Picture Books from India

Picture Books from India or Featuring Indian-Americans

The Greedy Crows: a tale from northern India (1998) retold by Cathy Spagnoli and illustrated by Omar Rayyan. This folktale features a peacock, the national bird of India, who lived near a crow, his five greedy sisters, and his youngest, kind sister. This story of trust and care for the weak culminates with dramatic consequences for the greedy.

Manu and the Talking Fish (2000) retold by Roberta Arerson. This India flood story comes from Hindu mythology, but students will quickly notice the connections to the story of Noah and the ark. In this story it is the god Brahma, disguised as a fish, who finds goodness in the heart of Manu the fisherman and alerts him to the impending flood. A great way to help students compare and contrast similar ancient tales.

The Ghost Catcher: a Bengali folktale (2008) retold by Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss and illustrated by Kristen Balouch. In this trickster tale, the young barber must act quickly when he is confronted by an angry ghost. Thankfully he is clever as well as kind and is able to trick both the ghost and his uncle into helping him along the way.

Read Aloud Tales of Indian Mythology: Shiva - The Fisherman and other stories ... (2014) retold by Vaneeta Vaid. Our partner classroom in India from the Global Read Aloud sent us this book, and my students have really enjoyed it. There are several illustrated short stories drawn from Hindu mythology and geared for younger readers. I plan to explore some of the other titles in this series as well.

A Bucket of Blessings by Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal and illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong. This lovely picture book retells an Indian myth as monkey seeks out peacock for his aid in bringing back the rain. A tale of perseverance and the benefits of doing something to help others.Adorable block-print illustrations too.

Gobble You Up! (2013) by Sunita with text by Gita Wolf. (A SABA Highly Commended Book)

This cumulative folktale is an adaptation of a Rajasthani trickster tale told through Mandna artwork, a traditional finger-painting style from the Meena village. The hand-bound nature of the book's construction further amplifies the handiwork involved in creating this unique book. Combined with an engaging and humorous text, this book is sure to delight! Another excellent arts integration project-in-waiting.

Ganesha's Sweet Tooth (2012) by Sanjay Patel and Emily Haynes and illustrated by Sanjay Patel. (A SABA Highly Commended Book)

This is a highly entertaining and engaging picture book about Ganesha and the writing of the Mahabharata, though it is more accurate-described by the authors as "loosely based" on the Hindu legend. These is some charming humor and visual effects that kids will enjoy, and the bright, stylistic artwork adds to the joyful exuberance of this story.

The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna (2013) by Demi (A SABA Highly Commended Book)

This book shares the childhood adventures of Krishna, the Hindu Lord Vishnu reborn on earth to defeat the evil demon kings. The wide variety of spectacular and menacing demons are rendered in dramatic fashion through Demi's brightly colored artwork. A truly fantastic way to share these stories with kids.

Anklet for a Princess: a Cinderella story from India by Lila Mehta, adapted by Meredith Brucker, and illustrated by Youshan Tang. This Indian Cinderella story is based on oral traditions dating back at least 1,000 years and features Godfather Snake as her magical adviser. You can find out more about other Cinderella stories from Asia here.

Dorje's Stripes (2011) by Anshumani Ruddra and illustrated by Gwangjo and Jung-a Park. Through the monks experience with the Royal Bengal tiger they name Dorje, the reader learns about the plight of these tigers. The author's note at the end provides some of the sad statistics about tiger poaching and killings.

In the Heart of the Village: the world of the Indian banyan tree (1996) by Barbara Bash. This lovely environmental tale begins with the legend of the first banyan and a history of the banyan tree. The story then follows the tree through its day with a focus on its relationship to the people and animals that live in and around the village. A great way to introduce students to the floral and fauna of this region of India.

Sacred River: the Ganges of India (1995) by Ted Lewin. This incredibly-illustrated book tells about the importance of the Ganges River and highlights the interactions of individuals with the river during the course of a day. The story concludes with details about Hindu cremation and scattering in the river.

Balarama a Royal Elephant (2009) by Ted and Betsy Lewin. This touching nonfiction book details the authors visits to India and their interactions with the royal elephants culminating in a giant parade and Mysore Dasara celebration. The back matter includes facts about elephants in general and the royal elephants individually, as well as a glossary and pronunciation guide.

Twenty-Two Cents: Muhammad Yunus and the Village Bank (published in 2014 Lee & Low) is written by Paula Yoo and illustrated by Jamel Akib. Twenty-Two Cents is a picture book biography of Muhammad Yunus, the Noble Peace Prize winner and founder of the Village Bank (eventually Grameen Bank). The book begins with his childhood and includes background information about the political and economic situations of the time. This is a an inspirational message of how one person can improve the world around him/her. Readers of this book will be encouraged to start asking their own hard questions and perhaps find their own solutions to current and future problems. You can read a more detailed review, including activities, here.

