The Elephant Prince: The Story of Ganesh

by Amy Novesky, Belgin K. Wedman (Illustrator)

Overview

Elephant-headed and big-bellied, mischievous and sweet, the god Ganesh is one of the most familiar faces in the world. But why does he have the head of an elephant? Set in the Himalayas in a time of gods and goddesses, Elephant Prince tells the story of a remarkable bond between a mother and her son, a remorseful god, a generous elephant and the boy who became Ganesh. Belgin K. Wedman's jewel-toned illustrations, reminiscent of classical Indian miniatures, complement this poetic story of one of the most beloved gods of all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781886069169
Publisher:	Palace Publishing Group, LP
Publication date:	10/28/2004
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Amy Novesky likes to write picture books about interesting people and places. She is the award-winning author of ELEPHANT PRINCE, illustrated by Belgin Wedman; ME, FRIDA, about Frida Kahlo in San Francisco, illustrated by David Diaz; GEORGIA IN HAWAII, about Georgia O'Keeffe's travels in the Hawaiian islands, illustrated by Yuyi Morales; and IMOGEN, THE MOTHER OF MODERNISM AND THREE BOYS, about photographer Imogen Cunningham, illustrated by Lisa Congdon. LANGSTON HUGHES' LULLABY, illustrated by Sean Qualls, and MISTER & LADY DAY, about Billie Holiday and her beloved dogs, illustrated by Vanessa Newton, will follow in 2013. Amy lives and writes just north of San Francisco. To learn more about Amy, please visit her website: www.amynovesky.com.

Editorial Reviews

K-Gr 4-Novesky retells the less-popular but authentic version of how the Hindu god Ganesh came to have the head of an elephant. Basing her text on the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, she recounts how the lovely goddess Parvati fell in love with the blue-skinned god, Shiva, and longed to have his child. After a year, a baby is born, but when the gods come to celebrate, Parvati insists that the god Shani look upon her son, forgetting that whatever he looks upon is destroyed. When the baby's head turns to ash, the god Vishnu restores him to life by replacing the head with that of an elephant. Parvati tells the story to the Elephant Prince as he sits on her lap, and the constancy of her love and affection is captured beautifully in both text and illustrations. Wedman's watercolor, gouache, and gold-leaf illustrations have a shimmering loveliness and are replete with charming details. Harish Johari and Vatsala Sperling's How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head (Bear Cub, 2003) is based on the other version of this tale, in which Parvati creates Ganesh herself to guard her privacy, and its lengthier narrative is more suited to older readers. Elephant Prince is a welcome addition to folklore shelves.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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