Kali And the Rat Snake (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Srividya Natarajan (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3–Kali has always been proud of his father, who is the best snake catcher in their Indian village. But when he attends school, the children make fun of his Irula ways. They are disdainful of what Kali eats, and they shun him. Friendless and lonely, he dreads school. But one day the classroom is visited by a six-foot-long rat snake. With the children screaming and the teacher hiding under his desk, Kali grabs it and becomes the class hero. The text is smoothly written, with lots of cultural details. The story moves at a good pace, with excellent use of text that leaves readers anticipating what will happen when each page is turned. Natarajan's stylized illustrations are a mixture of smaller pencil drawings and luscious larger paintings that seem to be done on silk. The endpapers resemble a beautiful batik fabric. Everything works together for an evocative presentation. This book has much to offer children learning about other cultures. It could also be used to begin discussions about bullying, prejudice, and acceptance.–Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME
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Review

"...ideal for teaching children about acceptance. The sense of belonging and finding one s identity is a story that is hard to make relatable to children. This one does so without preaching." --- Toy Directory

"A great book about friendship and being careful not to judge others." --- Kids Bookshelf

"The text is smoothly written, with lots of cultural details. The story moves at a good pace, with excellent use of text that leaves readers anticipating what will happen when each page is turned. Natarajan's stylized illustrations are a mixture of smaller pencil drawings and luscious larger paintings that seem to be done on silk. The endpapers resemble a beautiful batik fabric. Everything works together for an evocative presentation. This book has much to offer children learning about other cultures." --- School Library Journal

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Kane/Miller Book Pub (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933605103
• ISBN-13: 978-1933605104
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #676,738 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Kali and the Rate Snake is A wondeful Cultural Exploration, January 7, 2008

By	Diana Rohini LaVigne "Online Editor, Indianl... (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Title: Kali and the Rat Snake
Author: Zai Whitaker
Illustration: Srividya Nataranjan
Published by: Kane/Miller Book Publishers
ISBN 13: 978-1-933605-10-4
Review by: Diana Rohini LaVigne, Indian Life & Style Magazine

Teaching kids how to deal with peer pressure is only one of the important messages that Kali and the Rat Snake by Zai Whitaker presents. The bold illustrations and expressive text starts with the tale of a boy who is struggling from the lack of acceptance of his classmates in regards to his unusual background. Children taunt the young Kali and although some children might have bad intentions, Kali only dreams of being accepted by his peers.

He is loved by his teacher and otherwise living a happy life, but being new to school and having trouble making friends is forming a very unhappy side to Kali's life. A moment of crisis changes the course of his future when a snake appears in the school room threatening Kali, his teacher and his classmates. Being the son of a snake catcher, Kali takes immediate action by securing the snake without much effort. Classmates are instantly thankful to Kali for knowing how to capture the potentially dangerous wild snake. Classmate's respect opens the door for Kali to make new friendships and almost insures his acceptance with other students.

The Illustrations by Srividya Nataranjan bring the story alive and help demonstrate how Kali is able to overcome his challenges and gain the respect of his fellow schoolmates. Images are truly unique and bring a level of cultural awareness to youthful readers. Kali and the Rat Snake captured my heart and will surely capture the hearts and minds of today's youth. It a beautiful and well-written book which is a solid contribution to children's cultural literature.

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful children's story about accepting differences and learning to appreciate the talents in oneself and others, September 22, 2006

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Set in India, Kali And The Rat Snake is the picturebook story of a boy, Kali, who has trouble fitting in at school. He is one of the Irula, an indigenous tribal people who live in Southern India and who have traditionally made a living as snake catchers. As the son of a snake catcher, Kali feels different from the other children, a teacher's pet, and he has trouble making friends. But when a big rat snake threatens the class, only Kali knows what to do! Energetic color illustrations by Srividya Natarajan pepper this delightful children's story from Zai Whitaker about accepting differences and learning to appreciate the talents in oneself and others. Highly recommended.