Book Review: The Daughter From a Wishing Tree by Sudha Murthy

The Daughter From a Wishing Tree
Author: Sudha Murthy
Publisher: Puffin Publishers
Rating: 3/5

Simple and impactful, Sudha Murthy’s writing style is often appreciated by children. In her new book that derives its basis from the unheard tales of Indian Mythology, she touches upon various aspects of a woman’s persona! Whether it is their honour, audacity and strong-mindedness or their compassion, tolerance and empathy- each facet of a woman is something that the world yearns for. In the current age, where women seem to have forgotten the strength that they possess, this book is a must-read for all children.

The Daughter From a Wishing Tree is a confluence of 24 short stories (along with beautiful illustrations) that have been cherry-picked to highlight the valour of women. Be it goddesses or the princesses, each of these women showcases their strong will and determination in carrying out their decisions meanwhile keeping intact their integrity. The book receives its name from a story that has the same title and talks about how Goddess Parvati’s wish to have a daughter was granted by a wishing tree. The subtle hint at the importance of daughters in the lives of parents is worth all appreciation.

Though neither the language nor the themes by the author attract me as an adult, I can safely conclude that this book is well-suited for children. I feel the children should be exposed to Indian mythology as that too is set in the magical realm (which is the current preference for them). The fact that powers precede logic in such stories doesn’t impact the children and hence, they would find joy in reading this book.

Nevertheless, this is a good choice.
Best wishes to the author!

Buying Link: Amazon