Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship: Stories from India

“Soundar’s energetic prose and wisecracking dialogue sparkle. . . . The adventures of Prince Veera and Suku will surely captivate.” —Shelf Awareness (starred review)Being a wise and just ruler is no easy task. That’s what Prince Veera discovers when he and his best friend, Suku, are given the opportunity to preside over the court of his father, King Bheema. How should they handle the case of the greedy merchant who wishes to charge people for enjoying the smells of his sweets? Can they prove that an innocent man cannot possibly spread bad luck? Will Prince Veera and Suku be able to settle the dispute between a man and his neighbor to whom he sells a well—but not the water in it? Or solve the mystery of the jewels that have turned into pickles? Illustrated by Uma Krishnaswamy, these eight stories from Chitra Soundar, inspired by Indian folktales, task Veera and Suku with outwitting the kingdom’s greediest, wiliest subjects. Are the two clever boys up to the challenge?