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The Sacred Banana Leaf
Kanchil, the beloved trickster mouse-deer of Indonesian folklore, falls into a pit. With only a banana leaf for company, he invents a prophecy to trick some unlikely animals into helping him out—if the world doesn’t end first! And if anyone dares sneeze, the consequences will be dire. This sequel to the popular Mangoes and Bananas is illustrated in the Patachitra tradition of Orissa, eastern India; it is an intricate and colorful painting style that brings a cast of enchanting animals to life. Born and raised in India, Colorado-based Nathan Kumar Scott is a collector of folktales from around the world.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 14, 2010
Kanchil the mouse deer evidently is a popular trickster figure from Indonesian and Malaysian folklore. Like many tricksters, the small and defenseless deer has to use his intelligence and quick wit as weapons against the stronger forces in the forest. In this story, though, Kanchil's problem is one of his own making. Distracted while eating delicious sweet rice cakes wrapped in a banana leaf, Kanchil stumbles into a pit in the forest. Unable to get out by himself, he tricks several passing animals into the pit with him by explaining that the "sacred" banana leaf predicts the end of the world today except for any creature hiding in the pit. Kanchil soon has a lot of company in his pit, and a clever way to escape his situation so he can go back to the market for more of those delicious rice cakes.
The illustrations in this book are extraordinary. They were created by Radhashyam Raut, a traditional Indian artist who paints in the patachitra style from Eastern India. This book claims to be the first children's story illustrated in this way. A Patachitra artist traditionally uses white, yellow, red, black, and blue -- colors that could be derived from natural materials. This book employs these vibrant hues along with greens and oranges. Young children will delight at the extraordinary colors and symmetrical, repeated patterns. Just as Kanchil repeats the same explanation to trick other animals into his pit, the illustrations repeat beautiful patterns taken from traditional patachitra art. The text and art are uncluttered and contribute to the development of the story. I think children in both lower and upper elementary grades will find this book a pleasant departure from the picture books they are used to seeing.
Although Kanchil tricks his friends to save himself, this book does demonstrate how a quick wit can get someone out of a seemingly impossible situation.
The illustrations in this book are extraordinary. They were created by Radhashyam Raut, a traditional Indian artist who paints in the patachitra style from Eastern India. This book claims to be the first children's story illustrated in this way. A Patachitra artist traditionally uses white, yellow, red, black, and blue -- colors that could be derived from natural materials. This book employs these vibrant hues along with greens and oranges. Young children will delight at the extraordinary colors and symmetrical, repeated patterns. Just as Kanchil repeats the same explanation to trick other animals into his pit, the illustrations repeat beautiful patterns taken from traditional patachitra art. The text and art are uncluttered and contribute to the development of the story. I think children in both lower and upper elementary grades will find this book a pleasant departure from the picture books they are used to seeing.
Although Kanchil tricks his friends to save himself, this book does demonstrate how a quick wit can get someone out of a seemingly impossible situation.
September 22, 2013
The illustrations are absolutely beautiful in this book. Inspired by the Patachitra style of Indian artwork, 'The Sacred Banana Leaf' is a visual beauty with a humorous story line. It tells the story of a banana leaf loving deer who gets trapped in a ditch. He devises a cunning plan to trick the other animals of the forest and get himself out of the ditch.
Whilst this book was stunning to look at, I was slightly disappointed in the 'trick'. After reading K. P. Kojo's book 'The Parade' (re-written tales about Anansi), I do have high expectations of trickster tales. Unfortunately with 'The Sacred Banana Leaf' I had worked out the trick by the middle of the book. Nonetheless, I do feel that children would enjoy the story.
I would recommend this book to either be used in literacy lessons as a resource in supporting lessons in story or persuasive writing for KS2 classrooms. Additionally this book is also an excellent resource for art lessons and enlightening pupils on cultural art. Possibly the children could replicate some of the illustrations from the book, or even do research into the artistic styles of their home countries.
Whilst this book was stunning to look at, I was slightly disappointed in the 'trick'. After reading K. P. Kojo's book 'The Parade' (re-written tales about Anansi), I do have high expectations of trickster tales. Unfortunately with 'The Sacred Banana Leaf' I had worked out the trick by the middle of the book. Nonetheless, I do feel that children would enjoy the story.
I would recommend this book to either be used in literacy lessons as a resource in supporting lessons in story or persuasive writing for KS2 classrooms. Additionally this book is also an excellent resource for art lessons and enlightening pupils on cultural art. Possibly the children could replicate some of the illustrations from the book, or even do research into the artistic styles of their home countries.
July 1, 2012
This is truly a beautiful book and an enchanting folklore. It tells a well-known Indonesian folklore of a tiny little mouse deer name Kanchil. Whilst enjoying his rice cakes in the forest, he falls into a pit and he cannot get out. He then thinks up a prophecy of how the world is going to end that day and tricks a snake, a wild boar and a hungry tiger to get him out. Although he tricked the other animals to help him, it just explains to children that sometimes you have to be quick witted just like Kanchil to survive.
The book comes with a game that you can make and play. It also provides a background to the story, the illustrator and the meaning of the book which you can share with your class. There are suggestions on how you can use the book for example, children to make their own story about a trick just like Kanchil. You could possibly act the story out using costumes and puppets. I think this book can be used throughout the key stages. It is versatile depending on how you choose to use the book.
The book comes with a game that you can make and play. It also provides a background to the story, the illustrator and the meaning of the book which you can share with your class. There are suggestions on how you can use the book for example, children to make their own story about a trick just like Kanchil. You could possibly act the story out using costumes and puppets. I think this book can be used throughout the key stages. It is versatile depending on how you choose to use the book.
September 11, 2013
The mouse-deer holds the tradition of beloved trickster in Indonesian culture munch the way coyote and crow do in some Native American traditions. The art in this book reflects traditional styles as well, including intense colors and details in refined shapes. The pattern of the story will be familiar to readers from many cultures, with the welcome lesson that wits are better than muscles and fangs.
June 22, 2012
This children storybook is about the Indonesian folktale of the shrewd Si Kancil Anak Nakal!
Naturally I wanted to read it, songs about Si Kancil (lit. "The Deer") had been sung to us Indonesians when we were kids, repeatedly, until the songs got stuck in our heads.
Indeed, Kancil's craftiness is legendary. Now that I have read the story in full, I finally understand why.
Naturally I wanted to read it, songs about Si Kancil (lit. "The Deer") had been sung to us Indonesians when we were kids, repeatedly, until the songs got stuck in our heads.
Indeed, Kancil's craftiness is legendary. Now that I have read the story in full, I finally understand why.
November 20, 2008
An Indonesian fable, the pages are beautifully illustrated.
February 25, 2021
This is a folk tale from Indonesia or Malaysia. I didn't like the trickster story. I enjoyed the information at the end about trickster characters, paintings, and a card game.
December 18, 2010
Patachitra--India--painting on canvas--description and photos in back of book
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews