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Gobble You Up!: Based on a Rajasthani Folktale Rendered by Sunita and Prabhat
"Readers familiar with a certain old lady who swallowed a fly will revel in this adaptation of a Rajasthani trickster tale. Beautifully illustrated . . . this handsome volume is an art object in itself."- Kirkus Reviews
"Punchy writing and bold images make this a promising readaloud prospect. It’s a work of art, too" -Publishers Weekly
Meet the most wily jackal in the forest. Too lazy to hunt for food, he decides to trick his friend the crane, and soon gets carried away, gobbling up every animal he encounters. This lighthearted story, told in cumulative rhyme, is an adaptation of an oral trickster tale from Rajasthan, north India. It is illustrated with finger painting by the talented Sunita, a young woman artist who hails from the Meena tribe. In this handmade, silkscreen printed children's book, Sunita adapts a traditional Meena art form called Mandna, which is traditionally painted by women on the walls and floors of their village homes.
This is the first time that Mandna--rarely seen outside the confines of Meena villages--has been used in a children’s book. Each book is made completely by hand, and numbered out of a limited edition.
"Punchy writing and bold images make this a promising readaloud prospect. It’s a work of art, too" -Publishers Weekly
Meet the most wily jackal in the forest. Too lazy to hunt for food, he decides to trick his friend the crane, and soon gets carried away, gobbling up every animal he encounters. This lighthearted story, told in cumulative rhyme, is an adaptation of an oral trickster tale from Rajasthan, north India. It is illustrated with finger painting by the talented Sunita, a young woman artist who hails from the Meena tribe. In this handmade, silkscreen printed children's book, Sunita adapts a traditional Meena art form called Mandna, which is traditionally painted by women on the walls and floors of their village homes.
This is the first time that Mandna--rarely seen outside the confines of Meena villages--has been used in a children’s book. Each book is made completely by hand, and numbered out of a limited edition.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published October 8, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 4, 2013
Sometimes I find these gorgeous books from Tara to be a little... inaccessible. Faces will be hard to read, stories will be a little mystifying, I don't know. I find myself wanting to like them more than I like-like them. Not this one, though - sprightly wordplay and an atavistic chowhound of a main character absolutely make me want to whip this puppy out and parade it in front of a crowd.
DOES NOT HURT that the illustrations are made in a - what? - an unbelievably obscure medium from some village in India, hand-silkscreened on custom-made kraft paper. So respectful to the content, to the reader, but full of life nonetheless.
DOES NOT HURT that the illustrations are made in a - what? - an unbelievably obscure medium from some village in India, hand-silkscreened on custom-made kraft paper. So respectful to the content, to the reader, but full of life nonetheless.
April 17, 2018
GOBBLE YOU UP! is a thrill to read and to hold--you can feel the thick paint of the silkscreen print on the satisfyingly heavy kraft paper pages. This unique cumulative rhyme is silly and a joy to read aloud, and little eyes will enjoy finding all the animals in the jackal's belly with each page turn. This handmade gem is a work of art that all ages can appreciate (even infants will be drawn to the black & white illustrations). Bonus points for the best onamonapoeias I've ever read!
March 21, 2019
I'm obsessed with everything this publisher puts out.
July 6, 2014
What cool illustrations! And the book was made by hand rather than printed and assembled by machine.
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September 26, 2014Extraordinary art.
February 14, 2021
"Gobble You Up!" is a traditional tale about a jackal who tricks to his friend, a crane, into hunting food for him because he is too lazy. The jackal ends up eating every animal that crosses his path; which in turn bursts his stomach open and all the animals he ate being set free. I think this book would be good starting out with traditional tales, it allows the reader to determine the lesson the story is trying to tell. In this case, it could be that it is more important to value and treat your friends with kindness rather than using or taking advantage of them. Another lesson could be that it is wrong to step or bring other down if it means you will succeed.
October 28, 2018
Handmade books win every award ever. Besides being visually and literally pleasing, Gobble You Up! is a piece of creative mastery. Its retelling of an oral tradition, the culturally-themed illustrations, the handmade book itself all lend themselves to the authenticity of this text. Overall though, this is a beautiful tale and a cautionary one. Its illustrations and fun rhymes will certainly keep everyone entertained for a good long while.
