SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE:
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.chitrasoundar.com/
CITY: London, England
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: British
LAST VOLUME: SATA 388
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1972, in Chennai (formerly known as Madras), India.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Has also worked as a public speaker and writing instructor.
MEMBER:Society of Authors.
WRITINGS
Also author of the chapter book A Jar of Pickles and a Pinch of Justice.
SIDELIGHTS
Chitra Soundar is a picture book creator and also writes fiction for young readers. She frequently draws inspiration for her stories from Indian folktales, Hindu legends, and her own travels around the world. With illustrator Kanika Nair, Soundar is the creator of the “Farmer Falgu” series of picture books, which center on an Indian farmer and the challenges he faces in life. In an interview on the Society of Authors website, Soundar admitted that “the best part of writing is telling the story especially when it’s a new idea. I’m usually bursting with enthusiasm when I write a first draft. The fun part is also waiting for the full book to form. … But a book and a story realises its full potential only when it meets its audience.”
In Farmer Falgu Goes on a Trip, Falgu, an Indian farmer, finds his farm to be too noisy with all the mooing, clucking, and quacking. Looking for a quiet place to be, he gets on his bull-pulled wagon and picks up musician hitchhikers along the way. While he is bothered by their music at first, he eventually joins in the singing and having a good time. A contributor to Publishers Weekly suggested that the “fun” story “may leave readers curious to learn more about the rural Indian setting.”
In Farmer Falgu Goes to the Market, Falgu returns to take his produce and eggs to sell at the market. When the bumpy ride and speeding motorists cause his produce to fall off and his eggs to break, he brainstorms ways of salvaging his partially completed trip to the market. A Kirkus Reviews contributor noted that “the story itself has some cracks, but it has both a good moral lesson and likely appeal for young kids.”
In Farmer Falgu Goes to the Kumbh Mela, Falgu is looking forward to traveling to Allahabad for the Kumbh Mela celebration. He wishes to watch the sadhu procession and the elephant parade as well as go into the holy river. While doing nice deeds for others, though, he ends up missing his opportunity to do any of those things. Still, he is rewarded for his selfless behavior in other ways. A Kirkus Reviews contributor stated, “While sharing a positive message of kindness, the story seems too good to be true.”
In yet another installment in the series, Farmer Falgu Goes Kite Flying, Falgu brings his daughter, Eila, along as they load their cart with four kites, a spool oof thread, and a packed lunch. Most of their kites are taken away by strong wind. However, their kite does well at the festival later in the day. A Kirkus Reviews contributor insisted that the account “captures the spirit and vibrancy of this fun North Indian festival.”
In Pattan’s Pumpkin: A Traditional Flood Story from Southern India, Pattan discovers a yellow-flower pumpkin vine and replants it closer to home. He cares for it and watches it grow to immense heights. When a strong storm threatens his animals, he wonders if his pumpkin can save everyone from the impending floods. A contributor to Children’s Bookwatch called the volume “an impressively entertaining picture book from beginning to end.”
In Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship: Stories from India, Prince Veera and his friend, Suku, hold court while King Bheema is out ill. Between the playful Veera and the wise Suku, the pair manage to help solve the problems of the villagers in attendance. Booklist contributor Amina Chaudhri observed that “these original tales are folkloric in style and content but refreshingly contemporary in tone and form.”
In You’re Snug with Me, a mother giraffe guides and comforts her child while getting used to life on the grassland. No matter what the young giraffe complains about, the mother assures him that he is in good hands with her nearby. A Kirkus Reviews contributor suggested that the picture book would “excite children about animal life and reassure them of the lasting love from elders.”
With Shubh Diwali!, a northern Indian family prepares for the Hindu celebration of Diwali. New clothes, lavish household decorations, and lots of singing and gift exchanging mark the various facets that the family takes part in throughout the day and night. A Kirkus Reviews contributor called the book “a solid introduction to a holiday celebrated by millions.”
Sona Sharma, Very Best Big Sister? is a book about new siblings. Sona is feeling anxious, sad, and even angry about her new baby sibling’s arrival. As soon as the baby is born, though, she bonds quickly and embraces her role as the big sister. Booklist contributor Vivian Alvarez observed that “Soundar neatly folds familiar themes … into this beautifully illustrated chapter book showcasing India’s culture and traditions.”
