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The Rumor: A Jataka Tale from India
*New paperback edition*
"The world is breaking up!"
As the worrywart hare settles down for a quiet nap in her favorite sun-dappled grove of palms and mango trees, she is startled into action by a sudden and very loud explosion.
Convinced that the world is breaking up, the hare tears out of the grove, into a thicket, across a marshland, through a forest, out into the scrubland and onto the open plain. Along the way she spreads her alarming news, gathering up an ever-increasing herd of terrified creatures. The stampede continues and the frenzy grows, until one wise voice prevails…
Perfect for reading aloud, this traditional story from India is a lovely version of a classic "The Sky Is Falling" tale. Vibrant illustrations set inside exquisite borders have an effect like gorgeous tapestries on every page. The richness of each illustration adds layers to this deceptively simple fable, and young readers will love to pore over the art to pick up the hidden details in each piece.
Nature Notes at the back of the book give additional information on the wildlife, featured in the story and illustrations, as well as the origins of the tale and the style of illustration.
"The world is breaking up!"
As the worrywart hare settles down for a quiet nap in her favorite sun-dappled grove of palms and mango trees, she is startled into action by a sudden and very loud explosion.
Convinced that the world is breaking up, the hare tears out of the grove, into a thicket, across a marshland, through a forest, out into the scrubland and onto the open plain. Along the way she spreads her alarming news, gathering up an ever-increasing herd of terrified creatures. The stampede continues and the frenzy grows, until one wise voice prevails…
Perfect for reading aloud, this traditional story from India is a lovely version of a classic "The Sky Is Falling" tale. Vibrant illustrations set inside exquisite borders have an effect like gorgeous tapestries on every page. The richness of each illustration adds layers to this deceptively simple fable, and young readers will love to pore over the art to pick up the hidden details in each piece.
Nature Notes at the back of the book give additional information on the wildlife, featured in the story and illustrations, as well as the origins of the tale and the style of illustration.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
1 person is currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Jan Thornhill
27 books17 followersI was born in 1955 in Sudbury, but spent most of my childhood in southern Ontario where, encouraged by my artist mother and engineer/inventor father, I developed a life-long passion for both art and the natural world. I spent a lot of time exploring the fields, woods, ponds, and streams near where I lived, and was an avid collector of things I found. I brought home all kinds of treasures – skulls and fossils, bird feathers and empty nests, insects, snake skins, fallen leaves. Eventually I labeled everything and made a museum in the basement. I thought I’d get rich by charging a 5¢ entry fee…but my mum was the only one who paid!
After high school, I attended the Ontario College of Art where I had fun making experimental films and videos – not drawing and painting. For about ten years after that, I illustrated freelance for magazines and newspapers, and did odd jobs such as sewing thousands of beads and sequins on Dolly Parton’s dresses. Finally, in the late eighties, I switched to the much richer life of creating children’s books. From the beginning, the aim of these wildlife-based books has been to foster in young readers a love of art, nature and the environment.
I live in the Kawarthas in a house in the woods that my husband and I built. As well as making books, I grow organic vegetables, raise a few chickens each year, make bread from captured wild yeast, and wander around in the woods looking for wild mushrooms, slime molds, beetles and animal skulls. A lot of the things I find – skulls, snake skins, desiccated insects, a mummified bat & hummingbirds, etc. – have made their way into what I call my “museum-in-a-bag,” a collection of natural treasures I share with kids when I visit schools. I’m an obsessive observer of the world around me, so much so that I consider a day I haven’t learned something to be a day wasted.
After high school, I attended the Ontario College of Art where I had fun making experimental films and videos – not drawing and painting. For about ten years after that, I illustrated freelance for magazines and newspapers, and did odd jobs such as sewing thousands of beads and sequins on Dolly Parton’s dresses. Finally, in the late eighties, I switched to the much richer life of creating children’s books. From the beginning, the aim of these wildlife-based books has been to foster in young readers a love of art, nature and the environment.
