Ganesha's Sweet Tooth

by Sanjay Patel, Emily Haynes

The bold, bright colors of India leap right off the page in this fresh and funny picture book retelling (with a twist) of how Ganesha came to help write the epic poem of Hindu literature, the Mahabharata. Ganesha is just like any other kid, except that he has the head of an elephant and rides around on a magical mouse. And he loves sweets, especially the traditional dessert laddoo. But when Ganesha insists on biting into a super jumbo jawbreaker laddoo, his tusk breaks off! Ganesha is terribly upset, but with the help of the wise poet Vyasa, and his friend Mr. Mouse, he learns that what seems broken can actually be quite useful after all. With vibrant, graphic illustrations, expressive characters, and offbeat humor, this is a wonderfully inventive rendition of a classic tale.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Mythology, India, Fiction, Cultural, Religion

34 pages, Hardcover

First published September 19, 2012

About the author

Sanjay Patel is an animator and storyboard artist for Pixar Animation Studios, where he has worked on many features including A Bug's Life, Ratatouille, and the Cars series. Sanjay is also the creator of Ramayana: Divine Loophole, The Big Poster Book of Hindu Deities, and The Little Book of Hindu Deities. His modern interpretations of Hindu epics have been exhibited at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum.

Reviews

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need Baby Ganesha running around my house because he is freakishly adorable! SO VERY CUTE!
Loosely based on the tale of Ganesha breaking his tusk to make a pen, this story involves little Ganesha breaking his tusk on a Super Jumbo Jawbreaker laddoo! Bwahahaha!
I was completely over-cuted by the illustrations, from big-eyed, decorative Ganesha to the perfectly-tailed Mr. Mouse to all the shapes and colors and designs going on in the background.
The story is fun, too, and a good introduction to Hindu mythology which can get long and confusing but when broken down like this, is very easy to wrap one's mind around.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable little tale about Ganesha and his mouse companion, and how Ganesha comes to transcribe the Mahabharata for Vyasa. This tale loosely follows the myth/legend, and uses plenty of humour and action. Sanjay Patel's illustrations are beautiful, energetic, almost frenetic, and detailed, and remind me of both Indian artwork from my childhood and intricate, henna patterns.

[Rebecca Crunden]

✾ children’s book review ✾

A lovely little tale!

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[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 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.

[Latasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute! Cute story and illustrations.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fun and cute book with some of the best illustrations I've ever seen in an easy picture book. A great way to introduce kids to other religions and cultures.

[Kristen Dutkiewicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book for a diversity or multi-cultural theme! This would make a great starting book for Hinduism or Indian mythology.

Ganesha is just a regular kid - with the head of an elephant. And a love for sweets! When he bites into a jawbreaker, his tusk falls off! Ganesha is very upset and tries to fix it until realizing he can use his broken tusk like a pencil.

These were some of my favorite illustrations for a children’s book!

[Adriana Villagomez · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if gods were like us? What would they do or react to certain situations? Well in this story, it is based off of one of the Hindu gods, Ganesha, as a child and his love of candy, especially the laddoo. Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth is a fantasy folklore loosely based off of Hindu mythology. The point of view in this story alternates between first person(Ganesha and Mr. Mouse) and narrator. This story is about how Ganesha lost his tooth and uses his tooth to write a scribe for a wise man. It starts off with Ganesha and Mr. Mouse going around to the temples and eating the candy that is offered to them. They come across a special type of candy called a laddoo. This special laddoo is more like a jawbreaker and Ganesha cannot resist taking a bite, even after Mr. Mouse warns him. Ganesha’s tusk breaks off and he feels embarrassed and humiliated that he only has one tooth. He meets an old man named Vyasa, who asks him if he can write a scribe using his tooth. In the end, Ganesha forgets all about how funny he looks with only one tooth.
This was an interesting book for me because I am not familiar with Hindu mythology so it was interesting to read something of a different culture. The pictures in this story are very colorful and creative and guide the story very well. I think this book could go with a theme about different religions or mythologies. It also conveys the message that it is okay to be different from everyone else. Overall, I think this would be a great book to have on hand, even though it doesn't give extensive information on this certain Hindu mythology, it does encourage greater discussion and research about this topic. The illustrations of this book are very colorful and whimsical, and the story is easy to follow that has a happy ending.

[Thaís Henriques Barros De Oliveira · Rating 5 out of 5]

História interessante, informativa e culturalmente rica. Ilustração incrível, muito colorida e detalhada!

