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by Joshua M. Greene, illustrations by Patrick Wire:
Kaliya, king of ancient India’s serpent people, crosses the gods and
must leave. He takes his serpentine wives and offspring and relocates to
the pristine Yamuna River, which flows by young Krishna’s village of
Vrindavan. The serpent king’s venom poisons the river. Birds fall
lifeless to the ground, trees and vegetation dry up, and the lives of
the villagers are in danger. Although only a child, Krishna has sworn to
protect the environment and safeguard the many animals and people who
depend on the river for their existence. Whether one views Krishna as a
divine being or as a mischievous child, his respect for nature is
exemplary.This tale from India’s ancient Sanskrit wisdom texts transcends its
moment in remote history to deliver a message as relevant as today’s
news. Artist Patrick Wire’s luminous illustrations recall the vibrant
palette of Maxfield Parrish and complement author Joshua Greene’s
lyrical retelling of this classic story.
I am a huge fan of children’s books that tell a classic story from a different culture. It teaches my daughter things I would have never thought to tell her about. Kaliya, Serpent King is no exception. The story is well told and my 4 year old was able to follow it despite her small attention span. She loved the story and when I asked her about it the next day she was able to tell me about it. The BEAUTIFUL illustrations enhance the book so well and put it with the story and this is an amazing book to add to a children’s book collection.
Agha the Eight Mile Monster, by Karen Wilson-Timmons, illustrations by Marie Th?r’se Dubois: In this acclaimed retelling of a story from India’s ancient Bhagavata
Purana, children emerge victorious over a serpent that haunts the
landscape of childhood. When the eight-mile-long Agha monster threatens
the pastoral life of young Krishna and his cowherd friends, the
youngsters join forces. Not only do they defeat their serpentine foe
but, in an act of empowerment and imagination, transform his gargantuan
body into a playground. Brilliant colors, Seussian imagery, and lyrical
text come together to create a satisfying adventure that nurtures the
inner resources needed by young minds to cope with life’s difficult
problems.
The Wizard of Oz,
from the story by L. Frank Baum as retold by Sheri Safran,
illustrated by Nicola L. Robinson: Few stories are as ubiquitous as The Wizard of Oz. It’s
difficult to put a new spin on a classic, but that is exactly what has
been done in this edition, which brings the story to life with
three-dimensional pop-up scenes and Nicola Robinson’s intricate
pen-and-ink illustrations. Watch the tornado descend on Dorothy’s house
and fear the cackle from the Wicked Witch of the West. Follow Dorothy,
Lion, Scarecrow, and Tin Man down the yellow brick road into the Emerald
City and experience the wonder of returning home with a click of the
magic slippers. Kids will love the charming drawings and interactive
pop-ups and adults will enjoy revisiting a story from their own
childhoods. An abbreviated adaptation of the original work by L. Frank
Baum celebrates the tale that has transcended time while introducing it
to an entirely new generation of readers.
All Kinds of Festivals,
by Sheri Safran, illustrations by Rachel Fuller: This
vibrant lift-the-flap book explores and celebrates the
world’s myriad religions and cultural diversity. It includes The Mexican Day of the Dead, Chinese Lantern Festival, Japanese Kite
Flying Festival, Indian Holi Festival, Sri Lankan Tooth Festival,
African Dogon and Camel Festivals, American and Japanese Cherry Blossom
festivals. There is a removable poster of Harvest Festivals including
Thanksgiving, Green Corn Festival, Pahiyas, Pongal, and Chuseok.
I was most excited about this book out of the four because I loved the idea of teaching my daughter about different festivals around the world. This book did not disappoint! The different festivals are told in quick and easy to understand ways for young kids. The lift the flap part was just a bonus and the pictures were so fun! I even caught myself learning things that I did not know. A GREAT book to introduce your child to other fun festivals from other cultures.
Overall the four books I received were a great additional to our ever expanding book collection. Reading every night is my special time with Big Sis. These books really brought in some much needed variety to our nightly reading. I just can’t wait for Lil Sis to get a little bigger so I can share them with her too!
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Buy It: The book can be purchased on the Insight Editions Website
Kaliya, Serpent King for $14.99
Agha the Eight Mile Monster for $16.99
The Wizard of Oz for $22.99
All Kinds of Festivals for $12.99