Traveling through the jungle in India to visit her daughter, an old woman named Grandma meets a fox, a bear, and a tiger in turn. She convinces them each she's far too skinny to eat. "See how bony I am? I'll be a lot juicier on my way back from my daughter's house." For the return journey, her daughter seals Grandma inside a giant gourd to keep her safe and gives her a push. She rolls through the jungle, encountering each animal once again. "I'm just a rolling gourd, singing my song. Won't you give me a push and help me along?" It almost works. But the fox finally figures out Grandma's inside. That's when Grandma's loyal dogs come to the rescue. A lively retelling of a traditional, humorous Bengali tale is distinguished by many fresh examples of onomatopoeia (dhip-dhip, khut-khut-khut, gar-gar, gar-gar), not to mention a strong, smart, clever main character. The vibrant illustrations are distinctively stylized. Steeped in warm, bright colors, they incorporate an array of decorative patterns into the backgrounds. (Ages 4-8)