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To Market! To Market!
“Ravishankar’s pacing is flawless, her rhymes contagious . . . readers and listeners are likely to demand repeated readings, and will discover additional delightful layers of meaning each time.”—Children’s Literature
“Ravishankar’s quirky, rhythmic verse becomes a graphic, narrative force in itself, physically wrapping itself around images, becoming characters, taking falls, and generally slithering and dithering or thumping and bumping along.”—Michael Heyman, The Horn Book Magazine
“Anushka Ravishankar is India’s answer to Dr. Seuss.”—Madeline Travis, Booktrust
In To Market, To Market, a little girl sets off to the market with some money in her pocket—and no idea what to buy . . .
Featuring vibrant paintings by award-winning Italian artist Emanuele Scanziani, this exuberant pictorial tribute to the wonders of the Indian market by well-known children’s poet Anushka Ravishankar suggests that the real fun may not be in the buying, after all. Longtime collaborator Rathna Ramanathan’s innovative typography creates a unique cohesion between the verse and artwork of each scene—every ele-ment on the page adds to the world of the story.
A mathematics graduate turned children’s book writer, Anushka Ravishankar has made an international name for herself with eleven books of nonsense verse. She emerged as the sub-continental pioneer of the genre with her effortless and fizz-gibbinous adaptations of this difficult form to the cadences of Indian English, and has been duly dubbed “India’s Dr. Seuss.” Her books have been translated into seven languages and have earned twelve awards and counting.
“Ravishankar’s quirky, rhythmic verse becomes a graphic, narrative force in itself, physically wrapping itself around images, becoming characters, taking falls, and generally slithering and dithering or thumping and bumping along.”—Michael Heyman, The Horn Book Magazine
“Anushka Ravishankar is India’s answer to Dr. Seuss.”—Madeline Travis, Booktrust
In To Market, To Market, a little girl sets off to the market with some money in her pocket—and no idea what to buy . . .
Featuring vibrant paintings by award-winning Italian artist Emanuele Scanziani, this exuberant pictorial tribute to the wonders of the Indian market by well-known children’s poet Anushka Ravishankar suggests that the real fun may not be in the buying, after all. Longtime collaborator Rathna Ramanathan’s innovative typography creates a unique cohesion between the verse and artwork of each scene—every ele-ment on the page adds to the world of the story.
A mathematics graduate turned children’s book writer, Anushka Ravishankar has made an international name for herself with eleven books of nonsense verse. She emerged as the sub-continental pioneer of the genre with her effortless and fizz-gibbinous adaptations of this difficult form to the cadences of Indian English, and has been duly dubbed “India’s Dr. Seuss.” Her books have been translated into seven languages and have earned twelve awards and counting.
24 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2007
2 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Anushka Ravishankar
107 books55 followersAnushka Ravishankar, a mathematics graduate, has made a name for herself internationally as an Indian children’s writer, with over 10 books of verse, fiction and non-fiction. Her special talent is in the area of nonsense verse, where she brilliantly adapts this difficult genre to Indian English usage, without a false note. Anushka Ravishankar can be said to have pioneered the Indian English nonsense verse form and brought it to international attention. She recently returned from a UK tour with Children’s Laureate, Michael Rosen, at the Children’s Bookshow.
from http://www.tarabooks.com/about/authors/
from http://www.tarabooks.com/about/authors/
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 15, 2020
A young girl accompanies her mother to market, supremely conscious of the money she has been given for a treat. What will she buy? A pet, perhaps? A toy? The choices are endless, and as the girl explores the many stalls, imagining herself as everything from bangle-seller to fish, she forgets all about her purchase...
This lovely picture-book, featuring rhyming text and colorful artwork, offers young readers a joyous portrait of one girl's imaginative play. Described in a 2006 Horn Book article as the author who has introduced India's children to the genre of literary nonsense, Ravishankar delivers an immensely readable tale in To Market! To Market!, while Italian illustrator Emanuele Scanziani's artwork fairly leaps off the page, adding to the sense of motion and fun.
