LitPick Review
Chatur and the Enchanted Jungle is another delightful tale written by Subhash Kommuru. By reading about Chatur's antics, the reader learns the age-old lessons about being careful what you wish for and being greedy.
The story begins with Chatur and his faithful donkey, Gadhu, traveling to find work. Along the way, Chatur (who is always in a rush) decides to lead Gadhu on a shortcut through the jungle.
In time, they realize they are lost, so they stop to rest under a large Bargad tree. As Gadhu is resting, Chatur realizes how thirsty he is and wishes he had some water. Suddenly, a jug of cool water appears! Chatur realizes the jungle is enchanted, and he begins to wish for grander and grander items. Gadhu is always the voice of reason and warns Chatur about being greedy.
Does Chatur listen to Gadhu, or does he continue to think only of himself? This story teaches some very valuable lessons in a delightful and humorous manner!
Opinion:
I think the colorful and detailed illustrations, along with the goofy Chatur and level headed Gadhu, do an excellent job of catching the attention of the reader. Even the youngest readers can pick up on the dangers of Chatur's greediness, but the twist at the end adds another lesson. The lesson of being careful what you wish for!
This story would make an excellent bedtime story or a school time lesson. Even older children can appreciate the lesson and could have fun expanding on the story by acting it out.
