It is not every day that one comes across mythology written by a child. This is no ordinary book. It is a long and beautifully told tale that captures the excitement and strangeness of the ancient Indian epic of gods and humans.

This enthralling story spans many years, weaving the threads of the characters stories together. We hear of the slaying of demons, magic weapons and the strangeness of five men married to one woman. The tone is childlike yet full of interesting words.

The main part of the story tells of the hatred between the Pandava brothers and their cousins, the Kauravas, which eventually results in war but, within the book, there are many other stories. After reading it, I loved the Mahabharatha because it is full of magic but also dwells on the theme of war.

The author gives a balanced telling of the story, in the sense that she acknowledges everyone's good points and their faults; she believes that the Mahabharatha's moral is that no one is perfect and I think I agree, though the book has many morals, depending on how you interpret it.

The illustrations, though childish, are full of charm and beauty with details and patterns in every picture; however I think that a few are a bit too simplistic and scribbly but most are full of character. These pictures help to tell the story and explain the characters' feelings.

A minor quibble: I wish that they had put the glossary of Indian words at the bottom of each page instead of at the back of Part 2 (Part 1 completely lacks a glossary) because it is hard to flick all the way to the back of the book.

The Mahabharatha is a long journey, through words and pictures, that absorbs the reader from the start. Although it is an easy read, the book immerses you into another world with its amazingly descriptive text. The story never seems to end. It is truly the perfect way to approach the Mahabharatha, even if you have never heard of it or read any mythology. I would highly recommend it to all children, it is definitely a must read.

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