This lovely picture-book, featuring rhyming text and colorful artwork, offers young readers a joyous portrait of one girl's imaginative play. Described in a 2006 Horn Book article as the author who has introduced India's children to the genre of literary nonsense, Ravishankar delivers an immensely readable tale in To Market! To Market!, while Italian illustrator Emanuele Scanziani's artwork fairly leaps off the page, adding to the sense of motion and fun.
August 27, 2009
4.5 STARS. An absolutely beautiful book!!! I love the color and life that tumbles through the whimsical, rhyming words and jumps off the page in the gorgeous illustrations. This book is flooded with joy and fun as the little girl accompanies her mom "to market" with a little spending money in her pocket. What will she buy? There are so many booths to explore. Yet, the more she explores, the more she slips into the world of imagination and the sheer fun of seeing so many diverse things for sale. Highly recommended for anyone wishing to introduce a bit of Indian culture to their children, or just looking for a fun and colorful read.
July 28, 2010
The fun of this book starts immediately. Its shape is short and long, and the book is read lifting up the pages to turn them. The rhyming story is amusing. The illustrations are just gorgeous, colorful and full of detail. The finale is funny and believable, and shows how imagining and playing (for free!) can be more enthralling than buying something; there is no need to spend money or acquire something new in order to have a fabulous time. This is a delight to read to oneself, and it also works very well as a read aloud book. It’s a simple story that very young children will be able to enjoy, but older children will appreciate it too.
April 11, 2017
My son Harry loves To market! To market! A girl explores a busy Indian marketplace looking for something to buy with her spending money. The text has a bouncy rhythm and an easy rhyme scheme that is fun to read and keeps kids anchored in the story.
As an object, the book itself is an unusual shape; it’s a landscape-oriented rectangle, and the pages fold upwards. It’s really easy for little hands to hold, and the unusual page action adds interest.
I love a strong circular plot, like this one, because it makes kids feel confident when they can predict what’s coming. As the girl explores different sections of the marketplace she sees different wares for sale: bangles, garlands (“posies”), roosters, fabric, fruit, fish and seafood, chili peppers and spices, and a stand selling masks and mirrors. A word related to the goods represented on each page repeats in an artful way as a kind of visual onomatopoeia.
The book has built-in sensory opportunities too. The beat gets you moving, and then each spread has something more to imitate. My son does some gross motor imitation on each page—he pretends (as the girl does) to be a bangle stand, “smells” the posies, runs “faster faster faster” like the rooster, makes funny faces in the mirror like the girl, and more.
****
I review books for children from the perspective of a parent of kids with autism. The review above is from a longer blog post about great books for kids with autism that have South Asian themes: http://www.lineupthebooks.com/7-south...
As an object, the book itself is an unusual shape; it’s a landscape-oriented rectangle, and the pages fold upwards. It’s really easy for little hands to hold, and the unusual page action adds interest.
I love a strong circular plot, like this one, because it makes kids feel confident when they can predict what’s coming. As the girl explores different sections of the marketplace she sees different wares for sale: bangles, garlands (“posies”), roosters, fabric, fruit, fish and seafood, chili peppers and spices, and a stand selling masks and mirrors. A word related to the goods represented on each page repeats in an artful way as a kind of visual onomatopoeia.
The book has built-in sensory opportunities too. The beat gets you moving, and then each spread has something more to imitate. My son does some gross motor imitation on each page—he pretends (as the girl does) to be a bangle stand, “smells” the posies, runs “faster faster faster” like the rooster, makes funny faces in the mirror like the girl, and more.
****
I review books for children from the perspective of a parent of kids with autism. The review above is from a longer blog post about great books for kids with autism that have South Asian themes: http://www.lineupthebooks.com/7-south...
October 4, 2011
This book is about a little girl who is going to the market because her mum gave her 'lots of change'. She doesn't know what she is going to buy but she knows she will have looking for it. The book is very imaginative and a very nice modern nursery rhyme. It describes different noises, smells, different adjectives (for example, faster, creeping). The book also describes a person and different actions. I like this book, there is so much you can do with it, you can act out certain parts like the 'thumping' and 'creeping'. It will also be a good opportunity to get children to contribute to class by asking what they would buy in a market if they got pocket money. It also has cross curricular links such as art, where children can learn different colours from the pictures and also a good rhyming book for literacy.