Monsoon Afternoon (2008) by Kashmira Sheth and illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi. This endearing picture book explores the first day of monsoon season as told through the eyes of the younger brother and his adventures with his Dadaji (grandfather). Great connections to the past and the future as well.

My Dadima Wears a Sari (2007) by Kashmira Sheth and illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi. Indian-American granddaughter Rupa does not understand why her Dadima (grandmother) always chooses to wear a sari, but through the story she learns more about the saris and her Dadima. The author's note includes her own stories of wearing saris as a child and adult and includes step-by-step directions for wrapping your own sari.

Mama's Saris (2007) by Pooja Makhijani and illustrated by Elena Gomez. This story features an Indian-American girl (implicit) admiring and playing dress-up with her mother's saris. This is a lovely introduction to Indian clothing and traditions that would make any girl want a sari to dress up in.

Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji (2011) by F. Zia and illustrated by Ken Min. This story features Aneel whose grandparents have come to visit from India. After hearing some of his Dada-ji's stories, Aneel decides to bake him some hot, hot roti and restore his power. This is a fun story, and my biggest complaint is the lack of a roti recipe in the end notes, because you will definitely be hungry!

Do you have any favorite picture books from India or featuring Indian-Americans? Please share your suggestions in the comments below!

Stories from the Chinese Zodiac

Every year when we study Asia I share a book about the Chinese zodiac with my third graders. They love hearing about the different animals and their tricks, but they especially love finding out which animal they are and how they relate well (or less) well to all the other animals in their lives.

(This is also always the awkward day when my students, realizing that they do not know the year their parents were born, start shouting out their parents' ages to try and figure out their zodiac sign. More information than I needed!)

There are many great picture book versions available that tell stories about how the Chinese zodiac came to be. This post reviews several of my favorites and includes the worksheet that I give my students to calculate their zodiac animal.

If you are interested in other books about Chinese New Year, check out the post A Chinese Twist on Favorite Tales for several Chinese New Year stories, as well as other Chinese versions of familiar fairy tales.

The Race for the Chinese Zodiac

One common story for the origins and order of the animals in the Chinese Zodiac involves a race. Each of these picture books offers their own take on this traditional tale.

Cat and Rat: the legend of the Chinese Zodiac (1995) by Ed Young. This book opens with an author's note about the history and mythology of the Chinese zodiac, along with a listing of the animals, years, and their characteristics. In this version of the story, the Jade Emperor has declared a race as the deciding factor for zodiac inclusion. Best friends Cat and Rat hatch a plan together, but when Cat falls short of qualifying for the final 12, it explains why cats and rats today are enemies. The dark and loose illustrations for this book make it more difficult to read aloud to a large group but perfect for cuddling up and reading close.

Story of the Chinese Zodiac (1994) retold by Monica Chang, illustrated by Arthur Lee, and translated into Vietnamese by Nguyen Ngoc Ngan. This charming version of the tale featured three-dimensional cut paper animals. I especially love that this a bilingual book with both English and Vietnamese versions. There is also a Chinese/English version.

The Race for the Chinese Zodiac (2010) retold by Gabrielle Wang and illustrated by Sally Rippin. This version of the race story works well for read aloud - brief text and large, ink-outlined illustrations of the animals. The book ends with a brief description of each animal's characteristics and the years.

The Great Race: the story of the Chinese zodiac (2006) retold by Dawn Casey and illustrated by Anne Wilson. This similarly quick retelling of the race tale has bright, cheerful illustrations. In additional to information about the Chinese calendar and the zodiac animals, there is an additional page about other important Chinese holidays including New Year, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Moon Festival.

The Animals of the Chinese Zodiac (1998) retold by Susan Whitfield and illustrated by Philippa-Alys Browne. This rather lengthy retelling of the race story placed Buddha in the role of Jade Emperor and spends a great deal of time with the beginning, introducing the animals as the various apsaras visit them. There is a detailed note at the end about the origins of the zodiac, as well as a long paragraph about each animal's qualities and the associated years.

The Cat's Tale: why the years are named for animals (2008) by Doris Orgel and illustrated by Meilo So. This final take on the race story gives a different point-of-view, as the story-within-the-story is the cat relating her version of the race event. The frame story is also an important one about family and misunderstandings.

