Are you looking for a storybook with simple Hindu mythology stories to tell your kids? Or your older kids want to level up their reading. Then look no further as I have a brilliant recommendation for the same. It is Magical Mythology by Stuti Gupta.
The author Stuti Gupta became famous for her 101 Indian Fables for Children, which is a compilation of popular Indian tales of wisdom. In her new release, she has picked up some popular mythological characters like Ganesh, Ram, Sita, Krishna, Hanuman, Ravana, Pandavas, and Draupadi for the book. She has curated three tales for each of them and retold the stories in an engaging and attractive style.
There is a mind map kind of graphical introduction for each character followed by a small backstory and then the main story. I knew most of the tales but didn’t know how to narrate them to my five-year-old son. The book made it easy.
The author laid out the book Magical Mythology with graphics, illustrations, and activities. It has so much more than just stories. The pictures amplify the tales, and my son loves to gaze at them trying to visualize at the same time. He loved coloring the pictures.
The little listener bombarded me with several questions about characters and stories. He was particularly intrigued by Ravana. Various stories in the collection highlight Ravana as a bhakt, as an arrogant king, and as a blesser. My son’s black and white perception of the world will take time to understand the greyness of the human character. Ravana is indeed a complex character to understand, and the author tried to show the other side of the coin.
The Verdict
Overall, I loved the feeling which this book emanates. The effort of the author and her team is visible in every corner of the book. It is indeed a good option to introduce your child to Hindu mythological figures. New readers will also read and enjoy it.
