• Age: 4 to 7
• Grade: p to 2

A long time ago in India, a boy was born. He didn’t look like any ordinary baby as he had bright blue skin and a birthmark near his shoulder that looked just like a flower. He was beautiful. His parents named him Krishna.

In this modern retelling of a beloved Hindu folktale, writer and illustrator Mahendra Singh brings a delightful story of a mother’s unconditional love to sumptuous full-color pages. Young Krishna is bored with village life and amuses himself with pranks and games. His neighbors don’t appreciate his self-absorbed frolics that wreak havoc on the village. As Krishna grows, he realizes that even a young god should listen to his parents.

Readers of all ages will find reassurance in this charming story about unwavering parental love for the naughtiest of children. Singh’s illustrations are lush with detail and resplendent with bright pastel colors.

Mahendra Singh's profile page

Mahendra Singh is an artist and illustrator. His projects include illustrating the Melville House edition of The Hunting of the Snark by Lewis Carroll and contributions to Encyclopaedia of Hell I and II by Martin Olson published by Feral House.

Raising a young god comes with myriad challenges.

In this tale set in ancient India, a woman named Yashoda gives birth to a blue-skinned baby named Krishna. Yashoda and her husband, Nanda, raise the boy in their village among their fellow cowherders and their families. From the beginning, Krishna is mischievous, pulling the animals’ tails even before he learns to walk, stealing butter, and feeding stolen sweets to the local monkeys. Time after time, the village women ask Yashoda to discipline her naughty child, and time after time, Krishna proves too adorable and sweet to punish. When Krishna is 6, his father gives him the responsibility of helping to drive the cattle to the pasture. A bored Krishna entertains himself by playing a reed flute given to him by a monkey. When he returns home, the cows give very little milk, and the villagers are sure that Krishna is to blame. Finally, when another child says that Krishna is eating dirt, he opens his mouth and shows his mother the universe, revealing to her that he was actually a god all along. KIRKUS