Sambad Bichitra Grandma and the Great Gourd By Chitra Banerjee ...

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Sambad Biichiitra
Bengali New Year Edition
Grandma and the Great Gourd
By Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Reviewed by: Shukla Chatterjee Sarkar
Well‐known and prolific Bengali‐
American writer, Chitra Banerjee
Divakaruni has published her first
children’s picture book, Grandma and
the great Gourd. In retelling this
Bengali folk tale, Divakaruni uses vivid
description, onomatopoeia (words that
imitate sounds), and develops a simple
yet engaging story‐line.
When Grandma sets out to visit her
daughter, she must go through a dense
forest where a fox, a bear, and a tiger
want to eat her. She talks them out of
eating her, saying she will be a lot
fatter, juicier and plumper on her way
back from her daughter’s house
because her daughter such a good cook! But what does Grandma do on her way back Now
that she is fatter, plumper and juicier How will she persuade the predators not to eat her
Grandma and her daughter are smart and very innovative but will they be able to trick the fox,
the bear and the tiger that are waiting to eat her
The story is enriched by timely repetitions such as Grandma’s encounters with the animals, the
highly effective and typical Bengali sounds, such as, the dogs saying “gheu, gheu” grandma
walking ” khut, khut” or the lizards “slithering over dry leaves, khash,khash”. These aspects
make this book a pleasure to read aloud. The beautiful and colorful illustrations make the book
visually appealing and help move the plot forward. This new version of a very old story is sure
to be a favorite of young listeners and those who read it to them.
Published by Bengali Association of Southern California - 4 th year, 1 st issue, May 2013

Upcoming Events
Sambad Biichiitra
Bengali New Year Edition
Published by Bengali Association of Southern California - 4 th year, 1 st issue, May 2013