In Holi Hai!, Gauri’s family decide that each member of the family will make their own gulal for Holi. They draw a piece of paper from a bowl, telling them what color they have chosen. Gauri is angry that she drew the color red and decides she won’t participate. However, her grandfather reminds her of the story of a demoness and her rage, giving Gauri a new perspective about her behavior and showing her the benefits of joining family activities. A Kirkus Reviews contributor remarked that “the book’s illustrations are beautifully textured and artfully designed.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, July 1, 2017, Amina Chaudhri, review of Pattan’s Pumpkin: A Traditional Flood Story from Southern India; May 15, 2018, Amina Chaudri, review of You’re Safe with Me, p. 60; October 1, 2018, Maryann Owen, review of You’re Snug with Me, p. 84; February 1, 2019, Amina Chaudhri, review of Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship: Stories from India, p. 73; September 15, 2019, Amina Chaudhri, review of Shubh Diwali!, p. 60; September 15, 2021, Vivian Alvarez, review of Sona Sharma, Very Best Big Sister?, p. 53; November 1, 2021, Selenia Paz, review of Holi Hai!, p. 70.
Children’s Bookwatch, September 1, 2017, review of Pattan’s Pumpkin.
Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2017, review of Pattan’s Pumpkin; February 15, 2018, review of Farmer Falgu Goes to the Market; March 1, 2018, review of You’re Safe with Me; August 1, 2018, review of Farmer Falgu Goes to the Kumbh Mela; August 1, 2018, review of You’re Snug with Me; March 15, 2019, review of Farmer Falgu Goes Kite Flying; July 15, 2019, review of You’re Strong with Me; July 15, 2019, review of Shubh Diwali!; July 1, 2021, review of Sona Sharma, Very Best Big Sister?; November 1, 2021, review of Holi Hai!
Publishers Weekly, June 13, 2016, review of Farmer Falgu Goes on a Trip, p. 96.
ONLINE
Book Murmuration, https://bookmurmuration.wordpress.com/ (May 3, 2018), author interview.
Chitra Soundar website, https://www.chitrasoundar.com (July 8, 2022).
Karadi Tales Picturebooks website, https://www.karaditales.com/ (July 8, 2022), author interview.
Parrot Street, https://www.parrotstreet.com/ (November 23, 2020), author interview.
Reading Realm, https://thereadingrealm.co.uk/ (February 10, 2020), author interview.
School Library Services website, https://sls-uk.org/ (July 8, 2022), author interview.
Society of Authors website, https://www.societyofauthors.org/ (July 8, 2022), author interview.*
Series
Sona Sharma
Very Best Big Sister (2007)
Looking After Planet Earth (2021)
A Friend Indeed (2022)
Wish Me Luck (2023)
thumbthumbthumbthumb
Novels
Sindhu and Jeet's Detective Agency (2021)
Ballet Besties: Yara's Chance to Dance (2024) (with Yasmine Naghdi)
thumbthumb
Collections
Fascinating Stories from Hans Christian Andersen (2005)
Tall Tales From The Animal Kingdom (2008)
A Dollop of Ghee and a Pot of Wisdom (2010)
A Jar of Pickles and a Pinch of Justice (2016)
Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship (2018)
Stories of Courage and Valour (2020)
A Sliver of Moon and a Shard of Truth (2021)
thumbthumbthumbthumb
thumbthumbthumb
Anthologies edited
Farmer Falgu Goes to the Kumbh Mela (2018)
thumb
Chapter Books hide
Tiger Troubles (2020)
Manju's Magic Muddle (2021)
Chitra Soundar is an internationally published author of over 60 books for children.
She is also an oral storyteller and writer of many things. Chitra writes picture books and fiction for young readers and for children’s digital media including audio and TV.
Her stories are inspired by folktales from India, Hindu mythology and her travels around the world.
Her books have been published in the UK, US, India & Singapore and translated into Chinese, German, French, Japanese and Thai.