[RLL220_SandraJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Summary of Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth : Ganesha is a Hindu God, who is a kid, and has an elephant head. His friend is a mouse and together they travel to temples to collect sweets. One day while being out, Ganesha found a new type of laddoo ( Indian dessert). It was a jawbreaker that ended breaking his tusk. Vyaska a poet ask Ganesha if he can write a story that no human can write because it’s too long and “all pens in the world will break before it was done.” Vyaska convinces Ganesha to write the story with his tusk. Ganesha writes the Mahabharata , which is an ancient Sanskrit poem . At the end Ganesh forgets about his tusk and eats soft laddoos with his friend the mouse.

Reading this book made me confuse on how I should feel about a god being portrayed as a little kid. I understand that it helps children understand the story better. But I also think portraying a god as a child can be offensive because people actually look up to Ganesha. From the authors note it says this is a popular legend in Hindu mythology, that they changed a bit. I think it would of been better to not change the story and teach kids what really happen in the legend.

Illustrations and textual: I can honestly say I loved the illustrations because the bright colors automatically caught my attention. There were pinks, blues,yellows and there were many flower prints .The illustrations made want to stop and actually look at what type of animals were being used. Many shapes were used in the back ground and the eyes of all characters were enlarge . These were by far my favorite illustrations I have ever seen in any children’s book. I also loved the text because it wasn’t just one big paragraph but many small ones with numbers that the reader had to follow, which I thought would be fun for children.

I would use this book to teach 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, graders of the real story of Ganesha. By having an educational video or movie for those grades on Ganesha and Vyaska. Then have them compare the book to the movie or video. The story talked about Indian desert, so I would have children bring their favorite desert. I would have 1st and 2nd graders write a story when something bad happen to them but they turn it around by doing something nice in return for someone else.


Strength and weakness:

Strengths, I would have to say the illustrations and textual because it was different. The colors being used and the detail that the author had in the background was something different from I’ve seen. Also, the text was very enjoyable to follow. I also, liked the lesson behind it about helping someone. The only weakness is how the god is being portrayed and how the story is changed.

[Anjali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book. Loved the illustrations

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved the art style, super adorable. The story was a little advanced for a baby board book, but it's still a pretty cute and funny introduction to Ganesha.

[soylatte · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Holly Claxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredibly adorable!! Among the super colorful illustrations, there's a cute story kids of all ages and races can enjoy.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was adorable. I loved Sanjay Patel's art, which resembled henna in parts.

[Elizabeth Leonard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has great text and illustrations. The choice of colors in the illustrations and the consistency of keeping to only those colors throughout the book were lovely and like the summary said they show the colors of India.
The story is rich in cultural details and shows how Gansha the Hindu God came to write the poem Mahabharata. The story also tells of how Ganesha goes to the temples to gather offerings by Hindu people. The way that Ganesha and all the other characters are dressed throughout the book represents a traditional dress of Hindu Indian people.
This book calls for students to think critically and reflect once the poet Vyasa has Ganesha write the poem. One of the concepts a reader can pull from the story is that Ganesha learned from the wise poet Vyasa that what once seems broken can actually be quite useful after all is also introduced.
One aspect of the book that could be seen as a flaw is that it is not the true story told in the Hindu religion. This was stated in the author’s note. The author’s intention instead of rewriting the story was to grab the readers interest to cause then to research the story more. this is an interesting topic for a children's book.

[Angela Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title / Author / Publication Date:
Ganesha's sweet tooth. / Sanjay Patel. / 2012.

Genre: Nonfiction.

Format: Picturebook - print.

Plot summary:
"An original story based on Hindu mythology, this book tells the story about how Ganesha's love of sweets led to a broken tusk and the writing of the epic poem, the Mahabharata. Includes author's note about the myth" (NoveList).

Considerations or precautions for readers advisory:
Hinduism, Ganesha, candy, mythology

Review citation:
"There's a pleasant color palette of pink, aquamarine, gold, cream, and black, and busy patterns of swirling graphic elements add energy to the boldly designed pages. ... Libraries owning Amy Novesky's more richly rendered Elephant Prince: The Story of Ganesha (Mandala, 2004) and others may like to add this one"(Margaret Bush in School Library Journal).

Section source used to find the material:
NYPL Children's Books 2012: Picture Books

Recommended age: Ages 4 - 8.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an humorous adaptation of the story of how Ganesha wrote down the Mahabharata for the sage Vyasa. The narrative is short and easy for young children to understand and the illustrations are vibrant and adorable.

