Marlu

Multi-talented author S.S. Ravula along with her creative illustrator P. Narayanan have written
an original children’s book titled, Marlu – The Mango Lunchkin. In it, the main character is a
personi􀃥ed mango named Marlu. The world in which Marlu lives has many other “Lunchkins;”
animated food-related friends and family such as a carrot and a blueberry, all frolicking in the
beautifully manicured 􀃥elds of vegetable crops, sheep grazing areas and geometrically perfect
soil-tilled rows for spring planting.
Although the story progresses in where Marlu is initially shunned-away from playing with the
other lunchkins because he is too young, it really isn’t the storyline which captures the
imagination of this fanciful world. Sure, as Marlu is upset because the others are playing with
a kite and he isn’t invited, he 􀃥nds solace when talking with his Daddy. Then when the string
of the kite gets stuck in a tree, it is Marlu that runs so fast he begins to 􀃦y! Reaching the top
of the tree he retrieves the string, and learns quickly a lesson about 􀃦ying – in which you best
know how to land before you take off.
It is, however, the marvelously original computer-enhanced art which captivates the attention
of readers. The lunchkins have shapes and features incorporating shading, soft colors and
shadowing over backgrounds of various focal-lengths with fauna and patterns. The illusion of
using 3-dimentional depth of the drawings along with the galley text superimposed over the
pictures creates wonderfully artful pages; ideal for the wandering eyes of youngsters seeking
out the details of the story both by reading the words and by viewing the pictures.
As an added bonus, at the end of the story are fun- 􀃥lled facts about the mango, referred to as
“The King of the Fruits.” With a long history of over 4,000 years and a part of many cultures,
reading about Marlu will have everyone going to the market to buy a mango to enjoy. Not just
any mango, but organic mangos! Yes, healthy choices are at the core of the author and her
colleagues from the www.lunchkins.com organization.
Simply stated, “It’s all good.” A good story, with excellent artwork, offering healthy advice on
eating organic, and supporting the love of a family unit – it all comes together in Marlu – The
Mango Lunchkin. One more thing, when I 􀃥rst saw the word “Lunchkin,” it made me chuckle
inside to myself; very cute indeed. Your family library is not complete without this gem.

Marlu, the Mango Lunchkin, enjoys running, playing, and chasing kites. He has a wonderful family and lives in the beautiful countryside of LunchkinLand but struggles with making friends. His mother is famous throughout the community for her amazing Kutrient and Kelement soup. Marlu gets to help Mommy Mango pick the herbs for the soup but still wishes he could find friends who would accept him simply for who he is. He finds comfort in his parents’ words and hopes of finding his magical powers soon so he can show all the other Lunchkins that he is capable of playing with them. When faced with the choice between action and complacency, Marlu encounters his biggest obstacle yet.

Ravula’s story takes a new approach to the traditional children’s storybook. Marlu tackles topics of bullying, mental health, and community all under the cute, whimsical concept of Lunchkinland. The messages throughout the story, although for very young children, are dealt with maturely and responsibly. On top of the social lessons, Ravula also provides a history and facts page about mangos. The section itself is informative and a great addition to get children interested in where food comes from as well as food history. It will be interesting to see in future tales of Lunchkinland if Ravula will use the different Lunchkins as topics for this section. Overall, this is a lighthearted and positive story that encompasses kindness, community, and uniqueness. Using fruits and vegetables as characters make them both cute and informative. Hopefully, there will be many more Lunchkinland adventures.