Other Stories from the Chinese Zodiac

The Rooster's Antlers: a story of the Chinese Zodiac (1999) written by Eric Kimmel and illustrated by YongSheng Xuan. My students are a big fan of Eric Kimmel's Anansi stories, so they are always excited when they see the cover of this book. This is one of my favorite read alouds about the Chinese zodiac, especially for the ridiculous antics of the scheming centipede. Proud Rooster allows Dragon to borrow his antlers for "as long as he needs them," only to become suddenly self-conscious about lacking them when the Jade Emperor comes to choose the animals for the zodiac. This book also offers a bit of a pourquoi tale for why Roosters crow and chase centipedes. It also includes a two-page spread of the animals and the years and personality characteristics.

Why Rat Comes First: a story of the Chinese Zodiac (1991) retold by Clara Yen and illustrated by Hideo C. Yoshida. In this version of the tale, based on one modified by the author's father, the Jade Emperor invites the animals up to his palace but then cannot decide between Ox or Rat for the first year. He decides to allow the children of Earth to choose the winner. The book includes the years for the twelve animals but not their characteristics.

The Dragon's Tale and Other Animal Fables of the Chinese Zodiac (1996) retold and illustrated by Demi. Finally, this book presents a different take on the zodiac tales. Rather than explaining how the animals were chosen, this book includes twelve separate fables featuring each of the animals. Each fable ends with a short epigraph that restates the moral lesson. This could be a great addition to a lesson on fable or Aesop or for studying aphorisms. (An aside, this book contains the most fascinating note on the illustrations I have ever read. I am still not sure if it is factual or sarcastic.)

Here is the worksheet that I share with my students after we read about the Chinese Zodiac. I usually also include a copy of the characteristics of the different animals from whichever book we share.

Right-click to save. Prints at 8.5 x 11"

Do you have a favorite Chinese zodiac story that I have missed? Please share in the comments below!

A Chinese Twist on Favorite Tales

Fairy tales and folktales are a great way to learn about another culture. This post highlights a collection of my favorite fractured or twisted fairy tales that have been given a Chinese twist - or, in the case of Yeh-Shen, have a Chinese origin. Several of these stories are also based around the Chinese New Year which begins this year on February 19th.

A Chinese Twist on Favorite Tales

 

The Runaway Rice Cake and The Runaway Wok: a Chinese New Year tale by Ying Chang Compestine. These two retellings of the Gingerbread Man story feature some unexpected characters - a naughty rolling rice cake and a quickly-moving wok! Kids will love the humor and dialogue in these entertaining tales and might also learn something about Chinese culture and the Chinese New Year. Read more in my in-depth analysis of patterning in The Runaway Wok.

Lon Po-Po: a Red-Riding Hood story from China by Ed Young. The sparse palette of the illustrations adds to the doom and gloom in these Chinese version of the Red-Riding Hood story. This time there are three children visited by a wolf.

Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas (2014) by Natasha Yim and illustrated by Grace Zong (A Junior Library Guild Selection). Goldilocks is given a Chinese-American twist in this story set on Chinese New Year. Poor Goldy Luck is worried about being unlucky for another year. Her fear of bad luck (and her extreme tiredness) lead her into some predictable situations ... but at least she learns a valuable lesson in the end.

Yeh-Shen: a Cinderella story from China retold by Ai-Ling Louie. This Chinese version of the Cinderella story is perhaps the oldest-known recorded version, dating back to the ninth century. In this original Cinderella tale, Yeh-Shen finds help from the magical bones of the fish she had fed and raised who had been killed by the stepmother. There is also a tiny gold sandal and a dramatic end for the stepmother and stepsister. (Read other worldwide Cinderella stories from Asia, Africa, and Europe and from the Americas.)

Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes retold by Robert Wyndham and illustrated by Ed Young. This bilingual collection translates traditional Chinese nursery rhymes for English readers. A delightful addition to any youngsters' library!

Do you have a favorite Chinese twist that I missed?

The Runaway Wok - Chinese New Year and patterns

Title: The Runaway Wok: a Chinese New Year Tale
Author: Ying Chang Compestine
Illustrator: Sebastia Serra
Publisher: Dutton Children's Books, an imprint of Penguin
Year: 2011
Word Count: 1277
Top 10 Element: Patterns

I am participating in Picture Books 14:14, a challenge created by Christie of Write Wild that encourages bloggers to review 14 picture books in 14 days, starting on Feb. 14th.

The Runaway Wok is a Chinese New Year twist on a Gingerbread Boy-style story where a normally inanimate object (here, the wok) comes to life with consequences for all. In this tale, the wok shows the importance of kindness, sharing, and treating others equally. You can even celebrate yourself with a recipe in the back for Festive Stir-Fried Rice.

