Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship (Chitra Soundar's Stories from India #1)

Readers who are familiar with traditional Indian folktales will recognize these well-known stories; readers new to them may enjoy their quiet simplicity and the wisdom of the two young protagonists.

Suku is lower in social rank but holds his own among royalty with poise and confidence. Similarly, the illustrations balance traditional Indian art forms with cartoonlike gestures that will make readers smile.

"Soundar's energetic prose and wisecracking dialogue sparkle and Krishnaswamy's acrylic folk-based illustrations of characters and nature dance across almost every page. Like any folktale, Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship is best when shared. Read aloud, the adventures of Prince Veera and Suku will surely captivate first- through fifth-grade classrooms, the dilemmas providing excellent opportunities for critical thinking. Independent readers age 8 to 12 are likely to delight in the boys' clever solutions, not to mention their ability to confound and outwit adults." —Shelf Awareness for Readers (starred review)

"These original tales are folkloric in style and content, but refreshingly contemporary in tone and form. The messages are of kindness and compassion, and for speaking up when things are unfair...the illustrations balance traditional Indian art forms with cartoonlike gestures that will make readers smile." —Booklist

"Krishnaswamy's energetic black-and-white spot art offers authentic glimpses of Indian life, with illustrations of people, birds and animals, the marketplace, the countryside, and more. Readers who are familiar with traditional Indian folktales will recognize these well-known stories; readers new to them may enjoy their quiet simplicity and the wisdom of the two young protagonists." —Kirkus Reviews Online

"It's a little risky—even benevolent kings do not like being proved wrong—but in these stories for 6- to 10-year-olds ingenuity and good sense help the boys prevail. Veera and Suku are a great team: In between gorging themselves on buttery sweets such as laddus and jalebis, and wolfing down mango pickles with fried fish and rice, the two boys solve mysteries, expose swindlers and humble the arrogant...Originally published in the U.K. in two volumes six years apart, these lively tales benefit from Uma Krishnaswamy's playful monochrome illustrations." —The Wall Street Journal