Hanuman, based on Valmiki's Ramayana [Hardcover]

Erik Jendresen (Adapter), Joshua M. Greene (Adapter), Li Ming (Painter)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Hanuman, the monkey hero, once leapt all the way to the sun--but suffered dearly for it. Now all grown, he lends his long-forgotten powers to the cosmic battle to save Princess Sita from the foul demon king, Ravana. Full color.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-"Listen now while I tell you a tale of a time long past when the world was menaced by a ten-headed beast whom the gods could not control." Such is the dramatic beginning of this excellent retelling of a portion of the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana. This version takes the unusual perspective of Hanuman, military leader of the monkey clan. The tale opens when he is an impish young monkey, daring to fly to the sun. During his flight, he becomes distracted and falls, thus earning his name, which means "broken chin," and the elder monkeys pray he forgets his magical powers. Years later, when the evil, 10-headed creature Ravana steals Rama's beloved wife, Sita, the monkey is deeply moved by the young prince's broken heart. His clan joins forces with Rama to confront Ravana. Now Hanuman must remember the incredible powers of his youth for they are crucial in the climactic battle. The narrative has a storytelling quality and an appropriately epic tone. Masterful oil paintings illustrate the text; they are charming when depicting the mischievous young Hanuman and powerful and striking when portraying scenes of danger and battle. Jessica Souhami's Rama and the Demon King (DK, 1997) is aimed at a younger audience. Older readers may enjoy Lloyd Alexander's The Iron Ring (Dutton, 1997), which was inspired by this tale. A welcome addition to all collections.
Robin L. Gibson, Muskingum County Library System, Zanesville, OH
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“Masterful oil paintings illustrate the text; they are charming when depicting the mischievous young Hanuman and powerful and striking when portraying scenes of danger and battle.... [A] welcome addition to all collections.” —School Library Journal“[A]s engaging and imaginative as any current action-adventure tale.” —Chicago Parent --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Tricycle Press; 1st edition (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883672783
• ISBN-13: 978-1883672782
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #378,044 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Story of adventure, friendship and love for all ages, October 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Hanuman, based on Valmiki's Ramayana (Hardcover)

My 3rd-grade daughter already enjoys the Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology and has memorized many of their stories. In "Hanuman," she found a wonderful introduction to the Hindu sacred text Ramayana. All she knows is she fell in love with a neat story, wrote about it in her journal at school ("If magic were real, I would make all Hanuman's adventures come true."), and re-reads it daily. A great read-aloud for younger kids too.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Introduce your child to this beautiful story from the East!, May 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Hanuman, based on Valmiki's Ramayana (Hardcover)

This unique children's book brings the Eastern tale of Hanuman into the West for childrean and adults to enjoy. Timeless lessons such as "There is no such thing as large or small when it comes to acts of love." Rama tells Hanuman when he belittles the "small" efforts of a spider to save the slaves and Sita.

Its a beautiful story bound to be enjoyed by all who read it and look at the rich illustrations which tell their own story.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vivid art, inspiring story, February 8, 2002

By 

David (Sunnyside, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hanuman, based on Valmiki's Ramayana (Hardcover)

My kids (5 and 9) and I love this book. The artwork is vivid with wonderful details. They respond to the humor, the magic, the characters--both frightening and heroic, the great adventures and the selfless actions in this great story. I've seen one other illustrated version of this story in a collection and found the pictures to be weak and unimaginative. These paintings are gorgeous. This was the first book I reached for to read to my children after the WTC attacks. The children were reassured by this tale of good triumphing over evil.