Grandma and the Great Gourd: A Bengali Folktale

Description:

Once upon a time, in a little village in India, there lived an old woman whom everyone called Grandma. She loved gardening and had the best vegetable patch in the village. One day, Grandma received a letter from her daughter, who lived on the other side of the jungle.

"Please come and visit me," said the letter. "I haven't seen you in so long. I miss you."

And so, Grandma begins a perilous journey to the far side of the jungle. Along the way, she encounters three very hungry animals: a sly fox, an intimidating black bear, and a sleek, striped tiger. Can Grandma use her sharp wit to escape the jungle animals and make it safely home?

Award-winning novelist Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's first picture book for children speaks of courage, cleverness, and most importantly, love. Her words are perfectly complemented by the rich, vibrant illustrations of Susy Pilgrim Waters.

Brief description: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's first book in the Brotherhood of the Conch series, The Conch Bearer, was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, and a Booklist Editors' Choice. She currently lives in Texas.

Review Quotes:

"Colorful in more than one sense of the word." --Booklist

"This fresh new version will soon have young listeners and readers telling the story themselves." --Kirkus Reviews

"Clever and crafty, this well-told tale will be a fun addition to most collections." --School Library Journal

"Grandma's witty resourcefulness and the opportunity to compare cross-cultural story traditions make this a useful resource and a good readaloud." --Publishers Weekly

"The acclaimed poet and novelist makes her picture-book debut with a Bengali folktale she remembers hearing from her grandmother in India." --The Horn Book

"Eye-catching." --BCCB