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Ramayana: An Illustrated Retelling
One of the world’s oldest and best-loved tales, now retold and illustrated in thrilling detail for readers of all ages.
Rama pulled the splendid arrow out of his quiver. It had been given to him long ago by the sage Agastya who had told him that he could use it only once and only for a great enemy. The incomparable arrow held the wind in its feathers, the sun and the moon in its shining tip, the earth in its shaft and the power of the doomsday fire in its flight.
Ramayana ―an unforgettable tale of love, adventure, flying monkeys and god acting in the world of humans―has been treasured by readers around the world for thousands of years. Now in an authoritative, gripping retelling by the renowned Ramayana scholar Arshia Sattar, readers have a new chance to explore this classic’s riches.
Rama is a brave young prince who is forced into exile. His brother Lakshmana and his wife, the beautiful princess Sita, loyally follow him into the depths of the mysterious forest, where they encounter strange and dangerous creatures. None is as terrifying as Ravana, the ten-headed demon king who kidnaps Sita and takes her to a fortified city in the middle of the ocean. To rescue her, Rama enlists the help of hundreds of thousands of magical monkeys and bears to fight the demon army and win her back. Even the gods gather to witness the harrowing battle. Will Rama and his friends prevail, and will Sita return to him? Only these captivating pages will tell…
Rama pulled the splendid arrow out of his quiver. It had been given to him long ago by the sage Agastya who had told him that he could use it only once and only for a great enemy. The incomparable arrow held the wind in its feathers, the sun and the moon in its shining tip, the earth in its shaft and the power of the doomsday fire in its flight.
Ramayana ―an unforgettable tale of love, adventure, flying monkeys and god acting in the world of humans―has been treasured by readers around the world for thousands of years. Now in an authoritative, gripping retelling by the renowned Ramayana scholar Arshia Sattar, readers have a new chance to explore this classic’s riches.
Rama is a brave young prince who is forced into exile. His brother Lakshmana and his wife, the beautiful princess Sita, loyally follow him into the depths of the mysterious forest, where they encounter strange and dangerous creatures. None is as terrifying as Ravana, the ten-headed demon king who kidnaps Sita and takes her to a fortified city in the middle of the ocean. To rescue her, Rama enlists the help of hundreds of thousands of magical monkeys and bears to fight the demon army and win her back. Even the gods gather to witness the harrowing battle. Will Rama and his friends prevail, and will Sita return to him? Only these captivating pages will tell…
192 pages, Hardcover
First published May 8, 2018
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112 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 19, 2023
Young prince Rama is exiled by his father to a forest full of dangers. His wife Sita and brother Lakshmana accompany him. Sita is then kidnapped by a demon king. And Rama gathers a whole army of monkeys to rescue her.
This is a children’s retelling of the classic Ramayana epic. I don’t know much about the original, so I don’t know how faithful this retelling is to the original source material. But this retelling is at the very least quite interesting and entertaining in its own right.
The illustrations are also absolutely gorgeous and - perhaps even more importantly - fit the mood and the setting of this story. They help elevate the whole experience, making the story feel as epic as it should.
This is quite a tragic story though, for pretty much all the characters. Sita is the one who stands out the most to me in that regard, as she feels so helpless throughout the story. That doesn’t mean that she’s weak though. I’d even say the opposite is true, she’s mentally quite strong. She’s strong enough to willingly leave the palace life behind to be with her beloved husband in the perilous jungle. And she’s strong enough to stand up to her kidnapper’s advances for so long. She has to be mentally strong to overcome all the many hurdles she comes across on her path.
I didn’t really know what to expect when I picked this one up, but this is a very entertaining story. A story full of old soul about a classic virtuous kind of hero and a damsel in distress. A story full of loyalty, betrayal, love, honor, devotion and faith. Suitable for children and for those of us who don’t know much about this famous epic, but want to learn more about it in an easy to digest and entertaining way.
This is a children’s retelling of the classic Ramayana epic. I don’t know much about the original, so I don’t know how faithful this retelling is to the original source material. But this retelling is at the very least quite interesting and entertaining in its own right.
The illustrations are also absolutely gorgeous and - perhaps even more importantly - fit the mood and the setting of this story. They help elevate the whole experience, making the story feel as epic as it should.
This is quite a tragic story though, for pretty much all the characters. Sita is the one who stands out the most to me in that regard, as she feels so helpless throughout the story. That doesn’t mean that she’s weak though. I’d even say the opposite is true, she’s mentally quite strong. She’s strong enough to willingly leave the palace life behind to be with her beloved husband in the perilous jungle. And she’s strong enough to stand up to her kidnapper’s advances for so long. She has to be mentally strong to overcome all the many hurdles she comes across on her path.
