The Honey Hunter

by Karthika Naïr, Joëlle Jolivet (Illustrator)

In the land of eighteen tides, where three rivers meet, deep inside a mangrove forest near the Bay of Bengal, there lived thousands and thousands, maybe even gazillions, of honeybees, ruled by the Bee Goddess.

The bees filled their honeycombs with rich, golden honey - liquid light, some called it - until it ran down trees like rivulets of sunshine. All the animals and birds loved it, but one person loved honey more than anyone in the world: a little spiky-haired boy called Shonu.

One day, driven by hunger, Shonu breaks the honey-hunters' golden rule and sets off into the forest. Will he find the honey he so loves? Or will he be caught by He-Whose-Name-Must-Not-Be-Taken, the mighty and terrible Demon-Tiger?

Join one of India's finest poets and one of France's best-loved illustrators on a visual and poetic journey to the heart of the Sundarban.

Genres: Picture Books

52 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Poet and dance producer/curator, Karthika Naïr was born in Kerala and lives in Paris. Naïr is the author of Bearings, a poetry collection and The Honey Hunter/Le Tigre de Miel, a children’s book illustrated by Joëlle Jolivet. She was also the principal scriptwriter of DESH, choreographer Akram Khan’s award-winning dance production.

Reviews

[Ahmed Abrar · Rating 4 out of 5]

অপূর্ব কাহিনি, তার চেয়ে অপূর্ব অলংকরণ। কিন্তু ধপ করেই শেষ হয়ে গেল, সমাপ্তি আরো নাটকীয় আশা করেছিলাম।
ইউপিএল ইতোমধ্যে দেশের বাইরে ইংরেজিতে প্রকাশিত বই নিয়ে আবার জাহাঙ্গীরনগরের প্রাণিবিজ্ঞানের শিক্ষক মনিরুল এইচ. খানের সাথেও বসেছিল; এই কাণ্ডজ্ঞানটা দরকারি।
দুই জায়গায় ভুল দেখলাম, ছোটোদের বইতে ভুল অমার্জনীয়।

[Monowarul ইসলাম) · Rating 5 out of 5]

বইটির আর্টওয়ার্ক মুগ্ধ করে ফেলার মতোন। হয়তো, আমি বইয়ে এর চেয়ে সুন্দর আর্টওয়ার্ক দেখিনি। গল্পটা সুন্দর। তবে ছবিগুলো কয়েখাজারগুন বেশি সুন্দর।

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young child longs for more honey in this beautiful picture-book, pleading with someone (presumably a parent) to give him what he wants. In the face of his pleading, the adult tells him the story of Shonu, a young boy living in the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans, who also loved honey. When a time of hunger strikes his family and people, he disregards his parents' warning about taking honey from the forest before the bees are ready. Shonu's actions, in carelessly grabbing as much honey as he can, damage the hives and anger Dakkhin Rai, the demon-king guardian of the forest. Fortunately, the bee goddess Bonbibi, patron saint of the region, intercedes on his behalf and offers him an opportunity to set things right...

Published simultaneously in France and India in 2013, this gorgeous picture-book from Indian author Karthika Naïr and French illustrator Joëlle Jolivet was subsequently published by Little Gestalten in this edition in 2015. The story, although an original fairy-tale, has the feeling of traditional folklore, both because it uses actual figures (Bonbibi, Dakkhin Rai) from the folkloric tradition of the region, and because it is structured as a teaching tale, in which Shonu learns the importance of responsible stewardship of the natural world. The story is engaging and beautifully-written, with moments - the description of Shonu's hunger as being like something that crawled through his insides like red ants, for instance - that were truly powerful. The artwork, created in a limited but incredibly vivid palette of colors, also feels folkloric, with a stylized aesthetic that is perfectly suited to the text. An absolutely gorgeous book, The Honey Hunter is a title I would recommend, both to those who enjoy fairy and folktales, and to those who appreciate beautiful picture-book art. It's quite text-heavy for a picture-book - more like an illustrated short story in picture-book form - so I would say it's best suited to children at least six and up, although these things do vary.

[Orion · Rating 2 out of 5]

les dessins sont superbes, et le texte est très poétique mais peut-être un peu long et trop descriptif (donc compliqué pour garder un enfant engagé dans l'histoire)

[Kaitlin Bridges · Rating 3 out of 5]

A frame story that dives into a unique, enchanting tale of a young boy named Shonu who lives off the Bay of Bengal. Through their struggles of making ends meet, Shonu is starving for the sweet nectar of honey. He dreams of honey and feels his body tingle all over with the sensation of his need. But he has been told to be patient and not distrupt the pact between Dakkhin Rai and Bonbibi. Regardless of these stories and warnings, his urges get the best of him and he devours honey before the bees are ready to give it. Shonu must repay his wrongdoing by becoming a hibiscus tree to provide to the bees for the few months of summer (he transformed with a little bit of magic).

I love the way this story is told. The boy outside the story listening is asking questions, like you'd imagine him sitting with an adult reader and he's interrupting out of eagerness. The story feels like traditional folklore from the region. The vibrant colors and captivating picture make the story very engaging.

Originally published in India and France in 2013, I would recommend this international book to an older reader because it is more text heavy, or perhaps a child who can look at the pictures while an adult reads to them.

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was fun and it teaches many lessons about how to responsibly steward the earth so that we can continue to enjoy the fruits it provided us. It also teaches the consequences of bad behavior. The illustrations are gorgeous too!

[Garima Rana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating artwork and captivating story!

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite illustrations to accompany a fascinating tale.

[BooksWithMummy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book!

I can rely on Little Gestalten books to be beautiful, and this is no exception. From the moment you see the elaborate cover, you know this book is special. The inside is similarly fabulous with dramatic colour blocking.

So the book is visually stunning...what about the read itself? Just as wonderful. Nair takes a fantastical myth and captures it thoughtfully for an audience that may be unfamiliar with the tale or with Bangladeshi culture (on that point, there is a great glossary on the last page, but explanations of terms and words are peppered throughout the book).

In all, this is a beautiful book that makes a different culture very accessible to young people- huge plus!- I really want more racial and cultural diversity in my children's book collection!

Hugely recommend for children (and adults) from 8+