Animal Tales from India: Ten Stories from the Panchatantra

Animal Tales from India provides you with Ten Stories from the Panchatantra, each with its lesson. 

What I Liked: From the minute that I saw this front cover I wanted to read it as it draws your attention from its beauty. I was quite pleased with each of the stories and wanted to share them with family and friends. This one is staying on my shelves to read with children once I have them. 

I loved the gorgeous images included on every page and how they added to the story that was being told. I also enjoyed how the story was briefly introduced before it started and how it was wrapped up. I appreciated that the author included questions at the end to try to lead you to the lesson and then told you what the lesson should be. 

I loved that the various animals that were included in these stories were familiar and some of the stories were similar to ones I grew up with. I enjoyed the differences in these stories though and getting to learn what stories were being told in other cultures. 

Final Verdict: Animal Tales from India is a wonderful collection of short stories that is going to have you reaching for the book countless times. These stories are great to share with children ages 7 and up and adults will enjoy them as well. 

10 colorful stories adapted from the Panchatantra, an ancient collection of Sanskrit fables.

This book is beautiful inside and out, with a foiled cover and dust jacket, and vibrant illustrations. These animals of India include familiar faces like elephants and mice, and others like the jackal who are featured less commonly in western stories.

The print book also includes a link to access the audiobook free online!
Each of the stories has its own lesson, such as the importance of family bonds and not judging others based on appearances. The critical reader may note a lack of rhythm to the story structure, in that the morals might seem to come without being fully set up from the beginning of the story. But this doesn’t detract from colorful characters or themes.

Overall, these short stories are classic tales that will have you coming back again and again.