Review cross-listed here!
Review cross-listed here!
April 2, 2021
This traditional tale is about a jackal who takes advantage of his friendship with a crane and uses him to collect food because he is too lazy to find any. The Jackal soon gobbles up the crane along with any other animals that comes in his path. Towards the end of the tale the Jackal's stomach explodes and despite his exploded tummy, the jackal still wants to eat more. I think the lesson that could be taught with this book is that just because you may have some disadvantages in life or there is a fork in the road, you should not use others to achieve your goals.
October 16, 2019
I liked the book because it made me think about the old lady who swallowed the fly. Along with the idea of an animal tricking critters to provide food and become food very easily heck the Jackal ate an elephant not only is that funny to think about since a Jackal is only the size of a coyote maybe a little bigger and the image of a jackal swallowing an elephant is hilarious along with how it tricks a crane into getting fish for him before he ate the crane as well.
February 17, 2021
This book is a great lesson for students about how scheming and being lazy to friends always has its way of coming back to bite you in the butt. This is a great use for students to treat their friends with kindness and fairness so that they trust you in return. This story of the Jackel is a great reminder to students that it is hard to gain trust back from friends once it has been broken, so in return, cherish all friendships.
November 13, 2020
The art is so stunning and I cannot believe this book was handmade. It feels so special just to hold it. I love that it is based on a Rajasthani folktale and that it tells the story about a jackal that ate everything while thinking it is high and mighty until its stomach gave out and burst. This can help children learn about other folktales from different cultures for sure.
February 4, 2021
This wonderful book is based on a Rajasthani folktale. It is a great way to showcase greed and selfishness to students, the jackal starts by eating his bestfriend and continues to eat and eat until his stomach explodes. Even after his stomach explodes he tries to eat other things, so the lesson for students here is don't be selfish and take what you want, it won't end well.
October 28, 2022
Ableist language. Subpar prose. Also, the animals kept changing sizes. And, they were in the jackals knees and brains. When they busted out of his stomach, he went to find a tailor bird. Though I appreciate the tradition of this art form, I’d rather it just be art and not a childrens book.
May 22, 2019
Not sure I would read this one in a storytime, but I really love the art style and texture of the book!
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November 12, 2022Amazing illustrations to this add on tale.
January 20, 2014
Based on a Rajasthani folktale, this picture book is a work of art. Jackal’s best friend is Crane, but then one day he was too lazy to hunt for food. Jackal challenged Crane to catch twelve fish all at once. Crane managed to do the feat, and then Jackal quickly gobbled down all twelve fish. Crane protested and then Jackal ate Crane too. Tortoise witnessed this, so Jackal had to eat Tortoise as well. Squirrel dared Jackal to eat him too, and Jackal managed. One by one, more animals get eaten and Jackal’s belly stretches and stretches. The elephant was more difficult to swallow, though Jackal managed. Then Jackal got very thirsty from eating all of those animals one after another. And you will just have to read the book to see how it all ends!
The first thing that you notice about this book is that it feels different in your hands. It has a different weight, a different balance. It smells different. The pages have a texture to them and the ink has body on the page that your fingers can feel. Inside, the story is told rapidly and with wonderful sounds and reactions. This is a story that comes from an oral tradition and you can hear it as you read it aloud. It flows and moves. If you are a librarian who does storytelling, get your hands on this book.
Sunita’s art is the center of the book. Called Mandna, this art form is practiced only by women and taught from mother to daughter. It is used to decorate the mud walls of homes and done without brushes. The art is beautiful, richly detailed and unique. Make sure to read the information at the end of the book for more facts about the art and how the book was made.
Unique and lovely, this is a rich folktale from a region of India that will delight and amaze. Appropriate for ages 4-8.
The first thing that you notice about this book is that it feels different in your hands. It has a different weight, a different balance. It smells different. The pages have a texture to them and the ink has body on the page that your fingers can feel. Inside, the story is told rapidly and with wonderful sounds and reactions. This is a story that comes from an oral tradition and you can hear it as you read it aloud. It flows and moves. If you are a librarian who does storytelling, get your hands on this book.