I live in the Kawarthas in a house in the woods that my husband and I built. As well as making books, I grow organic vegetables, raise a few chickens each year, make bread from captured wild yeast, and wander around in the woods looking for wild mushrooms, slime molds, beetles and animal skulls. A lot of the things I find – skulls, snake skins, desiccated insects, a mummified bat & hummingbirds, etc. – have made their way into what I call my “museum-in-a-bag,” a collection of natural treasures I share with kids when I visit schools. I’m an obsessive observer of the world around me, so much so that I consider a day I haven’t learned something to be a day wasted.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 15, 2013
As a children's Dharma Teacher, I found this book very engaging.
Younger children will love the repetition, but I have also used this book with middle school students.
It's a great springboard for discussing anxiety and believing things you hear without doing your own investigating. My elementary and middle school students were able to relate the moral of the story to present day issues: gossip. fear of people and things that are unfamiliar to us. etc.
Younger children will love the repetition, but I have also used this book with middle school students.
It's a great springboard for discussing anxiety and believing things you hear without doing your own investigating. My elementary and middle school students were able to relate the moral of the story to present day issues: gossip. fear of people and things that are unfamiliar to us. etc.
January 10, 2016
Dette er også en bog lillepigen selv har taget med hjem fra biblioteket!
Historien og moral i fortællingen i denne fortællingen er ikke noget der er særligt nyt i sig selv. Tænke efter, og ikke bare følge massen!
Men var meget glad for måden var bygget op på, og parret med de flotte illustrationene, var bogen er fornøjelse at læse.
(Altså, helt til vi nåede det punkt hvor vi skulle TÆLLE alle dyrene... ugh)
Historien og moral i fortællingen i denne fortællingen er ikke noget der er særligt nyt i sig selv. Tænke efter, og ikke bare følge massen!
Men var meget glad for måden var bygget op på, og parret med de flotte illustrationene, var bogen er fornøjelse at læse.
(Altså, helt til vi nåede det punkt hvor vi skulle TÆLLE alle dyrene... ugh)
December 12, 2009
An international tale like our more familiar "the sky is falling." Not bad. I enjoyed pointing out the hares, tigers, etc. on each page. But I didn't feel like the story was anything special or anything I'd want to read again.
September 8, 2017
A great read that help children to understand the need to check facts, be inquisitive and avoid rumors. Recommended for adults too, just in case that we need some stories for staying away of fake news.
March 19, 2024
An interesting story from India, similar to "Chicken Little" that teaches readers to stop worrying so much and not believe everything you hear. I enjoyed the afterward, which taught about the different animals featured in the story and how Buddha sometimes appears in these tales. Educational, and the colorful art is appealing, it's a little long for very young children, but would be great as a read-aloud in early elementary.
May 19, 2021
I just discovered this book. It seems to be a variation on the Chicken Little story. The illustrations are wonderful and the repetition is fun for keeping the children engaged. This is a perfect story to remind anyone that we must find the truth before we believe the rumors. I like how the lion was kind and wise. An unexpected role for a lion in a folktale!
May 10, 2021
Many children are already familiar with the "sky is falling" tale, but this one from India adds a unique twist and colorful illustrations. My daughter enjoyed the tale, even if she found if a bit predictable.
May 18, 2019
The illustrations really drew me into the story, no pun intended. It's a classic the sky is falling kind of tale but, also one of reason.
April 13, 2015
1. Personal Reaction: When reading this story I realized that it was very repetitive just like the other folk tale books I read. I really liked it though, the illustration and all the animals listed were interesting and fun to read. Basically just a herd of animals stampeding across because they are scared because a hare thought the world was ending, but in reality a mango feel right next to her. Then all of the animals join in, until a lion stops them all and shows them that the world isn't actually ending.
2. Purpose/Use in the classroom: This story would be a good one to read aloud in a classroom, children will really enjoy this story. They will have a better understanding of all different types of animals. A particular age group could be children in kindergarten to second grade. Something that children could learn from reading this book would be mostly conflict. The understanding that the mango was what fell on the hare's head causing her to freak out and believe that the world is ending. Causing all of the other animals to believe her and so on and so forth. Something that children could learn would be what type of animal a hare is. Personally I had to look at the picture to understand what kind of animal it was.
3. Diverse Perspectives: Something could be the setting the story took place in and all of the different types of animals that were in the story. Thus, knowing that the country that this book was retold in was India. Children will learn animals and the type of setting it was in from this novel.