My husband has always been a big fan of Ganesha from his visits to Thailand; he even has a small shrine for Ganesha that he brought back home and keeps by his desk. So we'd heard of the Hindu deity and have read How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head, that detailed how Ganesh(a) got his elephant head in the first place. This story gave us another small insight into his character.

Overall, we thought this was an entertaining story and we loved the pictures. We really enjoyed reading this book together, and our girls read this book aloud to my hubby the next day.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loosely based on a classic Hindu legend, this picture book retelling of the story takes certain liberties with the tale of Ganesha in order to add humor. As a child, Ganesha, a plump Hindu god, had quite a sweet tooth, and he broke his tusk while eating a hard candy. Embarrassed and frustrated, he pitches quite a fit, and throws the tusk at the moon, accidentally hitting Vyasa who enlists his help as a scribe in recording the epic Mahabharata. Back matter provides background to this engaging and funny story while the Adobe Illustrator illustrations are filled with cartoon-like images and colors that are sure to draw in young readers. This is a surprising topic for a children's picture book, but I love the idea of its accessibility.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a reimagination of a Hindu myth, Ganesha breaks his tusk on a piece of candy and then uses his tusk to transcribe the Mahabharata as recited by Vyasa.

Vibrant, graphic illustrations make this book a sweet treat. Each page is like staring up at a movie marquee from the old Hollywood days when they were glitteringly bright with lights and wonder.

The story is funny, charming and mystical and I think perfectly achieves the author's goal of entertaining readers whil inspiring them to delve deeper into Hindu mythology.

[The Styling Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth by Sanjay Patel and Emily Haynes – 3rd grade and up, Multicultural – Fascinating to read this interpretation of how Ganesha came to write the epic poem of Hindu literature, the Mahabharata. I thought the adaptation was special, humorous, and appropriate for introducing culture and beliefs to others. This is part of the Panda Book Award program, thrilled to finally have the book to add to the library.

[Indira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luxmi's Christmas gift this year. Beautiful illustrations, as always since it's Sanjay Patel's work and I'm a huge fan. The story is sweet and a great introduction to Hindu mythology for kids. This will no doubt be a wonderful addition to her bookshelf.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colors that really pop in these illustrations.

[Peacegal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is another example of how children's books can be a vehicle for some fantastic art.

[Mona-Paulina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun, bright and colorful retelling of a traditional Hindu myth. Whether you are familiar with the original tale or not, this book is perfect for reading aloud and beautifully illustrated.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in board book format...maybe a little wordy for that age BUT gorgeously illustrated and definitely a delightful flip-through.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sanjay Patel’s Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth, co-written with Emily Haynes, is a gem of a children’s book that takes a slice of one of India’s most enduring myths and gives it a fresh, playful spin.

First published in 2012, it stands out immediately for its visual brilliance—Patel’s background as an animator at Pixar is unmistakable in the way the illustrations explode with bold colours, modern lines, and a sense of kinetic joy.

The story itself is rooted in a classic moment from Hindu mythology, the tale of how Ganesha, the elephant-headed god, became the scribe of Vyasa’s Mahabharata, yet Patel and Haynes reimagine it with a childlike charm and humour that makes it entirely approachable.

The book begins by introducing Ganesha not as a solemn deity, but as a little boy-god with a sweet tooth. His love for laddus is endearing and instantly relatable to children, and Patel adds an inventive twist by creating a “jawbreaker laddu”—a treat so hard that even the god who loves sweets most cannot chew through it.

The moment Ganesha bites into it, he breaks one of his tusks. This little accident sets off the story’s emotional core: Ganesha’s embarrassment and frustration at losing a tusk. Patel makes sure young readers feel his sense of loss but also his comic indignation, which is softened by the bright, humorous illustrations that prevent the tale from ever slipping into sadness.

The turning point arrives when Ganesha encounters Vyasa, the sage-poet who is preparing to dictate the epic Mahabharata. Vyasa needs a scribe capable of keeping up with his verses, someone steady, creative, and dedicated. At first, Ganesha is hesitant; after all, what can an elephant-headed child who has just broken his tusk offer to such a monumental task? But here comes the book’s key message: imperfection can be turned into opportunity.

Ganesha realises he can use his broken tusk as a pen, transforming what once seemed like a flaw into a tool for creation.

The story flows with a gentle rhythm, using simple but witty language that plays well when read aloud. There’s humour tucked into the pages, not just in the text but also in the illustrations—tiny details, exaggerated expressions, and whimsical flourishes that draw children into the myth. Patel’s visual style borrows elements from traditional Indian art—geometric patterns, flat planes of bold colour, ornamental detail—but reimagines them with a contemporary, graphic edge.

