In the Heart of the Village: The World of the Indian Banyan Tree (Tree Tales) [Hardcover]

Barbara Bash (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1996 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Tree Tales

In a brilliant combination of lyrical prose and glowing watercolors, acclaimed author/artist Barbara Bash captures the soul of the ancient and sacred banyan, painting a vivid picture of its importance to the people and other life forms that flourish beneath and within its welcoming branches. Both beautiful and enlightening, this book provides a unique glimpse of the interconnectedness of life in a rural culture.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-5-In a small village in India, the sacred banyan tree is the center and heart of life, and it is protected and worshipped by the people. During the day, traders trade, school classes are held, people rest from the midday heat, children swing from the vines, and conversations take place beneath it. Birds nest, owls sleep, and monkeys chase one another in the branches. In the evenings, the tree provides a sheltering theater where costumed dancers and storytellers perform. Deep in the night, the flying foxes come out. This day in the life of a banyan is presented in lilting text that effectively captures the activities of a community and shows how its people revolve around this majestic tree. The rich, full-page watercolor illustrations make the book a natural for reading aloud and the hand-lettered text adds to the simplicity and earthiness of the tale. A wonderful offering that will be appreciated by anyone interested in nature and the interconnectedness of life.
Helen Rosenberg, Chicago Public Library, IL
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3^-6. Visitors to Florida, Hawaii, India, Indonesia, or the Caribbean are often surprisingly impressed by an enormous tree called a banyan, sometimes referred to as the "many-footed one" because it appears to have numerous roots. Bash's luminous double-page-spread watercolors provide a close-up view of one, which happens to be situated in the heart of an Indian village. They show the tree from sunrise to sunrise, as a place for meeting, nesting, giggling, and much more. Bash sets the scene for demonstrating the importance of the banyan tree for both humans and animals with a creation myth from the Indian state of Orissa. Children familiar with the author's previous books, such as Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus (1989), will not be disappointed with this one. The lively narrative makes it good for reading aloud to younger children; older ones will appreciate the feel of Indian village life and the information on the diverse animals who make their homes in the tree. Karen Morgan

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Sierra Club Books for Children (September 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871565757
• ISBN-13: 978-0871565754
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,205,717 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Should be on every child's bookshelf, December 3, 2005

By 

Shannon "jfaction" (Lafayette, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Heart of the Village: The World of the Indian Banyan Tree (Tree Tales) (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book for both young and older children. Young children will enjoy the beautiful illustrations and the story itself. And although it's an illustrated book rather than a chapter book, it is suitable for older children (even 9 and up). The gift for these older children is seeing how the banyan tree is integrated within the community and how the identity and purpose of the tree is larger than the tree itself. For kids between 8-11, who may be feeling awkward in their bodies and unsure of their role in the world, this is an inspiring and special book. And as a parent I enjoy reading about the unique daily life of the villages whose very structure is centered around the tree, a tree that can span 5 acres (one tree and yet more than one tree at the same time), and about all the creatures who depend on the tree for survival.

5.0 out of 5 stars In the Heart of the Village: The World of the Indian Banyan Tree, February 25, 2011

By 

M DeLaTorre - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: In the Heart of the Village: The World of the Indian Banyan Tree (Tree Tales) (Hardcover)

My 11 year old daughter read this aloud to a second grader in our school. It was part of a Social Studies project including literature about/from the countries they were studying. The non-fiction information is told in a lyrical way, with amazing and beautiful illustrations that hold the readers' attention. It was a wonderful way to study the culture and way of life in parts of India, in a fashion that children of many ages can appreciate.