Olly and Josh are on the hunt for the next Talisman of the Moon. This time they're in India, surrounded by mountain temples and a spectacular movie set, searching for the legendary Elephant of Parvati. An ancient parchment holds the key and they seem to be on the right track, but mysteriously someone else is always one step ahead of them...

“The Portuguese Nobel Prize winner’s delightful posthumous novel recounts the [16th century] travels of an Indian elephant…from Lisbon to Vienna” (The New Yorker). In 1551, King João III of Portugal gave Archduke Maximilian an unusual wedding present: an elephant named Solomon. In The Elephant’s Journey, José Saramago imagines Solomon’s epic journey by foot across Europe with his Hindu keeper Subhro along for the adventure. Accompanied by the Archduke, his new wife, and the royal guard, these unlikely heroes traverse a continent riven by the Reformation and civil wars. They are witnessed by scholars, historians, and wide-eyed ordinary people as they make their way through the storied cities of northern Italy, brave the Alps, cross the Mediterranean Sea, and at last, make their way toward their grand entry into the imperial city. “A tale rich in irony and empathy, regularly interrupted by witty reflections on human nature and arch commentary on the powerful who insult human dignity.”—Los Angeles Times

The worlds of gods, demons and humans meet and come alive in these twelve stories. The gods and goddesses, heroes and heroines, birds, beasts, demons, monsters, sages and warriors that inhabit these classical tales deliver the enduring wisdom of Hindu folklore. The stories are amongst the oldest in the world and belong to children everywhere, regardless of religion or country of birth. Each tale is illustrated with dramatic black-and-white pictures by Margaret Jones. These evocative illustrations capture the wealth and strength of the culture behind the stories and give the tales a magnificent setting worthy of their power and drama.

The magical story of how Ganesh, the son of Shiva and Parvati, was brought back to life with the head of an elephant • The story of one of the most beloved characters in Indian lore, made accessible for Western children • Illustrated throughout with paintings from the classic Indian tradition Any Indian child can tell you how the beloved god Ganesh got his elephant’s head--now American children can know as well. For centuries Indian children have grown up hearing Ganesh’s story--how his mother, Parvati (an incarnation of the great mother goddess), created a small boy from sandalwood soap and commanded that he guard the palace against all intruders while she took her bath. How her husband, Shiva (the fearsome god of destruction), didn’t take kindly to being barred from his own home. How Shiva beheaded the boy during the cosmic war that followed, but then, when he realized that the balance of the entire universe was at stake, brought the boy back to life by grafting an elephant’s head onto his body and made him the people’s intercessor against the powers of destruction. Ganesh’s timeless story teaches children about the steadfast power of dedication to duty, the awe-inspiring power of a mother’s love for her child, and the gentle power of compassion, which holds the world together. Accompanied by rich, color illustrations prepared according to the traditional Hindu canon, How Ganesh Got His Elephant Head will transport children to a magical world filled with ancient wisdom.

The magical story of how the princess Parvati opens the heart of her eternal husband Shiva • The courtship story of one of the central couples in Indian lore, Parvati and Shiva, made accessible for Western children • Illustrated throughout with paintings from the classic Indian tradition In the Hindu pantheon the great mother goddess Adishakti is the heavenly wife of Shiva, Lord of All Gods. Whenever Shiva or Adishakti come to Earth in human form, they are fated to marry each other again--but that’s no guarantee that all will go smoothly with their courtship. In this story Adishakti comes to Earth as the mountain princess Parvati, who has her work cut out for her when she tries to win the affections of Shiva. Shiva spends all his time meditating on a remote mountainside in the Himalayas and has no interest in marriage. Parvati washes his feet, wipes his brow, and lays sixteen offerings before him, but he won’t even look at her. Sage Narada advises her to invoke Shiva’s name--Om Namah Shivaya--over and over again as a mantra. So in the heat of the sun, in the driving rain, in snow up to her neck Parvati sits and repeats her beloved’s name until the focused power of her intent opens his heart and persuades him to ask for her hand in marriage. Parvati’s timeless story teaches children that with enough love and perseverance even the seemingly impossible can be achieved. Accompanied by rich, color illustrations prepared according to the traditional Hindu canon, How Parvati Won the Heart of Shiva will transport children to a magical world filled with ancient wisdom.

An introduction to myths of ancient India features commentary on tales about the divinities, the ten incarnations of Vishnu, and female figures prevalent in the legends.

In Hinduism, it is believed that Shiva is the Destroyer of all Evil. Parvathi is his Shakthi – his power. Parvathi is Shiva’s wife and for all practical purposes, she is Shiva’s half. The Lord and the Goddess had many children and these children have protected the world many times over. These are the stories of some of the children of the Lord and the Goddess. Ganesha Skanda Ashokasundari Andhaka