Under the Great Plum Tree - (One Story, Many Voices) by Sufiya Ahmed (Hardcover)

About the Book

A tale of friendship and courage from the Panchatantra, an ancient Indian collection of animal fables dated to 300 BCE.

Book Synopsis

An unlikely friendship between Miss Bandari and Mr Magarmach forms when the pair meet under the great plum tree, deep in the heart of India. Mr Magarmach is old and his hunting days are over but Miss Bandari loves hearing his stories as they munch plums together. One day their friendship tested but with courage, trust and forgiveness they discover that living happily together tastes just as sweet as Miss Bandari's golden plums. The story of the monkey and the crocodile is a fable from the Panchatantra, an ancient Indian collection of animal fables dated to 300 BCE. But it's a tale from around the world and versions can be found in Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, China, Japan and the Caribbean.

From the Back Cover

Deep in the jungle, an unlikely friendship blooms between the golden-hearted monkey Miss Bandari and the old crocodile Mr. Magarmach. But what will happen when King Crocodile comes along to test their friendship? The story of the monkey and the crocodile comes from the Panchatantra, an ancient Indian collection of animal fables. Versions of this tale of courage and forgiveness can be found all around the world.

Review Quotes

Not yet published in the UK

About the Author

Sufiya Ahmed was born in India and arrived in the UK as a baby. She lived in Bolton, Lancashire, before moving to London where she still lives. Sufiya has worked in advertising and in the House of Commons, but is now a full-time author. In 2010 Sufiya set up the BIBI Foundation, a non-profit organisation, to arrange visits to the Houses of Parliament for diverse and underprivileged school children. She wrote this book about a kind-hearted bandari and a silly old magarmach after listening to her mother's tales about the Indian jungle. Reza Dalvand was born in 1989 in Iran. As a child, he had only one idea in mind: to draw. After studying graphic design at the Isfahan University of Fine Arts, he obtained a master's degree in illustration at the University of Tehran. An illustrator and author of children's books, he has published several children's books in Farsi, French, German and Japanese in Asia and Europe.