Chaaya Prabhat Books

‘Stories are ‘like a river flowing backward in time,’ writes Nikita Gill as she explains that the tales in this collection were originally told to her by her grandmother, who got them from her mother, who got them from her grandmother – and so on back through thousands of years of Sanskrit tradition. Each one, she says, is ‘as precious as the moon itself’ and she retells them all with an infectious love for stories.

I was quickly drawn in and soon entranced by the stories of Fierce Yowl and Clever Snout the jackals; of nomadic geese and a talkative tortoise; of an entitled lion and a resourceful bear cub. Each story begins conversationally as the author introduces the characters, and then ends in the same tone as, with the lightest of touches, she points out the moral. The reader can almost hear the voice of the older generations passing on the tales.

In between, the stories themselves are told with vividness and pace – a balance of description and narrative with direct speech at the key moments. Luscious illustrations by Chaaya Prabhat and high-quality production make it not only a wonderful gift book but a gem for any primary school too. The stories will provide wonderful read-alouds, each about the right length for a satisfying end-of-the-day storytime.

There is an opportunity for interesting book talk, comparing the stories with traditional tales from other parts of the world – Brer Rabbit, Aesop, Anansi – and a lot of scope for initiating PSHE discussions – about friendship, loyalty or honesty, say. Should your class be writing traditional tales, here are some richly written models to help inspire young writers. If your class is studying India, what happier way to illustrate the rich culture of the subcontinent?

Versatile and beautiful – I wholeheartedly recommend it.