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The authors recount how the trained elephants of southern India, in particular the one chosen to be the lead elephant in the Mysore Dasara, are raised, cared for, and prepared for performing in ceremonial processions. Includes background information and glossary.Tags
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Every year a special elephant is chosen to lead the parade in a big celebration in India. Balarama is the latest elephant to be so honored.Both Ted and Betsy Lewin are children’s picture book illustrators. In this book, both draw parts of the story. They have very different styles, with Ted painting big beautiful and realistic illustrations, and Betsy doing cartoon-like drawings. A little:“Balarama moves majestically toward one of the palace gates, leading a mile-long procession. Band after band and unit after unit of guards and soldiers march smartly past the stage, following Balarama onto the packed streets of Mysore. Throngs of people push forward to see Balarama in his first ceremonial parade.We are bursting with pride. He is show more doing great.” show less
This is a true retelling of Ted and Betsy Lewin's trip to India to observe the holiday Dasara. For the festival a royal elephant is chosen to carry this magnificent statue. The Lewins tell of how they went to observe the holiday but found one of the elephants had been electrocuted so they had to find another elephant, named Balarama. The amount of Indian culture in the book is great, with a lot of original vocabulary. I think this would be a great read for a cultural study or holiday study.
It's award the 2011-2012 Texas Bluebonnet award for children's literature. A nice, cultural read.
It's award the 2011-2012 Texas Bluebonnet award for children's literature. A nice, cultural read.
i like lewin's cultural focus. i would have loved this as a child. also i was fascinated by elephants.
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A Child's Book Tour of India
71 works; 3 members
Author Information
41+ Works 2,095 Members
Theodore Peter Lewin was an illustrator and writer of children's books. He was born in Buffalo, NY on May 6, 1935. He graduated from Pratt Institute in 1956 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, which he financed by working as a part-time professional wrestler. Early in his art career he made illustrations for adventure magazines. He was an avid show more traveler and used his adventures to inspire his work. He was the author and illustrator of over 200 books. He and his wife Betsy collaborated on Touch and Go, a collection of stories about his adventures while researching his books. Ted was an award-winning illustrator. In 1994 he was awarded a Caldecott Honor for his illustrations in Pepe the Lamplighter. Market!, published in 1996. It was also an ALA notable book. In 1998, he won the Society of Illustrators Stevan Dohanos Award. In 2006, He illustrated One Green Apple which was written by Eve Bunting and won the inaugural Arab American Award for books written for Children/Young Adults. In 2007, he won a silver medal in the Society of Illustrators Annual Show. In 2007, he was given the Hamilton King award for the best illustration in the Society of Illustrators Annual Show, done by a member of the Society of Illustrators. In 2015 he was inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame. Ted Lewin died on July 28, 2021. He was 86. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
1 Work 87 Members
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- Members
- 88
- Popularity
- 363,977
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.81)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