The effect is both reverent and playful, paying homage to tradition while making it vibrant for a modern audience.

What makes Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth truly memorable is the way it balances entertainment with a subtle moral. The book does not preach but instead demonstrates through Ganesha’s journey that mistakes, flaws, or accidents can be reinterpreted as strengths.

For children, this is a powerful lesson: losing something or failing at something does not diminish one’s worth but can become the foundation for creativity. For parents or educators, it offers a chance to discuss resilience, problem-solving, and the value of imagination in everyday life.

Reading this in context with Patel’s other work—most notably his short film Sanjay’s Super Team—it becomes clear that he is deeply invested in retelling Indian myths for contemporary audiences in ways that honour their spirit while making them playful, approachable, and universal.

In Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth, this approach works beautifully. The book takes what could have been a distant, lofty myth and translates it into the simple story of a childlike god who loves candy, breaks a tooth, and discovers that imperfection can lead to greatness.

Even though the story is meant for children, it resonates with adults too. The message about creativity and resilience, the humour, and the sheer joy of Patel’s illustrations make it a book that one wants to linger over. It feels both timeless and fresh, reminding us that myths are living stories that can be retold again and again in new ways.

Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth is more than just a children’s book—it’s a celebration of art, myth, and the joyful mischief of turning a mistake into a masterpiece.

[Rainbow Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though it might be called a retelling, Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth takes elements of this classic legend, and creates an entirely unique, modern story. In this tale, we follow Ganesha, who can’t resist a sweet treat, as he stumbles upon a new kind of laddoo (a traditional Indian dessert). While he enthusiastically eats the laddoo, he has a bit of an accident and breaks off his tusk. Ganesha tries everything to repair his tusk, but doesn’t find a solution to his problem until he meets an old man who helps him find a unique use for the tusk after all.

With off-beat humor and wonderful illustrations, this board book is sure to delight young readers. Whether your family practices Hinduism or you’re just looking to introduce young readers to cultures other than your own, I would absolutely recommend Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth. Complete with a wonderful Author’s Note including common pronunciations and more information about the original folktale, this lovely book would be a wonderful addition to both home and school libraries.

I want to thank Chronicle Books for sharing a review copy of this delightful book with me!

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[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the illustrations and the allusion to Hindu mythology in this book. Ganesha & Mr. Mouse love sweets. Mr. Mouse warns Ganesha not to bite into the jawbreaker, but Ganesha doesn't listen. Then, in trying to find a way to reattach his tooth, Ganesha finds a purpose for his tooth instead. Ganesha is so busy recording Vyasa's story that he forgets about the sweets & Mr. Mouse has finished them all off by the time Ganesha is through.

Teaching points: mythology, dental health, sharing, work ethic, SEL: self-image, culture

Suggested grade level: K-2

Location:
LES library
NC Kids Digital Library (ebook - Libby app)
EPIC! Books for Kids (ebook)

Related reads:
Addy's Cup of Sugar: Based on a Buddhist Story of Healing by Jon J. Muth
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
Tomorrow Most Likely by Dave Eggers

[Annika Mackley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is about the young Hindu God, Ganesha and his love for candy. One day Ganesha is eating a jaw breaker and breaks his tooth. He becomes upset with his appearance and throws the tooth. The tooth hits an old man and the old man asks Ganesha to write his story for him. Ganesha uses his tusk to write the poets story.
This fun story is full of illustrations that are beautifully colored and appealing to the eye. The style the illustrator uses reflects Hindu culture through the repetitive patterns and designs. Bright colors are used to express happiness and excitement and darker colors are used to express sadness. The illustrations take up all the space on the pages with the text written over them. The story also addresses some issues such as appearance. This is seen when Ganesha is upset he lost his tooth and thinks he looks weird because of it. The book does a good job at addressing this issue by having Mr. Mouse talk to Ganesha and explain losing a tooth is normal and that nothing is wrong with the way he looks. This promotes a high self esteem in the reader as they see it is good to have confidence in the way they look and not feel down if they look different.
This book is also a good example of multicultural literature as its story revolves around the Hindu culture. It can entice interest among the reader to look more into Ganesha and other Hindu Gods. I believe this would be a fun book to read aloud to the class as it can be appealing to look at as well as a fun story to listen too. It is also a good book to use as an introduction to other cultures as part of a lesson.