Analysis: Patterns

There are many patterns at play in The Runaway Wok. The first is the overall patterning of the story. As it is based on a format familiar to readers of The Gingerbread Boy, you already have some expectations about how this story is going to play out. The second level of patterning, however, is the way that the story skips back and forth between the houses of the Zhang family and the Li family.

The story begins in an unassuming way: a poor family is at the market trying to buy eggs to make fried rice to share with the neighbors for Chinese New Year. But once the boy hears the wok talk and agrees to bargain for it, the patterning begins.

Each round begins with the wok proclaiming, "Skippity-hoppity-ho! To the rich man's house I go." At the rich Li family's home, the wok is filled with all manner of good things, before it signals its departure by announcing, "Skippity-hoppity-ho! To the poor man's house I go." The poor Zhang family is then astounded by the wok's treasures and immediately seeks to share them with their neighbors.

This pattern begins with food from the kitchens, followed by toys from the rich man's son and gold coins from the rich man. After these three times following the proscribed pattern, the four and final time is different. Now, when the wok returns, the greedy family has caught on and attempt to chase it (again, a callback to the Gingerbread Boy patterning). But alas, the family finds themselves caught in the wok, and the wok declares, "Skippity-hoppity-ho! To far away I will go," and they are never heard from again.

Thus are the poor and generous rewarded and the wealthy and greedy punished, and the wok is off on to its next adventure.

Want more picture book analyses? Click here to read my other posts for Picture Books 14:14 or check out these other great posts for the Picture Book 14:14 Challenge going on the rest of this month.

Worldwide Cinderellas, Part 1: "Old World" Tales

The story of Cinderella is so much more than a Disney princess from a tale told by a Frenchman. The Cinderella story arc has been found in the stories and traditions of people and cultures from around the world. Part 1 in this series on worldwide Cinderella stories will focus on original Cinderella tales from the Asia, Europe, and Africa. Part 2 will focus on Cinderella stories from the Americas, and part 3 will cover fractured versions of Cinderella tales. The final post is on Teaching Cinderella Stories.

Original Cinderella Stories from Asia

Yeh-Shen: a Cinderella Story from China retold by Ai-Ling Louie and illustrated by Ed Young. This ancient version of the Cinderella tales dates back to the T'ang dynasty of China (618-907 BCE), and the book includes two block-prints from a Ch'ing dynasty edition (1644-1912 BCE). In this original Cinderella tale, Yeh-Shen finds help from the magical bones of the fish she had fed and raised who had been killed by the stepmother. There is also a tiny gold sandal and a dramatic end for the stepmother and stepsister.

The Korean Cinderella retold by Shirley Climo and illustrated by Ruth Heller and Pigling: a Cinderella story, a Korean tale retold by Dan Jolley and illustrated by Anne Timmons. Variations on the Pigling Cinderella story have been told in Korea for centuries. The graphic novel version, Pigling, is always a big hit with my students.

Kongi and Potgi: a Cinderella story from Korea retold by Oki S. Han. Another take on the Cinderella story from Korean, based on a popular Korean folktale. Kongi's father sees the unfair treatment of his daughter by his new wife and step-daughter but is afraid to intervene. Kongi is instead helped by a variety of animals and angels to overcome her tasks.

Anklet for a Princess: a Cinderella story from India by Lila Mehta, adapted by Meredith Brucker, and illustrated by Youshan Tang. This Indian Cinderella story is based on oral traditions dating back at least 1,000 years and features Godfather Snake as her magical adviser.

Abadeha: the Philippine Cinderella adapted by Myrna J. de la Paz and illustrated by Youshan Tang. This Cinderella story is a reconstruction based on traditional Philippine folklore and incorporates native flora, fauna, and linguistic terms (defined by context). Young Abadeha is helped by the Spirit of the Forest to complete her tasks and to meet the Prince via an enchanted ring.

 

Tam and Cam: the ancient Vietnamese Cinderella Story retold by Minh Quoc and illustrated by Mai Long (full-color and full-size picture book) and Tam Cam: the Vietnamese Cinderella Story retold by Nguyen Thi Nhuan and Nguyen Thi Hop (paperback sized, line drawings). These two retellings of the Vietnamese Cinderella story broaden the story to a set of half-sisters: Tam and Cam. Both books are bilingual in English and Vietnamese, but neither includes provenance information about the age or date of the original story.

Angkat: the Cambodian Cinderella retold by Jewell Reinhart Coburn and illustrated by Eddie Flotte. A version of this Cinderella story was written down by a French folklorist who lived in Cambodia in the late 1800s and studying Khmer culture. This is the first published adaptation in English, and in this tale, Cinderella (Angkat)'s problems do not end with her royal wedding ...

