Pattan's Pumpkin

A vibrant variation on the traditional flood myth from the Irular tribe in Southern India.

When Pattan finds a yellow-flower vine wilting in his valley, he replants and cares for it, watching as a pumpkin appears and grows taller than the goats, taller than the elephants, as tall as the very mountains. When a terrible storm rages across the valley, Pattan wonders if perhaps his pumpkin can save the seeds and grains and saplings, the goats and birds and bison, and protect them all as the storm clouds burst and the waters rise. Frané Lessac’s brilliantly hued artwork is a feast for the eyes, while Chitra Soundar’s thoughtful retelling is a fascinating example of the kinds of stories told the world over — and the differences that make each version unique.

Chitra Soundar grew up in southern India before moving to Singapore, where she began her career writing for children. She has since written more than twenty children’s books. This is her first book with Candlewick Press. Chitra Soundar lives in London.

Frané Lessac is an award-winning illustrator of more than forty children’s books. She lives with her husband and frequent collaborator, author Mark Greenwood, in Western Australia.