Sunita’s art is the center of the book. Called Mandna, this art form is practiced only by women and taught from mother to daughter. It is used to decorate the mud walls of homes and done without brushes. The art is beautiful, richly detailed and unique. Make sure to read the information at the end of the book for more facts about the art and how the book was made.
Unique and lovely, this is a rich folktale from a region of India that will delight and amaze. Appropriate for ages 4-8.
July 17, 2014
The wily jackal is too lazy to catch his own dinner and tricks his friend the crane into doing it for him. Next he not only eats the fish the crane has caught but the crane as well. A tortoise passing by protests at the unjust ingestion of the crane but the jackal does not want to hear it - and eats him as well. 'Ta Ta Turtle' he sings. He continues to eat any animal he encounters as they each have some reason for displeasing him. Soon he is as large as an elephant - which the elephant points out and 'Swuum' he is eaten too. Now the jackal is really to big and with just a drink of water his stomach bursts.
Such beautiful art work for this story. Nice stark contrasting prints representing the animals of the forest. The book is also handmade which adds to the storytelling atmosphere. The story and art come from Rajasthan - a northwest region of India bordering Pakistan.
This story worked well in my story time and all ages were rapt. I am always excited to find a folktale that is usable in story time as they have a certain gravitas that really grabs the audience. I paired this with 'Froodle' and 'Bark George' by Jules Fieffer - not sure what the theme would be called but it worked and was lots of fun!!
Such beautiful art work for this story. Nice stark contrasting prints representing the animals of the forest. The book is also handmade which adds to the storytelling atmosphere. The story and art come from Rajasthan - a northwest region of India bordering Pakistan.
This story worked well in my story time and all ages were rapt. I am always excited to find a folktale that is usable in story time as they have a certain gravitas that really grabs the audience. I paired this with 'Froodle' and 'Bark George' by Jules Fieffer - not sure what the theme would be called but it worked and was lots of fun!!
December 18, 2014
This book was a pleasant surprise for me. It's been on the shelf for a few months and I haven't picked it up because of the simplistic cover. After reading the story, this ended up being the book's biggest strength. Printed on brown fiborous paper, this book looks natural with its simplistic painted illustrations. The black and white jackal and his meal beautifully contrast with the lack of background, letting the story speak for itself.
The note at the beginning of the story is super duper vague, which makes me a bit sad. It simply states that the book is "based on a Rajasthani folktale," leaving this reader wondering which folktale and which part of Rajasthan (which, after looking online, I discovered is the largest state in India by area and is also a language spoken by 20 million people around the world). For a book that was so carefully crafted (from the hand silk-screened images to the hand-bound book itself), I would have liked to know more about the origins of this story than it was the illustrator's grandfather's story. Where did he hear it? How was it modified to fit the text? What did they change?
However overall a good book.
The note at the beginning of the story is super duper vague, which makes me a bit sad. It simply states that the book is "based on a Rajasthani folktale," leaving this reader wondering which folktale and which part of Rajasthan (which, after looking online, I discovered is the largest state in India by area and is also a language spoken by 20 million people around the world). For a book that was so carefully crafted (from the hand silk-screened images to the hand-bound book itself), I would have liked to know more about the origins of this story than it was the illustrator's grandfather's story. Where did he hear it? How was it modified to fit the text? What did they change?
However overall a good book.
October 22, 2014
Gobble You Up, by Sunita and Gita Wolf, is another of Tara’s hand made books. Printed on handmade brown paper with black and white drawings, it’s a captivating book in all regards. An adaptation of an oral Rajasthani trickster tale, featuring a wily jackal who tricks and eats his friend the crane. Then he proceeds to gobble up every animal he comes across.
Sunita is an artist from the Meena tribe in Rajasthan, who works in a traditional finger painting style called Mandna. This book is the first time that this art form has been used to illustrate a children’s story. To keep the feel of the art, it’s been silkscreen printed in two colors by hand on specially made kraft paper. The drawings have a lacy, delicate feel that speaks of the transitory nature of all life. It's a true work of art. If you'd like to read more about Tara books, read my blog post: http://www.joycorcoran.com/2014/10/ta...
