (ugh- my memory!) Sweden or Norway. The book I am looking for may have Scandinavian roots… possibly with stories based on these waterfalls as ladies. (Why my Dad let me have that book is another mystery: He was 100% Finnish!)
The description of ‘seven sisters’ points towards folklore based on the Pleiades. In some stories they were also associated with water, or sea nymphs.
Unfortunately, finding one which fits the description, is eluding me. Myths and legends from all over the world have incorporated the Pleiades, from the Ukraine to the aboriginals of Australia.
Perhaps something in the following may be of assistance:
Part-searchable book on the Pleiades in legend and folklore
https://books.google.co.uk/books?redir_esc=y&id=3GbYg26S8pUC&dq=Seven+sisters+of+the+pleiades+munya&q=Water#v=onepage&q=Water&f=false
Wiki entry on Pleiades in legends
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleiades_in_folklore_and_literature
One author’s summary of Pleiades sister (are the names familiar?)
https://lucindariley.co.uk/myths-and-legends/
A place where you find experts on myths, with a question and answer forum. Postings requesting help on myth identification, are commonly received.
https://mythology.stackexchange.com/