Chitra Soundar
As a child
I was born in a big joint family in Chennai, a coastal city in India. I loved listening to stories from my grandmother and her sisters. As a child, I was shy, bookish and quiet. But I used to make up stories to tell my kid sister and younger cousins. I even won the Best Storytelling prize at her school when I was in Year 3. I acted in plays written and directed by my mother every year during summer vacations. I loved making up nonsense verse in Tamil, which is my mother tongue. Our summer holidays were filled with mangoes; tender coconuts and big family stay overs with all the cousins. We hardly watched any telly or movies. We read books, copied out dictionaries, read the newspaper like a radio newsreader and rummaged around in a big shed that was out of bounds.
As an adult
I studied in Chennai all my life. I was in the same school from primary to secondary mostly. My friends today are still my classmates from primary school. When I was 14, I wrote my first poem in Tamil. Two of my teachers, who were Tamil scholars encouraged me to continue. Then I started writing in English and also in Hindi, which is the national language in India. Once I wrote a song for a puppet show we had created for our school project. I unexpectedly won the Best Poetry Award that year for another poem I had written about Bharathi, a famous poet from India. When I went to college, I wrote an essay on the state of education in India and sent it to a competition and I was so chuffed that I had won the first prize in the all-state competition. I don’t think I imagined myself to be a writer in those days. I wrote diaries, poems and essays – every time I had a thought or an opinion. I just enjoyed writing – even if they were long answers in an examination. I recently found a photo of my first essay ever (when I was six) - and I have emphatically declared that Book is God.
As an artist
I’m very much a morning person. I like to get up before the sun and watch the sunrise. My writing desk is next to the window and I like the sky breaking out in the morning, when everything is quiet and as if only some of us share the secret of the morning. When I start a new story, I like to scribble, doodle and write by hand. I draw lots of lines and circles and put ideas in them and play around. I’m very particular about the notebook I use. I either written in unlined notebooks or if they have lines, I write over them. I love using ink pens of different colours and I think I buy more notebooks than milk. I’ve written over 20 titles for children.
Things you didn’t know about Chitra Soundar
Chitra has never had any pets – not even fish.
Chitra loves cooking when she’s not reading or writing.
Chitra is a vegetarian – she doesn’t eat meat or fish or egg. But she’s fascinated with eggs. Read why here. www.chitrasoundar.com/how-my-fascination-with-eggs-turned-into-farmer-falgu-goes-to-the-market/
Chitra likes to play Scrabble and other word games.
Chitra collects lots of small things – keys, stones, shells, feathers, postcards and such.
Chitra didn’t have a telly at home until she was 15 years old.
Her favourite colour is burnt orange. She loves dark earthy colours and wears colourful clothes.
Her friends still call her Chitti – short for Chitra at school. They used to chant CHITTI-CHITTI-BANG-BANG at me for fun.
Chitra loves watching birds – she tries to identify birds wherever she goes.
Giraffes are her favourite animals. She has over a dozen giraffe figurines in her home.
Soundar, Chitra SONA SHARMA, LOOKING AFTER PLANET EARTH Candlewick (Children's None) $15.99 2, 13 ISBN: 9781536231960
A young girl convinces her community to be more eco-conscious.
One Friday morning, Miss Rao tells Sona Sharma and her classmates about pollution and climate change. Inspired, Sona embarks on a mission to protect the planet. At first, her enthusiasm leads to some not-so-great ideas, including hiding her baby sister's diapers and switching off the electricity in her house. Eventually, she settles on a more achievable goal: banning artificial powders from the upcoming neighborhood kolam competition. Going through with her idea, however, may anger her maternal grandmother, who wins the competition every year using these colorful pollutants. Sona seeks advice from her paternal grandfather, who judges the contest. Can Sona find a way to help the planet without alienating her family? Set in India, this tale shines with its protagonist's sincerity and makes a complex, daunting topic feel accessible to a young audience. Sona's relationships with various family members help move the plot forward; her conversations with her toy elephant are especially charming. Black-and-white illustrations peppered throughout break up the action. Though the book doesn't speak to the importance of systemic action in combating climate change, it will nevertheless give climate-anxious children a much-needed sense of control.
An optimistic tale of eco-activism that's sure to buoy little ones worried about the state of the planet. (Fiction. 7-11)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Soundar, Chitra: SONA SHARMA, LOOKING AFTER PLANET EARTH." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A782202480/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=961948fa. Accessed 6 May 2024.