Sunita is an artist from the Meena tribe in Rajasthan, who works in a traditional finger painting style called Mandna. This book is the first time that this art form has been used to illustrate a children’s story. To keep the feel of the art, it’s been silkscreen printed in two colors by hand on specially made kraft paper. The drawings have a lacy, delicate feel that speaks of the transitory nature of all life. It's a true work of art. If you'd like to read more about Tara books, read my blog post: http://www.joycorcoran.com/2014/10/ta...
April 10, 2014
This book is absolutely stunning! The art is done in a median that I have never heard of called Mandna, which apparently is rarely seen outside of the villages. This book is even more impressive because the publisher wanted to stay true to the illustrations and printed the illustrations on special paper and the book is also sewn together and hand bound. This folk tale is about a jackal that is hungry but too lazy to hunt so he tricks his friend the crane and then eats all the animals that come near him. Older kids will enjoy this book as well as adults who appreciate beautiful and unique illustrations.
May 13, 2014
The book I read is part of numbered edition 2944 of 7000.
There is nothing too special about the fairy tale, which tells of a cautionary tale about avoiding avarice. However, Gobble You Up! is such a beautifully made book. This book is handmade using Mandna, which is an ancient art form practiced by female villagers of Datasooti village in Rajasthan, India. Their art is rarely seen outside of the village, and no brushes are involved. They use a piece of cloth soaked in chalk and lime paste, squeezed thru the artist's fingers in a fluid line.
Fetching!
There is nothing too special about the fairy tale, which tells of a cautionary tale about avoiding avarice. However, Gobble You Up! is such a beautifully made book. This book is handmade using Mandna, which is an ancient art form practiced by female villagers of Datasooti village in Rajasthan, India. Their art is rarely seen outside of the village, and no brushes are involved. They use a piece of cloth soaked in chalk and lime paste, squeezed thru the artist's fingers in a fluid line.
Fetching!
May 6, 2014
The handmade sticker on the front of the book immediately drew my attention. The artwork is detailed and gorgeous and I love the historical info provided on the last two pages. The story reminds me of one of the dark fairy tales my mother told me as a little girl; which were always very different from the disney-fied things my classmates got.
November 11, 2013
A great scary-fun story from folklore for reading to your very young child. The edition is hand-done and extraordinarily beautiful. It's a book to be treasured, enjoyed, and read aloud many times.
December 13, 2013
A trickster tale similar to There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly in which a jackal eats animals until his stomach explodes.
The book itself is pretty cool because it's handmade and there's a two page spread following the story about the artist and her technique.
The book itself is pretty cool because it's handmade and there's a two page spread following the story about the artist and her technique.
May 6, 2014
Unusual art style from India, along with a traditional Indian folktale which was rewritten in a simple, but traditional folktale style, including a recurring rhyming chant. The story is simple enough to share with preschool children and sophisticated enough to share with early elementary children.
October 10, 2014
This book is beautiful! To keep the feel of the original art the book is silkscreen printed in two colors by hand on specially made paper. The quality and care they took to bring this book and art form to the masses really shows.
January 4, 2016
Published by Tara Books based in Chennai, India.
Based on an adaption of an oral Rajasthani trickster tale and featuring the art of Sunita, an artist from the Meena tribe in Rajasthan using a traditional finger painting style called Mandna.
Based on an adaption of an oral Rajasthani trickster tale and featuring the art of Sunita, an artist from the Meena tribe in Rajasthan using a traditional finger painting style called Mandna.
October 10, 2013
Amazing handcrafted book; a true gem.
December 11, 2013
A fun cumulative tale from India. The book was printed in two colors by hand and sewn together. I loved the personal, special feel and inky smell of this book. I read 1383/7000 from my local library.
December 15, 2013
Stunning illustrations and a physically very gratifying book to hold. One to read alongside I Know an Old Lady. The text is slightly laboured but don't let this put you off.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews