Robi Dobi: The Marvelous Adventures of an Indian Elephant - Hardcover

Jaffrey, Madhur

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0803721935 ISBN 13: 9780803721937

Publisher: Dial Books, 1997

Synopsis

Inspired by Indian stories, the exciting adventures of Robi Dobi and his friend, the bright orange mouse, follow the two as they travel along together and see the wonders of world.

About this title

Review:

All Robi Dobi the elephant planned to do was make his way home through the storm to his family. But on the way, he meets a series of troubled creatures, each of whom he happily agrees to help. The magnificently magnanimous elephant keeps adding the needy to his troupe until he has a rag-tag bunch rivaling the crew of the Canterbury Tales. Kabbi Wahaabi is the orphaned mouse who has been spray-painted orange. Maya Wishkaya is the dancing butterfly who, in a feat of Icarus-style bravado, has broken her delicate wing. And finally comes the army of green parrots, on a mission to return Princess Tara to her kingdom.

In the course of battling Wicked Purple Panthers, searching for The Tree With the Flexible Glue, finding The Great Painter in the Sky, and taking revenge upon Slimey Kimey the snake-witch, Robi Dobi and company cover a lot of ground. In the process, the animals learn lessons in kindness, teamwork, patience, and taking turns, all drawing on traditional Indian myths and lore.

Madhur Jaffrey, well known for her Indian cookbook writing, uses rich and illustrative language, employing the repetitions and patterns embraced by countless folktales. Amanda Hall's beautifully colored Eastern illustrations reflect the fact that she herself traveled across India--nearly as extensively as Robi Dobi--to research Indian drawing and painting techniques. Hall's gorgeous artwork and Jaffrey's evocative prose vividly trace the pachyderm's philanthropic parade and make for great reading aloud. (Ages 8 and older)

From Kirkus Reviews:

Jaffrey (Market Days, 1995, etc.) presents a cycle of adventures in which Robi Dobi, an Indian elephant, benevolently allows small, troubled creatures to come into his ear where it is warm and safe and to venture forth with him to resolve their problems. First he meets Kabbi Wahabbi, a mouse spray-painted bright orange by the wicked snake-witch Slimy Kimey; then Maya Wishkaya, a butterfly dancer whose ambition has landed her with a bum wing; and finally, some green parrots, intent on rescuing their Princess Tara from the Wicked Purple Panthers. After a tantalizing preface about Jaffrey's childhood in India comes melodramatic, cliff-hanging events that are reminiscent, in their derring-do, of George Lucas's interpretations of horse opera, although without a smidge of informing philosophy, or a real sense of the setting and characters. A typographical error tips the tale into the surreal: Having never before referred to himself in the third person, Robi says, ``Let's go. Maya and Robi, you stay in my ear.'' Among the bright spots in this blancmange of intrepidity is Kabbi Wahabbi's witty reiteration of his situational equivocation``If I wasn't orange, if I wasn't so far from home, and if I wasn't worrying about my family, I would really enjoy this.'' (Whatever happened to the subjunctive?) Hall's truly magnificent illustrations work overtime against the precious text to personalize the sweep and swirl of the world of these exotic animals. (Fiction. 8-10) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dial Books
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0803721935
• ISBN 13: 9780803721937
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 80
• Illustrator: Hall Amanda