This is a story about a woman who was passionate about bringing books to children....

Forget Mickey and Donald, this new set of books and cassettes is now all set to dominate the Indian child's horizon...

These stories have strong Indian roots and speak of morals and ideals that are universal.

The quality of the product could give Walt Disney cartoons a run for their money.

This is a winning series for libraries wishing to offer cultural opportunities to young readers.

- School Library Journal Review

Karadi Tales Jr. series has been awarded the Dr.Toy prize for Best vacation products 1999. With this award Karadi is in league with groups like Barney, Sesame street and Disney who have also been recipients of this award.

If you are one of those disheartened parents who dolefully watch their kids ogle at the television set instead of devoting a few minutes to their best companions - books, here is a ray of hope for you.

Welcome to the world of Karadi, the bear. Forget Mickey and Donald. This new set of books and cassettes is all set to dominate the Indian child's horizon.

Karadi Tales are Indian fables, which though told in English have very consciously and precisely maintained the Indianness. It is this quality that makes it so enchanting and appealing.

Naseer's narration really takes you into the deep dark jungle where the animals live. And Narayan Parasuram's music builds the mood, creates suspense, the tautness and makes innocent eyes open wider and tiny hands clutch you as the lion roars or the jackals howl.

Effective music, evocative narration, the books with colourful picturescapes and bold print are sure to cultivate a healthy attitude towards learning

As this fabled world springs to life in all its wit and wisdom, we learn lessons in love and harmony, intelligence and humility.

The concept is fresh, treatment is sensitive and the product engaging.

Unlike the run-of-the-mill comic book or cartoon film, Karadi Tales are intended to leave children with more than a few moments of mindless entertainment.

A must for all parents who wish for their kids to pick up good English language skills, while enjoying themselves.

- Newstime Weekend

Well written and with engrossing illustrations, these Talking Books traverse the jungle path, dip into the cauldron of blue paint along with the crooked jackal's brain, slither with the evil lip-smacking snake Sapri, wade out of the river with Red Face the monkey and peer into the well along with Budhu Raj the lion.

- Pune Newsline

Bandar Bindaas Bandar resists talking down to children asmost children's products are won't to do. It assumes a certain absorption ability of the child, is intelligent and mature, and cleverly couches information as part of the story. Don't be surprised if the adult is drawn into this perfect piece of art with its high production values and innovativeness.

"No Monkey Business"

This is a departure from the usual for Karadi Tales. The series has so far been a source of Indian fables for children with its audio cassette and book combination. Earlier this year though, it ventured into Indian mythology. Young Hanuman and Hanuman the Mighty are the third and fourth additions to the Karadi Tales Mythology library with playwright-director Girish Karnad as the sutradhar, Karadi the bear. He succeeds Naseerudddin Shah, Saeed Jaffrey and Gulzar.

As usual it is a charming mix of song, narrative and colourfully illustrated text with Karnad's smooth voice complementing the light foot-tapping music composed by the
3 Brothers & A Violin group. Karnad does not sing but C.P. Viswanath, one of the brothers who does, sounds souncannily similar to him that you will find yourself glancing at the credits to be sure who's who. It's evident that the singing and speaking voices have been carefully chosen to showcase a range of Indian English accents so that no young listener comes away from the experience believing that the propah British way is the only way to speak the language. But it is a pity that the producers let go of the singer S.P. Balasubramanian who was simply brilliant in the earlier Rangeela Geedhad and Laloo Bandar, Nathu Magarmach stories.

The Blue Jackal and the Foolish Lion are two stories from Book I of the Panchatantra, a collection of fables from India written in Sanskrit about 200 BC, with authorship attributed to Pandit Vishnu Sharma. This kit containing both oral and written versions of these stories is intended to help children learn to read. It is suggested in the accompanying guide that children should begin listening to the stories and enjoying the illustrations. Then after a few hearings, the child should attempt to follow the script while listening to the story.

While notes on the book cover recommend these stories for children ages 3 to 7, they could certainly be enjoyed by older students and also be used for a middle school unit on fables or folk tales.

The audio tapes are very well done. The voices of the narrator Karadi the bear and other animals are done by professional Indian actors. Use of sound effects and the musical soundtrack are excellent.

The written versions of the stories are beautifully illustrated with colourful, very detailed and often humorous pictures. For example, Karadi the elderly bear narrator is pictured in The Blue Jackal with a white goatee and bushy eyebrows, leaning on a cane while wearing fluffyblue bedroom slippers.

- Canadian magazine Review

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