The Blue Jackal

by Shobha Viswanath Narrated by Naseeruddin Shah

Overview

One day, a jackal wakes up to find that his fur has turned blue and decides to take advantage of the situation. Adapted by Shobha Viswanath with rich artwork by Dileep Joshi in Warli, this book is an unforgettable visual experience.

Editorial Reviews

School Library Journal

05/01/2016
Gr 2–5—This is a strong retelling of one of the tales from the Panchatantra, a third-century BCE text of Indian literature. This retelling from Sanskrit flows well and begs to be read aloud. It tells the tale of a bullied runt jackal who is accidentally dyed indigo and is subsequently mistaken for a king. He betrays himself by howling along with the other jackals. The rain washes away his indigo fur, but he retains the memory of having once been a king. The story would be interesting as a group presentation and could lead to discussions regarding identity. The illustrations, which are the true standout here, will not work well in a large group, because of their intricate detail. They are done in the style of the Warli tribe of East India—white paintings done in rice flour on a dark background. They will intrigue children who have an eye for such things. VERDICT This book fills a void in terms of Indian literature directed at children, but it will need an introduction or some promotion if it is going to circulate.—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

Kirkus Reviews

2016-02-17
Scenes inspired by the traditional art of India's Warli people illustrate a retold Panchatantra tale about a jackal who falls into a vat of dye. Chased by village dogs, pipsqueak Juno the jackal blindly jumps into a vat of indigo. His bright new color so frightens the other animals in the wild that he proclaims himself king. But when he hears his banished jackal clan howling at the moon, he joins in—thus betraying his true nature to the other creatures, who angrily drive him away. Viswanath embellishes more-traditional versions both with added details and by casting the tale into lumbering verse: "Juno was terribly puny and lean, / and the bigger jackals were really quite mean. / They laughed at him cruelly for being so skinny, / calling him names, like sissy and ninny." (She also follows the lead of most modern renditions by allowing the imposter to survive rather than being killed by his erstwhile subjects.) Drawn in white on dark, monochrome backgrounds, the illustrations are large-scale scenes with freely placed figures of animals and foliage that are small and often stylized beyond easy recognition. They are striking, but the visual narrative they convey is not easy for readers from outside the culture to parse. Possibly of anthropological interest, but as a story for a wide audience, it's no improvement on other versions. (afterword) (Picture book/folk tale. 6-8)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940159835345
Publisher:	Storyside IN
Publication date:	01/29/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

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