Savitri: A Tale of Ancient India

I loved this book because it was anti-thetical to western notions of women as the one's that need to be saved(Think Disney). The woman engages in a journey to find love rather than experience an instantaneous 'aha-I see you and I love you" scenario. My 4-year-old daughter loves the pictures and the heroic story too!

At the risk of sounding politically correct, I must say it's rare to find a children's story in which the lead woman isn't either wicked beyond all reason or totally incompetent; look to Disney for proof.Then there's Savitri. Although she comes from money, she judges others by their character rather than social status (something notably rare in India today). This quality is illustrated when she selects a mate. The author interprets this folktale by showing respect for India's cultural tradition of arranged marriage while also supporting a woman's right to choose. These two apparently opposing methods of mate-selection are "married" as Savitri herself has her father arrange to meet the man she has selected -- how delightful!When faced with the life of her husband in jeopardy, Savitri reveals amazing personal character. She faces India's grim reaper with tremendous courage, unwavering determination and sincere devotion. And in doing so, she thinks first of others (her step-father's happiness) before thinking of herself.Overall, the story is told in a clear manner, with interesting names (parents may need to assist with pronunciation) and beats Dr. Suess hands-down. The pictures are exquisitely done.Savitri is a wonderful treat for any boy or girl (age 4 to 10) although, I must confess, I enjoyed it too (and I'm a bit older).The author has other books based on stories from other cultures. Search for 'a tale of ancient india' on AltaVista's Advanced Search for links to a full text of the book as well as the author's website.Enjoy Savitri! scottie