As a primary school teacher I am always on a lookout for a good picture book to share with the six and seven year olds that I teach.

Let me tell you how much they enjoyed these stories. All the children were enchanted by the beautiful illustrations and the wording of the stories themselves.

What made it more special was that it exposed them to tales from a different culture to theirs, which generated a lot of wonderful chats and discussions.

I would definitely recommend this book.

This is a beautiful book with really interesting stories from India. The illustrations are brightly colored and quite busy so there’s plenty for a young child to look at while being read to. The stories lend themselves to being read aloud, the narrator inserts themselves occasionally, which might be confusing for a little one thinking that whoever is reading them has told this story before, even lived it or has intimate knowledge of the stories, but that is of minimal concern.

The different tales from this book were very nice. I loved discovering the jungle through Nikita Gill's voice and writing. Many animals are depicted there, and I defenitely thought it to be interesting to get to read about another culture.

Something that I personnally enjoyed less about this book was how the morals were so clearly written at the end of each tale--I felt to me as though the author thought the young reader couldn't think of their own moral and had to clearly tell them what that specific story was about.

I'm a big fan of folk tales, but I mostly know the European and Scandinavian ones. This book is a delightful collection, with lovely illustrations

It would make a lovely gift for a child, or indeed an adult who refuses to stop reading folktales!

I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.

Superb collection of short stories from India that have a moralistic theme, if you enjoyed reading Aesop's Tales then you will be familiar with the concept. The book is beautifully illustrated with bright Indian colours and curious animals who learn that life is much easier if they learn to listen to their friends advice, not to judge by appearances and to think before they speak.
It's a total delight

This book is stunning! Nikita Gill is one of my favourite authors and now I could share her work with my children with these gorgeous stories that were so beautifully illustrated, they inspired an instant warmth and hope. We're definitely going to get a physical copy to fully appreciate the beauty of it. We loved the gentle message of each story and it took me back to my own childhood love of Aesop's Fables.

I thought this book was a beautiful book! The illustrations were incredible and facinating. The story was beautiful. A brilliant book. Highly recommend.

Wonderful messages and absolutely gorgeous illustrations!🐯🐢🐘🐒🦚🦁🪷

The Panchatantra of ancient India is a collection of animal fables originally written in Sanskrit. According to Britannica, the original work was written between 100 BC and AD 500! How awesome that the stories live on for thousands of years.

Some of the valuable lessons are on loyalty, family, friendship, and kindness.

Originally, there were well over one hundred stories, of which 10 are in this book. I'll list the titles below in the spoiler section. Animal Tales from India is a brilliant collaboration by author Nikita Gill and artist Chaaya Prabhat. I hope there are more to come!

A fantastic extended preview of the book from the publisher's site or you can follow the link here: https://issuu.com/nosycrow/docs/animal_tales_issuu_preview

[Image]

Spoiler
1. The Blue Jackal
2. The Bird Who Angered the Sea
3. The Mice Who Freed the Elephants
4. The Monkey and the Crocodile
5. The Jackal Who Fooled a Lion
6. The Singing Donkey
7. The Very Talkative Tortoise
8. The Lion and the Talking Cave
9. The Four Friends and the Hunter
10. The Elephant and the Moon

Wonderful full-colour artwork illustrating equally good stories from Nikita Gill, fables of character and life told in an engaging way. We now have the book in store and this is an excellent title.

This book is amazingly vibrant and beautifully illustrated and all children will enjoy looking at the wonderful pictures.

The ten stories are short, sweet re-tellings of Panchatantra fables, mostly highlighting the importance and value of family and friends. They would make perfect bedtime stories for younger children and parents will enjoy reading them too.

In a Nutshell: Ah, the nostalgia of rereading your childhood favourite stories! Loved revisiting some beautiful animal tales from the Panchatantra in this glorious new packaging. Excellent stories, meaningful morals, brilliant narrative style, and captivating illustrations. The perfect package!

The Panchatantra, a beloved component of almost every little Indian reader’s library, (at least until my generation), is an ancient collection of animal fables written circa 200 BCE. The tales might be age-old but their entertainment factor and the morals they offer are relevant even today. Their original intent was to impart wisdom to princes, and as such, their plots lead to not just practical life lessons but also judicious decision-making. At the same time, the stories themselves, with their cute animal characters and interactions, are delightful to read.

I have lost count of how many Panchatantra stories I have read since my childhood. So when I saw this book on NetGalley, I was initially in two minds about whether I ought to grab something I am already so familiar with. But one look at the stunning cover, and I knew I was a goner. I didn’t realise then that even the text would be equally stunning.

While I knew most of the stories herein, I enjoyed the style in which the author wrote them. She is a poet, and this creative faculty is visible in her choice of words, especially in her vivid descriptions of the animal and the forests. Moreover, unlike the myriad other Panchatantra collections, she does not stick to the original serious format of narration, one akin to an elder telling a story to their students. Rather, her storytelling incorporates a warmth and a youthfulness that somehow intertwines a casual conversational approach with plenty of action-oriented writing. In other words, even when these stories are read, the child will feel like the author is *narrating* them. I am sure this collection will be a hit at bedtime with its witty lines.

