Bakaasur: The Ice Cream (Maker) Monster | Dedicated Review


Book Review of Bakaasur – The Ice Cream Maker Monster
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The Children’s Book Review

Bakaasur - The Ice Cream Maker Monster

Written and illustrated by Deven Jatkar

Ages 4+ | 46 Pages

Publisher: Monkey Mantra | ISBN-13: 9781455626489

What to Expect: Friendship, problem-solving, positive thinking

In weather so hot that the grapes turn into raisins on the vine, anyone would be happy to have some ice cream, right? Wrong! Tina, Pia, Rishaan, Ajay, Adi, Raj, and Kris are not happy because ice cream means Baba getting out the monstrous, rickety, old hand-cranked ice cream maker!

As they fetch supplies, chip ice, haul rock salt, and labor at the hand crank in the scorching sun, the cousins can’t help but compare the monstrous machine to the legendary demon Bakaasur, who not only makes you work hard—he eats you afterward! But when Bakaasur breaks, they need to find a way to save their sweet treat and make sure Baba gets his birthday treat. Will they succeed in finding a hero—in this case, a new, electric ice cream maker?

This reworking of a classic Indian myth into a modern-day family dilemma is entertaining and instructive. The story offers readers a glimpse into Indian culture and family life and provides lessons about perseverance, problem-solving, pleasing others, and working together, all in the guise of a tale about ice cream and monsters. Best of all, there is enough information for an enterprising reader to recreate the cousins’ delicious treat for themselves—with a bit of problem-solving of their own.

Softly colored, intricately detailed cartoon illustrations bring the story to life. Humorous details are added for careful readers to spot (the cow peeking out from behind the dairy on p. 11 is particularly fun).

Just in time for summer, Bakaasur – The Ice Cream (Maker) Monster is the perfect read for long, lazy, hot days … that might just end with ice cream!

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Deven Jatkar: Illustrated Headshot

About the Author

Born in India, Deven is passionate about presenting the Indian lifestyle and culture to a global audience through his illustrations and storytelling. Deven appreciates the opportunity to showcase the Indian experience through his craft and has multiple such projects on the drawing board that keep him happy and busy!

For more information, visit https://www.monkeymantra.com/.

Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored, non-biased review of Bakaasur – The Ice Cream Maker Monster. Learn more about getting a book review …

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June 17, 2022 at 01:30AM Dr. Jen Harrison