July 9, 2020
I just adore reading this book to my son. I am a complete Tara Books devotee -- their innovative use of the book form is like nothing else I have ever seen. We have several of their books and I want more! They're beautifully made, the art is incredible, and they use type is such innovative ways
I also love the rhythms in this book. They're so unusual, and the meter is perfect.
It's fun to read a book to him full of Indian characters not contemplating or struggling with identity, just doing ordinary things at the market like trying on scary masks, and bangles, and smelling fruit and spicy chilies.
I also love the rhythms in this book. They're so unusual, and the meter is perfect.
It's fun to read a book to him full of Indian characters not contemplating or struggling with identity, just doing ordinary things at the market like trying on scary masks, and bangles, and smelling fruit and spicy chilies.
February 17, 2021
*Writing on behalf of my 4 year old*
I enjoyed this book because it was a fun rhyme. I learned this book by-heart after reading this 3-4 times. I especially loved the illustration and all the wonderful things in the market. I liked how the girl represented a 'South Indian' girl just like me!
My mother told me that the market looks just like the ones you would see in India, and she told me she will take me around to a market when I go to India.
I enjoyed this book because it was a fun rhyme. I learned this book by-heart after reading this 3-4 times. I especially loved the illustration and all the wonderful things in the market. I liked how the girl represented a 'South Indian' girl just like me!
My mother told me that the market looks just like the ones you would see in India, and she told me she will take me around to a market when I go to India.
February 16, 2019
Cute story. Exuberant pictures of an Indian market place.
Read
October 25, 2022incredibile che l'ha tradotto la niccolai..
March 20, 2025
A delightful read. Commendable work by Emanuele Scanziani on the illustrations adorned with such fine detail, bringing out emotions beautifully. The book took me off on a nostalgic journey!
August 15, 2008
I had been looking for a book from India to use with my primary grade students. I liked this book so much that I ordered it as soon as I walked into my house (after having the opportunity to read the book in class). The colorfuland detailed illustrations depict the little girl in the story "playing" in the market for which I believe all children will be able to make a connection. Each illustrations is accompanied by a few words; the true story is told visually in the illustrations. It is clear by the expression on the little girls face that she is delighted while playing in the various stands. I also like the end papers of items found in the market. This book is going to be an asset to my classroom library!
February 27, 2016
Just like in the book, I once was this little girl who went to the market holding my mother's hand. And so I found this book very reminiscing. The illustrations are colorful, alive and true to a market scene in India. Through this book, I was able to share a part of my life with my kids who are growing-up far away from India and miss so much of the sights, smells and sounds etched in my own memories.
Recommend it for those wanting to get a glimpse of a every-day scene in India (Indian farmer's markets, as I call it), perfect for a multi-cultural study at school or at home.
Recommend it for those wanting to get a glimpse of a every-day scene in India (Indian farmer's markets, as I call it), perfect for a multi-cultural study at school or at home.
March 31, 2010
The illustrations are far more striking than the slightly awkward text that accompanies. Perhaps something was lost in translation?
The narrator has overemphasized eyes that make her look very cartoonish, whereas everything else is more realistic. Doesn't really mesh.
It's very pretty and does contribute to filling a gap of english text books that feature children from India
The narrator has overemphasized eyes that make her look very cartoonish, whereas everything else is more realistic. Doesn't really mesh.
It's very pretty and does contribute to filling a gap of english text books that feature children from India
Read
January 18, 2016I really like the illustrations in this. There's a 2-page spread early on that feels way too heavy on the text (spending too long on the rhythmic text), but the full-page spreads that follow, of various scenes at the market, are really rich and engaging and fun.
January 1, 2016
For kids
September 11, 2016
What to buy? What to buy?
March 27, 2017
Such an amazing and quirky book from Anushka Ravishankar! Very psychologically astute.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews