Classic Tales from India: How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head and Other Stories
Product ID: 168121650
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Seven beautifully illustrated traditional stories that immerse the reader in the ancient culture of India as well as impart important life lessons • Shares classic tales from India, including stories drawn from the Mahabharata , the Ramayana , and the Puranas , translated by the authors • Illustrated throughout with glowing full-color paintings in traditional Indian style prepared according to the traditional Hindu canon With this full-color illustrated collection of classic tales from India, you will learn about the playful, loyal, strong, loving, and wise gods, goddesses, and heroes of India. You will discover how the deity Ganesh, the remover of obstacles, got his elephant head, how the goddess Parvati won the heart of the great god Shiva, and how the goddess Ganga came to Earth from Heaven in the form of the holy Ganges River. You will discover how Krishna’s childhood as superhero and mischievous boy prepared him to fulfill his destiny as an avatar of the god Vishnu. In two tales drawn from the Ramayana , you will learn about prince Ram and his victory over the ten-headed demon king Ravana and how the monkey-god Hanuman moved a medicine mountain to save Ram’s brother. In two stories from the famous epic the Mahabharata , you will discover how Karna became the greatest archer in the world to help good triumph over evil and how Arjuna compassionately fought his own cousins to bring peace to the kingdom of Hastinapur. The glowing illustrations, executed in transparent watercolors and tempera paints, are done in a centuries-old method traditional to India. Richly detailed, they bring to life the colorful cast of characters--humans, gods, and demons alike--and allow the reader to become immersed in the mystical world of ancient India. Review: Intriguing! - We utilized the book as part of a world literature homeschool curriculum. My kids and I really enjoyed it! The illustrations are out of this world and the stories were intriguing with really great lesson embedded in them. Great way to explore other cultures! Review: Great Book! - I adore this book. Even though it is written for children, I still enjoy this book as an adult. The writing is well done and written for a North American audience while still maintaining the original story and messages. I love how each story has an intro and an outro. These sections give insight to how these stories and characters fit into Hindu culture and looks at deeper spiritual meanings the stories provide. There is also a list of characters giving an illustration and short description of everyone in each story. This was very helpful and fun to look through. The book is beautifully illustrated with an amazing use of color! There is even a section that describes the process of how the art was made which I found fascinating. Highly recommend this book!
| Best Sellers Rank | #100,179 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #2 in Children's Hindu Fiction #83 in Children's Multicultural Tales & Myths #2,641 in Children's Humor |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 462 Reviews |
H**2
Intriguing!
We utilized the book as part of a world literature homeschool curriculum. My kids and I really enjoyed it! The illustrations are out of this world and the stories were intriguing with really great lesson embedded in them. Great way to explore other cultures!
A**T
Great Book!
I adore this book. Even though it is written for children, I still enjoy this book as an adult. The writing is well done and written for a North American audience while still maintaining the original story and messages. I love how each story has an intro and an outro. These sections give insight to how these stories and characters fit into Hindu culture and looks at deeper spiritual meanings the stories provide. There is also a list of characters giving an illustration and short description of everyone in each story. This was very helpful and fun to look through. The book is beautifully illustrated with an amazing use of color! There is even a section that describes the process of how the art was made which I found fascinating. Highly recommend this book!
L**R
Overall awesome
The book is full of fantastic stories and illustrations. As a westerner, I wasn't sure how approachable these stories would be since I'm not very familiar with Hinduism at all but to my delight I found them readable, entertaining, and enriching. The pages are filled with wonderful illustrations like the ones on the cover. I appreciated the illustrated character guide at the beginning to help me learn who is who. Each chapter also has some explanatory notes from the author. My only tiny gripes: it's smaller than I expected, about ten inches in height I would guess, and the quality feels just a tiny bit...self-published? Maybe it is self published I don't even know. But these are really no big deal at all and totally irrelevant considering how awesome the book is overall. I loved it. My five year old loved it (as a read aloud). Get it.
L**D
just what I needed!
Great simplified education in the gods and their stories. I was unable to understand the religion of my Indian friends.
R**R
Beautiful book that's also educationally a gem
For those of us who know little about Hinduism, this is a great place to start learning. The beautiful illustrations combine modern and ancient approaches in a fine display of art. And the stories are clearly and invitingly told. I think children would love hearing these read or reading them on their own. I sure liked them, and I'm 81. Maybe I'm still a child at heart?
A**R
GREAT for Adults (NOT just for kids)
This is an absolutely lovely book. I bought this for myself (I am 42) because I wanted to learn and read more of these stories. Additionally as a visual learner this book this book does a fantastic job at bringing the stories alive with the amazing illustrations. Do NOT be hesitant thinking "Is this book just for kids?". Wonderful stories, a cast of character and pronunciation guide for each story for names that may be hard for the average Westerner. Overall a truly wonderful book. Well worth it.
H**R
Engaging and Educational Children's Book
Exceptional children's book that combines captivating storytelling with educational value. Its ability to entertain while imparting interesting facts about India makes it a must-have for parents, educators, and young readers alike. I highly recommend "Tales of India" as an engaging resource for exploring and learning about the wonders of this vibrant country.
A**C
Excellent book - story and pictures
My 3rd grader loves these stories. Educational for mom too as I don’t know all of these stories myself.
G**N
Indian Mythology book
Good for children to study about Indian mythology
L**A
Hermoso !!!
Simplemente hermoso !!! Para todas las edades, soy maestra de yoga y ha sido una de mis compras favoritas en mi biblioteca
E**H
One of the most intriguing and beautiful books -for kids and adults
I bought this book for my 4 year old, as I am introducing her to different cultures and religions. She fell asleep after the first story but this book is beautifully illustrated and the stories are so easy to read, I actually couldn't put it down after the first story. Such a joy to read, even as early as 4 years! Wholeheartedly recommend.
S**H
amazing pictures and story telling
this is a must for anyone wanting to learn about the mythology of India...the pictures are captivating and very very authentic of Indian style. the stories are VERY long and for my 4 year old it's hard to keep her attention but it will be a gem for later years
V**A
Beautifully written stories
Love these stories as a child and now my son can enjoy them as well Stories are well researched and written great book to read anytime .
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