Ganesha: The Curse on the Moon

In this companion to Ganesha: The Wonder Years, Dutta and Nagulakonda offer a comics-style recounting of Ganesha’s role in creating the phases of the moon. After the moon laughs at Ganesha, who suffers a pratfall in the opening pages, the god strips the moon of its light. Luckily, Ganesha’s father, Shiva, steps in to lessen Ganesha’s punishment, creating the moon’s cycles. Dutta’s rhymes can be convoluted (“Our little child will have his way,/ but the night forever dark can’t stay,” Shiva muses), but the comedic exuberance and cinematic polish of Nagulakonda’s cartoons entertain throughout. Ages 3–7. (Dec.)