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Tales From India
A collection of 20 stories from India's rich folklore heritage. From wicked magicians to wise old priests, charming princes and beautiful princesses, to greedy tigers and wily jackals, these magical tales are full of adventure and trickery, and infused with deeper messages about morality, Life and the world around us. Founded on the work of folklorist, Joseph Jacob, and from tales from India's Mughul period, award-winning author Bali Rai's lively retellings are a delight for readers of all ages. The book includes endnotes with a glossary, additional information as well as ideas for activities that children can do to explore the stories further.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
3 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Bali Rai
80 books73 followersBali Rai was born in 1971 and grew up in Leicester. As a child, Bali wanted to be a footballer or to write stories. Always an avid reader, he hails Sue Townsend, Douglas Adams and Robert Swindells as his writing heroes. Bali grew up reading Dr Seuss and Meg and Mog and his first book purchase was The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. He realised he wasn't good enough to play for Liverpool F.C. and after gaining a politics degree in London he returned to his home city and combined a variety of jobs in pubs and clubs with completing his first novel. Bali set about writing a story he had been thinking about for many years. He wanted to write accessible material for children of all ages and backgrounds and realising there were no British Asian authors writing for children, he saw a gap. Bali hopes his novels capture the unique ethnic mix of the UK, of which he is proud to be a part.
Bali writes stories inspired by his working class Punjabi/Sikh background, but his aim was always that his writing should be enjoyed by readers everywhere, irrespective of class or culture. His has the ability to tackle the harsh realities of growing up in the UK and blend this with humour and often a overriding optimism. Bali visits schools and libraries in every major UK city, averaging 70 school and library events a year.
His first book, (un)arranged marriage, created a huge amount of interest and won many awards, including the Angus Book Award and the Leicester Book of the Year. It was also shortlisted for the prestigious Branford Boase first novel award. Rani and Sukh and The Whisper were both shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize.
All of Bali’s teen titles have been short-listed for awards across the UK, including twice making the Booktrust Teenage Prize shortlist. His third novel Rani and Sukh has represented the UK at the International IBBY awards and this title has its own Facebook tribute group set up by fans. Bali’s first three novels appear in The Ultimate Teenage Book Guide. Bali also writes shorter novels for Barrington Stoke, his first book, Dream On, was selected for the Booktrust’s inaugural Booked Up list. He also writes the hugely popular Soccer Squad series for younger readers.
Bali writes stories inspired by his working class Punjabi/Sikh background, but his aim was always that his writing should be enjoyed by readers everywhere, irrespective of class or culture. His has the ability to tackle the harsh realities of growing up in the UK and blend this with humour and often a overriding optimism. Bali visits schools and libraries in every major UK city, averaging 70 school and library events a year.
His first book, (un)arranged marriage, created a huge amount of interest and won many awards, including the Angus Book Award and the Leicester Book of the Year. It was also shortlisted for the prestigious Branford Boase first novel award. Rani and Sukh and The Whisper were both shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize.
All of Bali’s teen titles have been short-listed for awards across the UK, including twice making the Booktrust Teenage Prize shortlist. His third novel Rani and Sukh has represented the UK at the International IBBY awards and this title has its own Facebook tribute group set up by fans. Bali’s first three novels appear in The Ultimate Teenage Book Guide. Bali also writes shorter novels for Barrington Stoke, his first book, Dream On, was selected for the Booktrust’s inaugural Booked Up list. He also writes the hugely popular Soccer Squad series for younger readers.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 8, 2018
Some stories were quite interesting and/or entertaining, others just left me wondering what the purpose was.
June 25, 2021
20 Stories that include folklore for the readers to enjoy the rich culture of storytelling from India.
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May 4, 2021A book written for young readers. 20 stories and some are more imaginative than others. I like the story , "Farmer and the Giant". Stories often highlight the value of being honest and sincere.
Folklore aside, this book gives snippets of insights into the era when India was ruled by Akbar, and about the grandeur of the Mughal palace (brings back fond memories of the ancient places when I visited India in 1980s/90s).
Dont skip the the "end notes" - good information about Indian culture.
Folklore aside, this book gives snippets of insights into the era when India was ruled by Akbar, and about the grandeur of the Mughal palace (brings back fond memories of the ancient places when I visited India in 1980s/90s).
Dont skip the the "end notes" - good information about Indian culture.
November 21, 2025
Whenever I want to escape to the beautiful historical India, I run to this book. Each short story had a moral to it, I would compare them with the fairy tales from brothers Grimm, but with a far warmer more exotic climate. Thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book!!
July 21, 2025
The book offers familiar folk narratives, reviving some classic stories with a fresh voice. However, not all stories delivered the same impact - some were unnecessarily stretched.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews