Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship: Stories from India by Chitra Soundar, illustrated by Uma Krishnaswamy

Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship:

Stories from India

by Chitra Soundar, illustrated by Uma Krishnaswamy

Candlewick Press, 2018, 192 pages

I love reading folktales from other countries and so when this one came my way, I was very excited. And what a pleasure it is to read. Originally published as two separate books with four stores each under the titles A Dollop of Ghee and a Pot of Wisdom and A Jar of Pickles and a Pinch of Justice, they have been combined in this volume of eight stories altogether.

The stories center on Prince Veera, the son of King Breema, who ruled over his small Indian kingdom with fairness, kindness, and wisdom, and Suku, the son of a farmer who had won a scholarship to study with Prince Veera. Naturally, the two 10-year-old boys have become the best of friends.

As a kind and just king, the people in his kingdom knew they could come to King Breema with their problems and disputes and he would always find a way to help them. One day, when the King falls ill, Prince Veera and Suku ask if they may hold court that day instead of sending the people away. The first few cases they hear are simple and easy for the two boys to resolve, but as the day goes by they become more difficult. Once case involves a maker of sweet treats who wants to charge the man who stands outside his shop smelling the delicious scent of his sugary, buttery treats but who never buys anything. Another case involved a man who sold his well to another man, but now wants to charge the buyer for the water in the well.

Prince Veera and Suku both enjoy running the court whenever King Breema allows it, and the King is quite impressed with their collective wisdom. But when the Prince Veera's strict, elderly granduncle Raja Apoorva comes to visit, he is not impressed and thinks it is wrong from his young grandnephew to hold court, and especially with Suku, the lowly son of a farmer. When granduncle, who doesn't like crows one bit, puts their talent to the test challenging them to count the number of crows in the kingdom, have Prince Veera and Suku been outsmarted or can they outsmart the old uncle?

The eight stories included in Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship are basically light and easy, told in a very straightforward way and each has a simple moral that never feels preachy. The relationship between Prince Veera and Suku is one of affectionate companionship and respect, and although Suku is the son of a farmer, class isn't an issue here. Prince Veera loves to visit Suku's welcoming home as much as Suku loves going to the palace. This is a lesson we could all use.

Although there are not any notes about these stories and where they came from, they still have an authentically Indian quality to them culturally, and that is supported by the wonderful black and white spot illustrations by Uma Krishnaswamy.

Young readers will certainly enjoy these trickster tales and seeing how the two young friends deal with the often cunning disputes brought to them. Additionally, all the stories stand alone, making this a useful book for some great read alouds.

Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship is a solid collection of folktales that are sure to please young readers who are already enjoying chapter books. 

This book is recommended for readers age 7+
This book was gratefully received by me from the publisher, Candlewick Press