I didn’t really know what to expect when I picked this one up, but this is a very entertaining story. A story full of old soul about a classic virtuous kind of hero and a damsel in distress. A story full of loyalty, betrayal, love, honor, devotion and faith. Suitable for children and for those of us who don’t know much about this famous epic, but want to learn more about it in an easy to digest and entertaining way.
March 26, 2018
This book is a retelling of the Ramayana, or, the story of Rama and Sita, and the story behind the festival of Diwali. While this book is certainly interesting, I think the title of illustrated is a bit misleading, as the pictures, while beautiful, are not as plentiful as I would have liked. I was fairly upset at how rare they were, given just how gorgeous they are.
Having not read the story before, I have reservations about getting this book, since it reads as the story of a woman who is constantly getting beat up on and thrown out of her own home with the man who says he loves her being the the one who keeps throwing her out. Gossip or not, god or not... jerk move, Rama. Jerk move.
Because of this, I can't recommend it to children or as part of story hour - the relationship is far too anti-woman for that. It's also far too sparsely illustrated for a graphic novel section. It occupies a strange place - but I think if you were looking to expand your adult section on Hinduism, it would be a good addition.
Having not read the story before, I have reservations about getting this book, since it reads as the story of a woman who is constantly getting beat up on and thrown out of her own home with the man who says he loves her being the the one who keeps throwing her out. Gossip or not, god or not... jerk move, Rama. Jerk move.
Because of this, I can't recommend it to children or as part of story hour - the relationship is far too anti-woman for that. It's also far too sparsely illustrated for a graphic novel section. It occupies a strange place - but I think if you were looking to expand your adult section on Hinduism, it would be a good addition.
June 4, 2024
Good for an intro to the Ramayana, but I felt the translation was entirely lacking in depth of narrative, intent and stream of consciousness. Perhaps that is a function of a faithful translation of the story as told by Valmiki. Female characters or any characters really, were just mentioned as players in the story of Rama, their frame of thought and background and intent not explored. Happy to have many retellings now available which do a deeper dive into each character.
May 21, 2025
Great refresher on the story of Rama. Enjoyed the pictures throughout the book. I was annoyed that Rama kept asking Sita to prove her innocence and was relieved when she finally left for good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2018
Fascinating read. It never ceases to amaze me how similar epics are from culture to culture when it comes to story structure and plot elements. What makes this epic different from Western epics is that it uses the form to explore Hinduism. Loved the artwork. Now I want to read a full translation of the epic.
April 13, 2022
TRASH ending
Fuck Rama
Justice for Sita
Fuck Rama
Justice for Sita
December 17, 2019
My thanks to a co-worker who handed me this book, telling me it was an excellent retelling of this Hindu tale. I am surprised that I had never stumbled onto this tale over the years. This is a very compact retelling in a simple form for a very layered story.
Ramayana is the story of the path or journey of Rama. It begins with the story of how his aging father seeks a heir to his throne. He is told to offer a fire sacrifice and all three of his wives then bear him sons within hours of each other. From here the story follows each of the son's growth in knowledge and skills being taught by the gods themselves and given special weapons endowed with unique powers.
The story now follows Rama, his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana as they follow Rama on his forced 14 year exile from the kingdom. Their adventures, trials and kidnapping of Sita are all well done and easily followed. I was very disappointed in Rama as he does not trust his wife after her repeated show of dedication. I very much enjoyed Hanuman, the Monkey King and his warriors. The war would never have been won without them and their dedication and cleverness.
I would greatly recommend this version to middle school and up as they explore different culture's mythology and religion.
Ramayana is the story of the path or journey of Rama. It begins with the story of how his aging father seeks a heir to his throne. He is told to offer a fire sacrifice and all three of his wives then bear him sons within hours of each other. From here the story follows each of the son's growth in knowledge and skills being taught by the gods themselves and given special weapons endowed with unique powers.
The story now follows Rama, his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana as they follow Rama on his forced 14 year exile from the kingdom. Their adventures, trials and kidnapping of Sita are all well done and easily followed. I was very disappointed in Rama as he does not trust his wife after her repeated show of dedication. I very much enjoyed Hanuman, the Monkey King and his warriors. The war would never have been won without them and their dedication and cleverness.
I would greatly recommend this version to middle school and up as they explore different culture's mythology and religion.
June 16, 2022
This was a very insightful and enjoyable read, I recommend it for people like me who are not well-versed in Hinduism. But, I cannot speak on how this version of the Ramayana compares to others, as this was my first exposure to Hindu literature.
