Prince Veera and his best friend, Suku, discover it's not so easy to be a ruler when they get the opportunity to preside over Veera's father's court. They solve eight different cases, involving both traditional and original stories, from a man who wants to charge his neighbor for smelling his wares to a man who is prosecuted for spreading bad luck.
Black and white illustrations, some showing people in traditional occupations and others showing traditional motifs of birds, fruit, and other items, are scattered throughout the book.
Originally published in the UK in 2010 as separate books, this collected volume is an engaging read for middle graders who enjoy folktales. Unfortunately, that's really a very small number of kids. As a voracious reader of folk and fairy tales myself, both as a child and adult, I recognized several general plots and the story overall had a classic, traditional feel to it. There are few if any women mentioned, no sources for the original tales, and only a few contextual clues for the culture represented, as well as no time period given.
If the creators were hoping to bring Indian culture and traditions to a new, contemporary generation, more information would have been useful, as well as considering more modern sensibilities; while the gap between impoverished Suku's family and Prince Veera's wealth is mentioned, it's quickly brushed aside. The fairy tale king, wise, just, and all-knowing, is a little updated with Prince Veera sometimes coaxing his father into a different mindset, but there's still no doubting the greatness of a feudal society.
Verdict: Families that enjoy more traditional folktales or those who are already familiar with Indian culture and history may find this enjoyable, but it will have a very limited audience for the average public library.
ISBN: 9781536200676; Published December 2018 by Candlewick; ARC provided by publisher
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