2. Purpose/Use in the classroom: This story would be a good one to read aloud in a classroom, children will really enjoy this story. They will have a better understanding of all different types of animals. A particular age group could be children in kindergarten to second grade. Something that children could learn from reading this book would be mostly conflict. The understanding that the mango was what fell on the hare's head causing her to freak out and believe that the world is ending. Causing all of the other animals to believe her and so on and so forth. Something that children could learn would be what type of animal a hare is. Personally I had to look at the picture to understand what kind of animal it was.
3. Diverse Perspectives: Something could be the setting the story took place in and all of the different types of animals that were in the story. Thus, knowing that the country that this book was retold in was India. Children will learn animals and the type of setting it was in from this novel.
February 10, 2015
Personal Response: I enjoyed the extensive plot of this book. It follows a young hare through a journey that spirals out of control, much like in "Chicken Little" when the "sky is falling." Aside from being reminiscent of a book I read as a child, I enjoyed the new global perspective of it being a traditional Indian tale.
Purposes
-read aloud for enrichment: The theme of the story (the repercussions that follow spreading rumors) would be a great topic of discussion for children about the impact of lying/bullying. The teacher could ask the children about a time that they lied and what actions/consequences resulted. The book also touches on the concept of fear & anxiety (what initiated the rumor that spiraled out of control). Students could discuss things they are fearful or anxious about and ways to overcome them.
-read aloud for curriculum: This book is an Indian tale, opening the door to discussion about Indian culture in a social studies class. One could also take a more scientific view in terms of researching species native to India.
Age Level
This book is appropriate for students aged 4-8 (early-primary grades).
Purposes
-read aloud for enrichment: The theme of the story (the repercussions that follow spreading rumors) would be a great topic of discussion for children about the impact of lying/bullying. The teacher could ask the children about a time that they lied and what actions/consequences resulted. The book also touches on the concept of fear & anxiety (what initiated the rumor that spiraled out of control). Students could discuss things they are fearful or anxious about and ways to overcome them.
-read aloud for curriculum: This book is an Indian tale, opening the door to discussion about Indian culture in a social studies class. One could also take a more scientific view in terms of researching species native to India.
Age Level
This book is appropriate for students aged 4-8 (early-primary grades).
April 8, 2014
Good for learning about animals species living in India.
There are some descriptions about the animals, so I could learn more about those animals.
I loved the folktale telling me that rumors spread very fast. Even if its background sets in India, we still have some problems with rumors between friends. This story reminded me that rumors can cause a lot of troubles by spreading to other people.
Now, in school, I'm learning about Ancient India. This folktale helped me to understand more about the Indian religion, animals, landscapes, and more.
I loved this story and I recommend this book to all ages.
There are some descriptions about the animals, so I could learn more about those animals.
I loved the folktale telling me that rumors spread very fast. Even if its background sets in India, we still have some problems with rumors between friends. This story reminded me that rumors can cause a lot of troubles by spreading to other people.
Now, in school, I'm learning about Ancient India. This folktale helped me to understand more about the Indian religion, animals, landscapes, and more.
I loved this story and I recommend this book to all ages.
Read
August 6, 2016An Indian version of Chicken Little. In this case a rabbit starts the world is falling apart stampede from the palm grove through to the plain where the lion roars to stop it and find out just who started the rumor. He then takes the rabbit back it's napping spot to see just what started the commotion.
September 18, 2012
This book is about a young hare and her interesting stories in the jungle. In this book, author purposed to teach how people can improve their self-confidence and having reason and using them for the decisions.
Want to read
April 14, 2015I really enjoyed this tale. It revolves around the culture in India. In the classroom I would use this by reading this story aloud to my students during history while learning about India. I really believe they will enjoy this story and truly learn about the culture.
July 17, 2008
Fantastic illustrations. Can you find the green eyed hare in each picture?
April 28, 2013
Pretty good for an Indian CHICKEN LITTLE. And try to look for the green eyed rabbit in each page, it's quite difficult!
February 5, 2014
Nicely illustrated. Now we know where the story of "Chicken Little" came from.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews