Sanjay Patel

Co-authors Sanjay Patel and Emily Haynes tell the story of the Hindu god Ganesha and how he came to be the scribe who recorded the ancient epic, The Mahabharata, in this charming picture-book. A great lover of all things sweet, the elephant-headed god eventually breaks one of his tusks on a super-jumbo jawbreaker laddoo. Distressed at this occurrence, Ganesha is not to be consoled, even by his friend and steed, Mr. Mouse. But when he attempts to throw his tusk at the moon and strikes the show more poet Vyasa instead, he finds himself using his broken appendage to record one of the great works of ancient Hindu literature...

Pairing an entertaining and humorous text from Patel and Haynes with gorgeous, eye-popping illustrations from Patel, Ganesha's Sweet Tooth was a distinct pleasure to read and peruse. Although interested in folklore and mythology from all parts of the world, somehow I haven't seemed to have read many works with a Hindu background. This one was all the more engaging for me, being unknown, and made me want to read more about the subject, and perhaps track down a children's version The Mahabharata. I appreciated the fact that the authors describe in their afterword how they changed the story, in this retelling. Recommended to all young folklore and mythology lovers, and to anyone looking for children's stories with an Indian cultural and Hindu religious background. show less

A short, fun introduction to the major Hindu deities, and their convoluted relationships, as well as a description of who is avatar to whom. The pictures are droll and humorous, and help to add a bit of color and life to the discussion of the unfamiliar gods and goddesses. I had been through a graduate level philosophy class that explained all this, but not in nearly as cogent or entertaining a manner. This book can be read and enjoyed by adults and children alike. It is far from being an show more encyclopedic look at Hinduism, but it doesn't pretend to be. show less

I have had several encounters with the Ramayana over the years, first in a Hindu mythology course in college, later through its Thai incarnation--The Ramakhien. And then, through visits with its various characters at several museums with Asian collections. It has, for a long time, been one of my favorite adventure stories.

I think it's fair to say that Sanjay Patel's rendition of the Ramayana is my absolute favorite. Admittedly, Patel has produced an abridged version (3,000 pages down to show more 120 ), that is the perfect size to read to one's children--as I have done. It is complete enough to cover all the main events, yet not so detailed that a young reader would get bogged down in the minutiae. As the subject matter involves some rather scary demons, it might not be right for the youngest kids however.

Reminiscent of one of my son's favorite cartoons--Samurai Jack--Patel's artwork continually draws me back to the book. His use of shapes creates a kind of dynamism, that combined with the compelling story-telling, generates the best kind of storybook.

Besides being the perfect story to read to kids of a certain age, The Ramayana has become a favorite of my coffee table books. I find that guests are often entranced by the vibrant colors, complex geometrical shapes, and fierce beauty of the work.

If that were all, it would be enough. But Patel includes a glossary/cast of characters including the famous gods, warriors and demons. He also has included a narrative map which points out the various story locations. He concludes the book with several pages of his sketches, and a description of how he put the story together (my favorite of the "extras").

I have been so pleased with this book that I look forward to future projects of Sanjay Patel with great anticipation. show less

This version of the Ramayana, abridged and illustrated by Sanjay Patel, is a very enjoyable and visual introduction to the great Hindu epic tale. Using simple everyday words and evocative art, Patel creates a narrative that appeals to all generations and cultures. A very handy guide to all the characters of the story is provided at the end of the book. While the text can sometimes verge on the simplistic, the beautiful illustrations more than adequately redeem this. I can't wait to read the show more other adaptations of Hindu mythology by the same author! show less