TITLE: Tales from the World

AUTHOR: Geeta Ramanujam

PAGE EXTENT: 164

PUBLISHER: Puffin Books

GENRE: Middle Grade

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Tales as old as time, retold
for readers, both young and old

Collected from storytellers on snow-capped mountains, and in eerie forests, opulent palaces and countries near and far, the captivating folk tales in this book have mesmerized generations.

Injected with freshness, mystery, adventure and magic, Geeta Ramanujam retells her all-time favourite stories with a song here and a twist there.

Travel along with this imaginative storyteller as she shares peculiar myths and incredible trivia from around the world in this magnificently illustrated volume of twenty tales from Russia, Japan, France, Tibet, India, Korea, Scotland and more.

From the glens of Scotland to the mountainous landscapes of Tibet, from the backwaters of Kerala to the cobbled streets of French towns, master storyteller Geeta Ramanujam takes us on a whimsical journey around the world in this potpourri of 20 tales, each of which will make you smile from ear to ear!

A huge shout-out to the illustrator Arkapriya Koley for adding a magical touch to these beautiful stories through her adorable illustrations, which definitely make this book a collector’s edition you would want to treasure!

What makes these stories even better is the fact that the author has added a note at the beginning of every tale about how and where she came across these tales in her 30+ years of storytelling experience!

Having been an avid reader of folktale anthologies right from childhood, this book was right up my alley and it didn’t disappoint one bit!

Nerdy me loves knowing random trivia and fun facts and the facts sprinkled throughout this book were the perfect dessert for a delicious entrée!

If you’re someone who has read the Jataka tales and loved them as a child(or as an adult, because there is no age limit to enjoying stories) and would like to read more such tales from around the globe, this amalgamation of stories is the perfect pick for you!

Did you read fairy tales and folk tales as a child? Do let me know in the comments below!