Jouanah: a Hmong Cinderella adapted by Jewell Reinhart Coburn with Tzexa Cherta Lee and illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien. This Cinderella tales was adapted from several centuries-old Laotian Hmong folktales, including those told by the family of one of the authors. Rather than losing her mother to death at the beginning, Jouanah's mother turns herself into a cow for the good of the family, but the family's problems only get worse from there.

The Gift of the Crocodile: a Cinderella story retold by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Reynold Ruffins. This Indonesian version of Cinderella comes from the Spice Islands, specifically the island of Halmahera in the Moluccas, and was collected by missionaries and later published in the early 1900s. Damura (Cinderella) finds that the threats of her stepmother and sisters continue even after the wedding - to dramatic end!

Cinderella Stories from Africa and the Middle East

The Egyptian Cinderella retold by Shirley Climo and illustrated by Ruth Heller. This Cinderella story about Rhodopis was first recorded in the first century BC but was based on the life of a Greek slave girl who married the Egyptian Pharaoh Amasis who ruled during the 26th Dynasty (570-526 BC).

The Persian Cinderella retold by Shirley Climo and illustrated by Robert Florczak. This version of a Cinderella tale is one of the more than 200 tales from The Arabian Nights, which dates back to ninth-century Persia (modern Iran), though the stories themselves are older still. Settarah (Star), so-named for a star-shaped birthmark on her cheek, draws the ire of her stepsisters but finds help after spending her last coins for a little blue jug.

The Golden Sandal: a Middle Eastern Cinderella Story retold by Rebecca Hickox and illustrated by Will Hillenbrand. This Cinderella tale is set in Iraq and is based on two Arabic versions of the folktale: one from Iraq and another from eastern Iran and western Afghanistan. Maha's step-sister gets a rather unusual - and humorous - comeuppance in this telling.

Cinderella: an Islamic Tale by Fawzia Gilani. This recent retelling of the Cinderella tale is given an Islamic twist (no specific country identified). A glossary at the back explains the Arabic terms throughout the story as well as references for the quotations from the Qur'an and Hadith.

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: an African tale retold by John Steptoe (Caldecott Honor Book). This African Cinderella story is based upon a traditional Zimbabwe folktale and features many classic Cinderella themes. I highly recommend attending a performance of this story if you ever have the opportunity. It is one that my students have thoroughly enjoyed.

Cinderella Stories from Europe

Cinderella translated by Marcia Brown from the French version by Charles Perrault (Caldecott Award Winner). This classic version of the Cinderella story by Perrault formed the basis for the Disney movie version.

Cinderella: a Grimm's Fairy Tale by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm and illustrated by Ulrike Haseloff. This slightly cleaned-up version brings the Grimm brothers' Cinderella tale (Aschenputtel) to the picture book format.

The Orphan: a Cinderella story from Greece by Anthony Manna and Soula Mitakidou and illustrated by Giselle Potter. In this version, our heroine is helped by nature itself and her mother's voice, and the prince sets out a trap to catch her and reveal her identity! This story is loosely based on two different Greek versions.

The Irish Cinderlad retold by Shirley Climo and illustrated by Loretta Krupinski. Published accounts of the Irish Cinderlad tale date back to the nineteenth century after bards were again aloud to share native stories, so it is likely that the story itself is much older. Despite being a Cinderlad, Becan is still faced with an evil stepmother and tormented by stepsisters - as well as a giant and a dragon.

Fair, Brown, and Trembling: an Irish Cinderella Story by Jude Daly. In this version, based on a traditional Irish folktale, it is Trembling's actual sisters who treat her poorly and leave her at home. But the adventures does not quite end once the princes have found the owner of the shoe - then they must fight for her!

The Way Meat Loves Salt: a Cinderella tale from the Jewish tradition retold by Nina Jaffe and illustrated by Louise August. This version of the Cinderella tale has links back to a classic collection of Yiddish folktales collected in Poland in the 1920s but also contains echos of other well-known tales, including Shakespeare's King Lear. Yiddish names and words are introduced with a pronunciation guide at the beginning of the story, and a traditional eastern European wedding song is included at the end.

Do you have other favorite Cinderella tales from Asia, Africa, or Europe? Please share them below! Next week we'll take a look at Cinderella stories from the Americas before sharing some favorite fractured versions too. Or, read up on how I teach Cinderella stories to my students.

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday Challenge is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and is a weekly roundup of educator blogs that are sharing nonfiction picture books. Click the link to check out other nonfiction posts.