Long ago in Ancient India, there lived a young hare who worried about everything -- food, rain, and even the color of her eyes. As the worrywort hare tries to settle down for a quiet nap in her favorite sun-dappled grove of palms and mango trees, she is startled into action by a sudden and very loud explosion. Convinced that the world is breaking up, the hare tears out of the grove, into a thicket, across a marshland, through a forest, out into the scrubland and onto the open plain. All along the way, she spreads her alarming news, gathering up an ever-increasing herd of terrified animals: hares, wild boars, deer, tigers, and rhinos. The stampede continues and the frenzy grows, until one wise voice prevails.... Perfect for reading aloud, this beautifully told traditional story from India is a lovely version of a classic "The Sky Is Falling" tale. Vibrant illustrations set inside exquisite borders in a handsome large format book have an effect like gorgeous tapestries on every page. The richness of each illustration adds layers to this deceptively simple fable, and young readers will love to pore over the art to pick up the hidden details in each piece. Nature Notes at the back of the book give additional information on the wildlife, flora, and fauna featured in the story and illustrations, as well as the origins of the tale and the style of illustration. The Rumor is a retelling of an ancient Jataka tale from India. Jataka tales have been used for more than 2,500 years to teach about sharing, compassion, and the difference between good and bad.