Book: Paro of the Sundarbans (Paro & the Jungle)
Published: May 2023
Author: Vaishnavi Giri
Illustrator: Pallavi Jain
Publisher: Karadi Tales
For Age group: 4+
Number of pages: 36
In the vast mangroves of the Sundarbans, little Paro the mudskipper is lost. Far from her marshland home, she has to find her way back through a forest full of busy silver rhesus macaques, a scheming checkered keelback snake, a sinister terrapin, and the fierce, majestic tiger.
This is a beautiful nature-centric picture book. Vaishnavi Giri doesn't make it a preachy environmental lesson — she makes it an adventure. Children learn about a very unique ecosystem (mangroves, mudskippers, Sunderbans) while rooting for a tiny, brave hero.
The real star is the art. Pallavi Jain's watercolours make the Sundarbans leap to life — lush green, muddy, mysterious and alive. The long 14x7 inch format feels like you are travelling through the mangroves with Paro.
What I loved:
- A female protagonist who is small but courageous
- Introduces Indian wildlife beyond lions and elephants
- Perfect for read-aloud, rich vocabulary but simple story
- Production quality is excellent, as expected from Karadi Tales
For whom: 4-8 year olds, nature lovers, and for your library collection of Indian picture books. A great addition.
Rating: 4.5/5 — Short, sweet and visually stunning. Goes slow where it needs to.
Apeksha R. Tandel
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