Toads and Diamonds
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.50 (843 Votes) |
| Asin | : | B005SMWEF4 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 288 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-06-03 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Diribani’s newfound wealth brings her a prince—and an attempt on her life. Tana is chased out of the village because the province's governor fears snakes, yet thousands are dying of a plague spread by rats. And when she encounters the goddess, she is not surprised to find herself speaking snakes and toads as a reward.Blessings and curses are never so clear as they might seem, however. Yet she is granted a remarkable gift: Flowers and precious jewels drop from her lips whenever she speaks.It seems only right to Tana that the goddess judged her kind, lovely stepsister worthy of such riches. As the sisters' fates hang in the balance, each struggle
"Even better than the original!" according to Bonnie Lynn Wagner. Vastly different from Charles Perrault's The Fairies, in my opinion, Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson is a much-better version of the tale. For those not familiar with the original, two step-sisters encounter a disguised fairy on separate occasions. The younger of the two is blessed with a gift: Whenever she speaks, flowers and jewels fall from her lips. The eldest isn't a kind person, so the fairy curses her to spit out snakes and amphibians wh. A Real Gem! As a mother who screens everything her 11-year-old daughter reads, I love it when what she reads corresponds, even tenuously, with what she's currently studying at school. At this point, she is studying Ancient History, which, of course, includes India. It is *not* easy to find age-appropriate fiction that might heighten a sixth-grader's interested in Indian history during the time of Janahara (other than "The Royal Diaries") so I was especially intrig. "Excellent take on a less well known tale" according to Serena F.. I admit it: I chose this book by its cover, at my local library. But it lived up to my hopes. I like the use of a fairy tale not covered by Disney. I appreciate the South Asian setting that provides a refreshing change of scene, as well as a reason for people to perceive the ability to conjure snakes and toads as blessing rather than a curse. I like that the stepsisters love each other and their mother/stepmother instead of being rivals as in a traditi
Soon Diribani is taken in by a handsome prince who seeks to protect her from those who would use her gift for ill. From School Library Journal Starred Review. Best of all, Tomlinson creates a truly remarkable bond between the girls, obliterating the trite stepsister stereotype. All rights reserved. The text may be challenging at times, but this extraordinary entry in the retellings genre is definitely worth its weight in diamonds. . Grade 7 Up This is an impressive reimagining of Perrault's classic tale, set in precolonial India. Fans of Shannon Hale and Robin McKinley will eat it up. Stepsisters Diribani and Tana are on the edge of poverty when they are blessed and cursed by the goddess Naghali-ji. Diribani, the beautiful and polite one, speaks flowers and jewels every time a sound is uttered from her perfect lips, while Tana,