About the Author

Chitra Soundar was born in Chennai, India, resides in London, United Kingdom, and lives in imaginary worlds weaved out of stories. She has written over 20 books for children aged 3 to 10 years old. Chitra also loves to retell folktales, legends and ancient tales from the Indian sub-continent. While she dabbles in chapter books, her first love is picture books. Farmer Falgu Goes on a Trip is her third book in India, and her first book with Karadi Tales. Soon Farmer Falgu will be going places with his charm and good humour. Her work is inspired by the noisy and colourful India, the culture and history of ancient tribes and the stories that pass down from one generation to the next. Many of her stories revolve around animals, families and cultural motifs. She is often inspired by visits to the many museums in London and walking around the ancient streets reading blue plaques. More details can be found at www.chitrasoundar.com Kanika Nair was born in Jaipur, India. She has always had a passion for illustration. After receiving a bachelor's degree in Communication Design from Pearl Academy of Fashion, New Delhi, she began working as a freelance illustrator, writer and designer of children's books. Nair has worked on children's books projects with Karadi Tales, Room to Read, Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti (BGVS) and Pratham Books. She loves to incorporate various insights about children that she has collected over years into her illustrations. The Indian cultural canvas has always fascinated her and this is quite evident in her style of illustration.

Reviews

The vibrant illustrations, full of colour and life, offer the reader a glimpse of the everyday life of those who live in India. The simple plots offer lots of opportunities for joining in and for adding musical accompaniments whilst showing us the best qualities of this gentle man... [I] really look forward to seeing where Farmer Falgu's adventures will take him next!--North Somerset Teachers Book Award Encourage kids to explore other places and ways of life with this round up of recently published picture books set across the globe. Ranging in subject matter from slice-of-life stories to folklore-style offerings to tales that touch upon more serious issues, these titles have been chosen for their ability to evoke a specific setting or culture while also revealing universal themes. Arranged geographically, the tales can be shared with students to introduce studies of cultures and countries, or to foster a sense of global community. Through these picture books, children will learn about the lives of other people, discover similarities and differences, and develop both self-awareness and empathy for others...India... Chitra Soundar and Kanika Nair follow their delightful Farmer Falgu Goes on a Trip (2016) with a second tale set in rural India. This time, Farmer Falgu Goes to Market (Karadi Tales. Apr. 2018; PreS-Gr 4) after loading his brightly painted, oxen-drawn cart with tomatoes, onions, green chilies, cilantro, and eggs. Unfortunately, there are some unexpected bumps along the road (everything from potholes to errant duck crossings), resulting in cracked eggs and squashed vegetables, but the optimistic--and resourceful--protagonist figures out the perfect solution to guarantee a successful day. Utilizing bold lines, earth tones, and splashes of color, the energetic artwork provides just enough detail to convey the lively action and locale. Filled with ear-pleasing rhythms and onomatopoetic language, this picture book is engaging and fun to read aloud. Share this along with Farmer Falgu Goes on a Trip (2016) with students to discuss the folklore-style telling and launch explorations of the setting.--School Library Journal "Enlarged, color-coded type helps emphasizes the onomatopoeia that fills a buoyant cumulative story that, in addition to being just plain fun, may leave readers curious to learn more about the rural Indian setting." - Publishers Weekly