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Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship: Stories from India by Uma Krishnaswamy, Chitra Soundar
erincataldi's review against another edition
4.0
A wonderful collection of Indian tales that will delight both old and young readers. Eight tales are woven together by two characters, the prince and his friend, the farmer's son. Together the two of them love to get up to mischief, but love even more to put their thinking caps on and solve riddles. Though they are young, they are wise beyond their age and they delight in holding court and helping solve some of the commoner's tricky dilemmas. It also gives them a chance to occasionally outsmart the adults and prove them wrong. Each of the eight tales comes with an AHA moment when the two young boys are able to get themselves out of a sticky situation. Gorgeously illustrated, this children's book is sure to be a big hit!
rkiladitis's review against another edition
5.0
Originally published in the UK as two separate books: A Dollop of Ghee and a Pot of Wisdom, and A Jar of Pickles and a Pinch of Justice, this collected volume of eight Indian folktales introduces readers to Prince Veera and his best friend, Suku, who stand in for Veera's father, King Bheema, and preside over cases brought to the king's court. Suku is a farmer's son who studies with the prince as a scholarship student, and Prince Veera is a clear-headed tween who respects his family and seeks his friend's opinion on matters. These "trickster tales" are inspired by traditional Indian folktales and have a wry sense of humor that kids will love. Together, the two will unmask a greedy man who leases a well to his neighbor - but charges him for the water; humble a merchant who attempts to charge people for enjoying the delicious smells coming from his sweets shop, and prove to the populace - including Veera's own father, the king - that bad luck is not contagious, nor can a man's bad luck rub off on anyone.
The book is illustrated throughout by award-winning author Uma Krishnaswamy, who creates beautiful, eye-catching artwork. Chitra Soundar's stories are small morality plays, with strong messages to deliver, delivered with humor and warmth. I love this book and can't wait to get it on my shelves. I'm looking forward to more Indian mythology, folk, and fairy tales in the coming year or two, especially with the success of mythology-based fantasy by Sayantani Dasgupta (The Serpent's Secret) and Roshani Chokshi (Aru Shah and the End of Time), Read a sample chapter courtesy of Candlewick Press here.
The book is illustrated throughout by award-winning author Uma Krishnaswamy, who creates beautiful, eye-catching artwork. Chitra Soundar's stories are small morality plays, with strong messages to deliver, delivered with humor and warmth. I love this book and can't wait to get it on my shelves. I'm looking forward to more Indian mythology, folk, and fairy tales in the coming year or two, especially with the success of mythology-based fantasy by Sayantani Dasgupta (The Serpent's Secret) and Roshani Chokshi (Aru Shah and the End of Time), Read a sample chapter courtesy of Candlewick Press here.
ngreader's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this book! Adorable, simple and great. Highly recommend to my elementary readers.
livrad's review against another edition
5.0
Fun and clever tales set in the long-ago court of King Bheema, featuring his son Prince Veera and his best friend, Suku, a commoner. This was a good family read.
kindred_reader's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
4.0
Charming, fun, and entertaining. If your kid says they want to be a prince/princess, this is the book for them. It encourages critical-thinking, a willingness to not know the answer immediately, and the importance of friendship. Veera and Suku are still typical boys who like to play and compete and do nothing by the river some days but they understand the importance of paying attention to the world they are living in.
Soundar does a fantastic job of incorporating Indian culture seamlessly into this fun story while also calling attention to things that may be new to readers with lines as simple as "This was a legend they had" (95).
The boys focus on how to help people in the long term and how to teach lessons to those who need a reminder that this world is bigger than them. They even see the importance of the crows and sparrows around them that are part of the town.
Veera's relationship with his father was wonderful to watch as the story progressed. There is a mutual learning between them that helps Veera see the importance of being a good leader and helps the King understand that power has its place.
Overall, a wonderful read with beautiful illustrations about two boys who just wanted to play kings for a few days and the great things they accomplished in the meantime.
Soundar does a fantastic job of incorporating Indian culture seamlessly into this fun story while also calling attention to things that may be new to readers with lines as simple as "This was a legend they had" (95).
The boys focus on how to help people in the long term and how to teach lessons to those who need a reminder that this world is bigger than them. They even see the importance of the crows and sparrows around them that are part of the town.
Veera's relationship with his father was wonderful to watch as the story progressed. There is a mutual learning between them that helps Veera see the importance of being a good leader and helps the King understand that power has its place.
Overall, a wonderful read with beautiful illustrations about two boys who just wanted to play kings for a few days and the great things they accomplished in the meantime.
readwithriahh's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read this for book bingo for a Discord server I am a part of and honestly I thought it was really sweet. I think it shared some great lessons about thinking outside of the box and being fair. Overall, it was a really cute read and I think it's a perfect book for younger kids. The writing was super easy to read and the messages in each of the short stories were very clear and clever. I likely wouldn't have picked up this book if it wasn't for bingo but I'm so glad it was recommended to me.
libraryrobin's review against another edition
4.0
Delightful stories of a prince and his wise friend who resolve disagreements in a court when the king is unavailable.
antimonium's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Cute little lessons where the young hero outsmarts everyone.
stephanieridiculous's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Not too much to say about this. It's cute, it's clever, it's quick. The primary lesson seems to be outwit your adversaries, and while that's not always going to work I do appreciate emphasizing that over other methods of "winning" that's common in stories about young boys. It's a wholesome collection of short stories about a young prince, his friend, and the happenings in the kingdom.