Soundar, Chitra A SLIVER OF MOON AND A SHARD OF TRUTH Candlewick (Children's None) $15.99 9, 13 ISBN: 978-1-5362-2515-0
India's lively wisdom tales retold, starring two quick-witted boys.
As in Soundar and Krishnaswamy's Mangoes, Mischief, and Tales of Friendship (2018), these linked stories feature a down-to-earth prince, Veera, and his best friend, Suku, a farmer's son. Visiting Prince Veera's rash granduncle's kingdom, they solve mysteries, decode puzzles, expose charlatans, and defeat wickedness with ingenuity. The writing flows, the boys are wisecracking, and the tales celebrate shrewdness, friendship despite differences in social status, Solomonic insight, and fairness. It helps that the adversaries are given to excess and not too bright. Black-and-white vignettes flavor the pages in a naïve style appropriate to the stories, which, though they borrow heavily from folk tradition, are likely to be new to many readers. Names and some details--e.g., the game kabaddi--may be unfamiliar, but most things need no translation, like the adage, "Hasty elephants fall into the pit." A good prince, Veera knows that justice must be "based on truth and fact," and these reimagined trickster tales offer more than a shard of the former.
Lighthearted, brief tales of common sense, virtue, and valor, perfect for reading aloud. (author's note) (Fiction. 6-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Soundar, Chitra: A SLIVER OF MOON AND A SHARD OF TRUTH." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Nov. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A724445414/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=6eecf69d. Accessed 6 May 2024.
A Sliver of Moon and a Shard of Truth: Stories from India. By Chitra Soundar. Illus. by Uma Krishnaswamy. Sept 2022.112p. Candlewick, $15.99 (9781536225150). Gr. 2-4.
The longevity of folktales lies in their capacity to continue to impart insights about the human condition. So it is with the latest from acclaimed storyteller Soundar, in which she recalls tales from her childhood in India and retells them with a crisp, modern flavor. Prince Veera and his friend Suku are an unusual pair, as one is royalty and the other a farmer, but their friendship is sanctioned by Veera's father, the king, so they are allowed privileges that would otherwise be frowned upon. One such privilege involves holding a mock court where they solve problems, which is usually the work of royalty alone. Veera and Suku are smart, witty, and keen observers of human traits. On a trip to Veera's uncle's kingdom, their bond and skills are put to the test in a new environment. Together, they solve matters of ego, deceit, domestic misunderstandings, and more. Often the scenarios involve cooling the fiery temper of the king, who is too easily incensed. Fairness, patience, honesty, and goodness prevail in all situations. An entertaining, expressive read-aloud. --Amina Chaudhri
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Chaudhri, Amina. "A Sliver of Moon and a Shard of Truth: Stories from India." Booklist, vol. 118, no. 22, 1 Aug. 2022, p. 54. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A714679534/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4275c75a. Accessed 6 May 2024.
SOUNDAR, Chitra. We All Celebrate! illus. by Jenny Bloomfield. 32p. Tiny Owl. Sept. 2022. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781910328897.
Gr 3-5--This nonfiction picture book introduces and explores celebrations and holidays from around the world. It begins with an overview of how history and geography relate to the celebrations. The book is then broken up into seasons and gives a great deal of information on diverse celebrations from all over the globe. In some cases, the celebrations are well known, while others are less familiar. Each season begins with a short introduction, and then each celebration includes a brief history, the country of origin, activities that take place during it, and vocabulary that directly relates to it. Soundar includes religious and secular holidays and festivals from all over the world. The information is accompanied by vivid illustrations that draw readers into the celebrations, adding another dimension to the experience. Text and illustrations work together to give an impressive amount of information without being overwhelming. The details included in this book could aid in formal educational settings as well as informal reading opportunities. Specific terminology, such as sumac, samanu, vasilopita, and Sufganiyot, provides further learning opportunities, but the book lacks a pronunciation guide and glossary. VERDICT This collection of diverse celebrations is a welcome addition to a library's holiday collection.--Katie Loomis
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Loomis, Katie. "SOUNDAR, Chitra. We All Celebrate!" School Library Journal, vol. 68, no. 9, Sept. 2022, p. 93. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A715572345/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2b948ed2. Accessed 6 May 2024.