I loved the illustrations as much as the storytelling. Every single page is a mesmerising work of art! The animals, the trees, the background – every element is so breathtakingly beautiful that I could stare at the graphics all day.

An easy recommendation, this. It delivers on every requirement you would have from children’s fiction – entertainment, education, and illustration. The language makes this a perfect fit for littlies aged 3-8 years.

The physical book is meant to be a gift edition, with colour artwork on every page, a foiled cloth binding with a jacket, and a ribbon marker. What a delightful gift it would make! 😍 The book is also available in an audio version narrated by the author herself, which will be brilliant considering her kid-friendly writing style. But honestly, as long as you have no sight-related issues, why would you want to forsake looking at those gorgeous illustrations?

‘Pancha’ means ‘five’ in Sanskrit. Now… guess how many stars this perfect children’s offering book deserves?

Pancha!

Pro Tip: Begin with the author’s introduction. No skipping over it!

My thanks to Nosy Crow and NetGalley for the DRC of “Animal Tales from India”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Sometimes we all need a bedtime story with pretty pictures and talking animals, this book is just that. Sure, nuts for kids, but I enjoyed it too.

Fantastic art work accompany simple short stories with sweet meanings and lessons. The stories are short and are sure to be met with the cry of one more, one more.

Talking animals and bright art work are sure to capture the imagination of your little readers. Grab this for story time. Whatever the time.

Animal Tales from India by Nikita Gill, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat

Do you have younger children? Perhaps Grandchildren? Or in my case, young Great nieces and nephews? Or simply friends or other family with young children?
Then I urge you to buy this book.
Not only is it exquisitely illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat, the stories brought to life by Nikita Gil are just wonderful.

Yes, they're not exclusively her work, rather a collection of stories handed down, as described in the introduction:- 'One night long ago, I asked my grandmother where her stories came from, and she told me that she had got them from her mother. And her mother had got them from her grandmother. And so it goes, like a river flowing back all the way through time.'

But what makes this series of short stories stand out? The stories themselves are easy to understand, yet they all carry a moral tale. But, they do so in ways that are relatable and allow children to think on things, and ask questions or talk it through with adults. It also brings us a gorgeous taste of Indian culture through these stories. Regardless of your ethnic background, they really bring it to life, and that's to be celebrated in my opinion.

I read the ebook but I noted it seems to be only available in hardback or audiobook at the moment. Honestly, unless you need audiobooks for accessibility reasons, I highly recommend this is bought as a physical book, because those illustrations deserve to be shown in all their glory.

Just the perfect younger children's book, that I for one shall be buying for the aforementioned Great nieces and nephews!
Pure delight.

5/5 stars 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is a cute little collection of fables, the moral of most stories are highlighting the importance of family and friends, and how they will love you and forgive you even if you screw up, which is a great lesson to learn. The illustrations are beautiful and the book is well worth buying just because of them.
Thank you to NetGalley the author and the publisher for this ARC in exchange of my honest review

This is a beautiful book of short animal stories which would make magical bedtime reading for a younger child. Everything about it is lovely – the stories themselves, the simple and easy-to-understand writing, and especially the fantastic illustrations. It is a complete joy for lovers of children’s books like me. I love the way that the stories are a bit silly and the fact that there is a moral to be learned with each one. Although the book is short I can imagine hours and hours of laughter, learning and discussion coming from it. It’s on my ‘What to get the grandkids list’! Thanks to NetGalley and Nosy Crow for the opportunity to read and review. This will surely be a winner.

A beautiful short story picture book. The illustrations are so utterly whimsical and wondrous. This combined with the fable like tales make this the perfect gift for children and adults alike. I adored it!!

Utterly exquisite.
Ten stories from India recounted with lyricism, warmth and humour, this is a book that will be treasured through childhood and beyond. The lessons each tale teaches are gently drawn out and the characters are brought to life both by Nikita Gill's beautiful prose and the exquisite illustrations of Chaaya Prabhat. From the rich and beautiful palettes to the energy and movement for each double page spread and the tiny details that draw the eye round the page, this book is a feast for the ears, the eyes and the heart. A book to return to time and time again

This is a perfect storybookwith amazing illustrations to have in the classroom. Great for English units and class read. I would also use it for the beginning of geography lesson about places and their culture.

Thank you NetGalley and Nosy Crow for this eCopy to review

What a beautiful book, the illustrations are amazing and really brought the stories to life. Gill's stories leap of the page they are well written and easy for a 3 year old to understand. I have slightly older children who both enjoyed listening to the stories so it works for most primary school ages

Most importantly, they are not too long so the children don't get bored, the pictures help keep their attention and I love the morals at the end of each tale.

Definitely going on the present list as a gift option

What a beautiful book! Originally bought this as a gift to my niece but we ended up reading through it together. The stories all flowed really well, my niece being so excited after each one she was desperate to move onto the next but instead we spoke about what she enjoyed and loved about the story, spent time laughing at our animal impressions that were inspired by the reads, and each story became something to look forward to!

Lovely stories, lovely illustrations, fantastic book