The Blue Jackal
Written by Shobha Viswanath, Illustrated by Dileep Joshi
Image Credit: The Blue Jackal at amazon.com
1. Bibliography
Viswanath, Shobha. The Blue Jackal. Illustrated by Dileep Joshi. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2016. ISBN 0802854664.
2. Plot Summary
This is a retelling of a folktale from India. While the story is told in simple, clear language appropriate for any age (the story is about identity, sense of self and self-worth), the artwork is what makes this special. The darker palette reinforces the night setting of the story, and the drawings are suggestive of cave drawings. They seem to float, crawl, and fly across the page. Based on Indian Warli artwork of white rice flour painting on a mud background, the drawings are reduced to complex patterns of lines that come alive in swirls and repetitive motions and counter-motions. The story and art are well integrated. Highly recommended for children, and any adults interested in modern re-use of ancient art-forms. This title expands the current folk lit area to include India. (From the librarything.com)
3. Critical Analysis
The main character of Juno lives the story of someone who is harassed and bullied and overcomes the adversity in his life. The character is someone that kids can relate to while bringing a unique perspective. Overcoming his difficulty in a unique way, becoming the animal king and then being found out – and run out – makes the young reader want to know what becomes of Juno in the end. This would be great for a reader’s circle or a writing assignment – complete the story. The plot is a situation kids can relate to, overcoming the harassment to which he was subjected. The resolution may not be satisfying for a young audience. Children may want Juno to get a fulfilling end because of what he has had to overcome.
The use of the different color background to show the different time of day is smart. The art form, originally rice flour on mud, conveys the old-fashioned Indian form. But, the story of overcoming adversity is universal, no matter how the situation is resolved. The moral of the blue jackal story for kids is that those who leave their kind will not be able to live happily, you cannot deny what you are and where you came from. The style in which the story is told is a simple rhythming voice. It is a retelling of a very old oral tradition story/fable. The rhythm helps bring the children to the story, it makes the story approachable to a culture unfamiliar with the story.
The illustrations are simple and made to replicate those of an artist drawing with rice flour on a mud floor. Most are done in white on brown, deep blue or black depending on the time of day they represent. The only variation is the dye colors are vibrant. The vats show rich colors of green, red, orange or the bright blue, which the jackal fell into. Then, when Juno gets the idea to be their king, the lettering is shown on the blue color background of the king. Until the day Juno is found out and the lettering is again shown on a black background. The culture is depicted in the stylistic drawing of the animals, the simple drawing and color. None are stereotypical, only bringing the new styling of the culture.
4. Review Experts
~ United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY), Outstanding International Books (2017)
~Kirkus Reviews (February 2016): "Scenes inspired by the traditional art of India’s Warli people illustrate a retold Panchatantra tale about a jackal who falls into a vat of dye. Chased by village dogs, pipsqueak Juno the jackal blindly jumps into a vat of indigo. His bright new color so frightens the other animals in the wild that he proclaims himself king. But when he hears his banished jackal clan howling at the moon, he joins in—thus betraying his true nature to the other creatures, who angrily drive him away. Viswanath embellishes more-traditional versions both with added details and by casting the tale into lumbering verse: “Juno was terribly puny and lean, / and the bigger jackals were really quite mean. / They laughed at him cruelly for being so skinny, / calling him names, like sissy and ninny.” (She also follows the lead of most modern renditions by allowing the imposter to survive rather than being killed by his erstwhile subjects.) Drawn in white on dark, monochrome backgrounds, the illustrations are large-scale scenes with freely placed figures of animals and foliage that are small and often stylized beyond easy recognition. They are striking, but the visual narrative they convey is not easy for readers from outside the culture to parse. Possibly of anthropological interest, but as a story for a wide audience, it’s no improvement on other versions."
~School Library Journal: “This is a strong retelling of one of the tales from the Panchatantra, a third-century BCE text of Indian literature. This retelling from Sanskrit flows well and begs to be read aloud. It tells the tale of a bullied runt jackal who is accidentally dyed indigo and is subsequently mistaken for a king. He betrays himself by howling along with the other jackals. The rain washes away his indigo fur, but he retains the memory of having once been a king. The story would be interesting as a group presentation and could lead to discussions regarding identity. The illustrations, which are the true standout here, will not work well in a large group, because of their intricate detail. They are done in the style of the Warli tribe of East India—white paintings done in rice flour on a dark background. They will intrigue children who have an eye for such things. VERDICT This book fills a void in terms of Indian literature directed at children, but it will need an introduction or some promotion if it is going to circulate.”
5. Connections
~ Use with other folktales from different parts of the world
~ Use with other Indian tales
Chopra, Shweta. The Diwali Gift. 3 Curious Monkeys, 2015. ISBN 0996192204
Patel, Sanjay, Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth. Chronicle Books, 2015. ISBN 1452145563
Khemka, Nitya. Good Night India. Good Night Books, 2017. ISBN 1602194777
~ Use in a writing assignment to have children write their own endings.
~ Use in a social studies assignment when learning about India.
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