Grandma and the Great Gourd: A Bengali Folktale

by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Susy Pilgrim Waters (Illustrator)

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250895288
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	12/05/2023
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

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.

SUSY PILGRIM WATERS is an award-winning illustrator, painter, and designer. She has created murals for the New York City Public Library, also illustrating for editorial and licensing design. Susy loves to work on many surfaces and a variety of commissions. Originally from England, Susy lives in Gloucester, MA with her husband, Keith and dog Birdy, where they design and create one-of-a-kind, handmade products for their home lifestyle company, PilgrimWaters.

Hometown:

Houston, Texas, and San Jose, California

Date of Birth:

July 29, 1956

Place of Birth:

Kolkata, India

Education:

B.A. in English, Kolkata University 1976; Ph.D. in English, University of California at Berkeley, 1984

Website:

http://www.chitradivakaruni.com/

Editorial Reviews

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

From the Publisher

Retelling a story from her childhood, well-known Bengali-American writer Divakaruni uses lively language, nonsense syllables and traditional rhythms. When Grandma sets out to visit her daughter and grandchildren, she must cross the jungle in between their villages. She leaves her faithful dogs home to tend her garden. Along the way, she meets a fox, a bear and a tiger that all want to eat her, but she persuades the predators that she will be fatter, plumper and juicier on her way back. She approaches her return journey with trepidation, but the inventive mother and daughter create a plan for a safe trip. The old woman is soon ensconced inside a giant, hollowed-out gourd. When the daughter has sealed her in with stitches and rice glue, she starts the gourd rolling toward her mother's village. First the tiger and then the bear approach the gourd in hopes of finding something to eat. They are each fooled by the grandma singing out and asking for a push. At last, the crafty fox realizes the trick, but by then, Grandma is so close to home the dogs are able to rescue her. The storyteller's voice is augmented by frequent repetition and onomatopoeia, making this story a pleasure to read aloud. Intensely colored and patterned collages on glossy paper boldly advance the plot. This fresh new version will soon have young listeners and readers telling the story themselves. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews