A review by kindred_reader
Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship: Stories from India by Chitra Soundar
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
4.0
Charming, fun, and entertaining. If your kid says they want to be a prince/princess, this is the book for them. It encourages critical-thinking, a willingness to not know the answer immediately, and the importance of friendship. Veera and Suku are still typical boys who like to play and compete and do nothing by the river some days but they understand the importance of paying attention to the world they are living in.
Soundar does a fantastic job of incorporating Indian culture seamlessly into this fun story while also calling attention to things that may be new to readers with lines as simple as "This was a legend they had" (95).
The boys focus on how to help people in the long term and how to teach lessons to those who need a reminder that this world is bigger than them. They even see the importance of the crows and sparrows around them that are part of the town.
Veera's relationship with his father was wonderful to watch as the story progressed. There is a mutual learning between them that helps Veera see the importance of being a good leader and helps the King understand that power has its place.
Overall, a wonderful read with beautiful illustrations about two boys who just wanted to play kings for a few days and the great things they accomplished in the meantime.
Soundar does a fantastic job of incorporating Indian culture seamlessly into this fun story while also calling attention to things that may be new to readers with lines as simple as "This was a legend they had" (95).
The boys focus on how to help people in the long term and how to teach lessons to those who need a reminder that this world is bigger than them. They even see the importance of the crows and sparrows around them that are part of the town.
Veera's relationship with his father was wonderful to watch as the story progressed. There is a mutual learning between them that helps Veera see the importance of being a good leader and helps the King understand that power has its place.
Overall, a wonderful read with beautiful illustrations about two boys who just wanted to play kings for a few days and the great things they accomplished in the meantime.