For children, distinguishing between 'good' and 'bad' is an important tool to help them cope with their changing world. Hitopadesh outlines the morals behind the chain of events in a story in a manner that children can understand easily. Popular for centuries, it remains an ideal companion for children at home and in school libraries.
Being a children's book, I expected more from this book. More interesting and fun somehow. I was disappointed. The stories aren't new. Not only that, but they are also extremely repetetive. The author has tried to push in 2 or at times 3 stories in one tale, many times mixing animals and humans, making it further confusing! In one story even the illustrator has gotten confused, depicting two jackals as humans in the court of a Lion King! This book needed more work before publication.