Meena Thottam grew up in Kerala, on the west side of the southern-most tip of India where coffee and rubber trees grow. The land is lush, and the folklore of her culture is rich with the wisdom of generations.

In the following stories you will discover the delightful sense of humor her people used to teach life’s serious lessons. Whether a retold tale from India, or her original story, the rhythm, pacing, imagery, and the word choices are distinctly vintage Meena.

I highly recommend that you find a comfortable chair, relax, and let your imagination follow this master story teller into a land far from your cares of today.

Elyse Larson, author of the Women of Valor series

Meena Thottam's "Tumble Down Tales" series offer young readers an excellent introduction to the rich folktale tradition of India.

The author presents some of the better known stories in "The Jataka Tales" and "The Panchatantra" in a highly readable style, accessible to children of all cultures who are beginning to read and learn about the larger world. I recommend this series also for those adults who secretly enjoy the books they read to children and learn from them. Indeed, each volume here packs a tale, a moral, and a glossary of words to help build vocabulary and to balance education and entertainment.

Dr. Thomas Palakeel, Professor of English, Bradley University

"Tumbledown Tales" are novelettes for children adapted from the folk tales of India and other stories written in the same manner. Each teaches a principle of right living. In "The Pretender," a jackal turns blue when he falls into a vat of dye. He proclaims himself king of the animals and lives a life of luxury until his subterfuge is revealed. The lesson is "never pretend to be what you are not; in time the truth will come out."

Bookings: Mary O. Bradley - The Patriot News, Harrisburg, PA (Thursday, December 21, 2006)

What a joy it was to see my two grandchildren, ages 9 and 10, cuddled on the couch, so engrossed in reading these stories. These stories bring both knowledge and entertainment to all ages. I even enjoyed reading them. It also prepared the children for a lesson on Indian culture; a lesson that their teacher taught them a few months later. Introducing my grandchildren to these amazing tales was the best gift I could have given them.

Carol Brennan, Grandmother and Great Grandmother

Meena Thottam's Tumbledown Tales inspire others to work harder in life. The author did a very good job of taking old folktales and making them easily readable by young children. She also added much of her own flavor to the stories, and in turn they became a delightful way to teach very important lessons. But these stories are by no means just for children. They help to remind adults too, who sometimes forget such things as, "Change must come from within" and "Your goals are as reachable as you make them." Meena Thottam's Tumbledown Tales are indeed a wonderful way to remember the simple principles that should be used in everyday life.

Mary Braasch, Home Schooled (12th grade)