While Rama was exalted and presented as the “ideal warrior” and “perfect husband” throughout, I cannot ignore the completely sexist and disrespectful treatment of his wife at the end of the story. Why go to war for your wife for 14 years, if only to banish her after? Despite being the victim, Sita was questioned and ostracised, exacerbating the patriarchal notion that women must “prove” themselves while men can get away with more than enough.
Overall, Sattar’s rendition of this classic was enjoyable, and my only disappointments come from the glorification of the patriarchal society in which the story takes place.
Also the title is slightly misleading as the illustrations are not as plentiful as suggested, Sonali’s artwork is beautiful and I would have loved to see more.
While Rama was exalted and presented as the “ideal warrior” and “perfect husband” throughout, I cannot ignore the completely sexist and disrespectful treatment of his wife at the end of the story. Why go to war for your wife for 14 years, if only to banish her after? Despite being the victim, Sita was questioned and ostracised, exacerbating the patriarchal notion that women must “prove” themselves while men can get away with more than enough.
Overall, Sattar’s rendition of this classic was enjoyable, and my only disappointments come from the glorification of the patriarchal society in which the story takes place.
Also the title is slightly misleading as the illustrations are not as plentiful as suggested, Sonali’s artwork is beautiful and I would have loved to see more.
August 1, 2020
4.5 stars. This was a lovely retelling, and I really liked the writing. I also appreciated how she retold the controversial ending - I would've usually said I was annoyed by this, but she retold it in a way that was less intolerable than the translation I have read (the Uttara Kanda, aka last volume of the epic, was a later addition by another poet). The author's note was also very nice. My main complaint is that it did not have Ravana's backstory nor any of the stories involving the actuals gods, but this may be that the book has chosen to focus solely on Rama's story. I will def. try to find Sattar's translation of the original text.
If you are looking for a Hindu book for younger readers, this would be a good choice, for it is written in a clear-to-understand manner and is an accessable retelling of the original (which in itself is often hard to find).
If you are looking for a Hindu book for younger readers, this would be a good choice, for it is written in a clear-to-understand manner and is an accessable retelling of the original (which in itself is often hard to find).
May 26, 2018
I first read and fell in love with the Ramayana in middle school. It's so much more romantic than the Western epics, and I've always adored Hanuman the monkey. This version is gorgeously illustrated and captures the whole span of the tale in simple but elegant language appropriate for kids. I really enjoyed spending an afternoon with this tale, although my grownup opinions about gender roles hampered my enjoyment somewhat; Sita sure gets the short end of the stick!
Read
October 30, 2023 Source:
Age Range: 10-15
Assessment of Quality: While many fairytales have didactic narration, this retelling of the famous Hindu story vividly characterizes the heroes and keeps the action fast-paced.
Assessment of potential use: Ramayana is a good starting point for teaching children about Hindu mythology.
Assessment of appeal to children: One of the main characters is a flying monkey with shape shifting powers who fights a sea monster.
Age Range: 10-15
Assessment of Quality: While many fairytales have didactic narration, this retelling of the famous Hindu story vividly characterizes the heroes and keeps the action fast-paced.
Assessment of potential use: Ramayana is a good starting point for teaching children about Hindu mythology.
Assessment of appeal to children: One of the main characters is a flying monkey with shape shifting powers who fights a sea monster.
April 12, 2022
For the most part, I rather prefer the writing style and book-as-object aesthetics of The Ramayana for Children: First Edition, but this one *really* sticks the landing.
February 16, 2020
Not quite an illustrated retelling, more a retelling with some lovely illustrations dotted throughout...
A lovely retelling all the same, had me gripped!
A lovely retelling all the same, had me gripped!
December 9, 2022
While the rest of Rama's story is inspiring, I have a hard time with his treatment of Sita.
January 30, 2023
A retelling of the Ramayana with beautiful illustrations throughout the story.
April 21, 2024
Never thought we would be assigned a picture book as a reading requirement in college yet here we are. It was a beautiful read and had great example of scapegoat theory.
July 22, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️ for storytelling & narrative depth.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for illustrations giving scope for the imagination!
Read aloud for summer break.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for illustrations giving scope for the imagination!
Read aloud for summer break.
April 20, 2025
The epic Ramayana has been told so many times. This is a very easy-to-read version (for young adults?) with beautiful illustrations.
June 11, 2025
Beautiful and easy to read short book condensing the Hindu epic in few and lovely illustrated pages. The epic itself is rather sad, Sita sacrifice is highlighted.
Want to read
November 9, 2017Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews