Author/illustrator Demi (The Conference of the Birds) retells the tale of how Lord Vishnu, the greatest of all the gods," came to Earth as a child, Krishna, in order to destroy all the evil demon kings and bring peace once again to the Earth." The stories begin with his astounding escape as an infant from evil King Kamsa's prison and his adoption into a cowherd family, then continue with tales of Krishna's naughty childhood (stealing butter), phenomenal strength (lifting a mountain with his finger), and miraculous powers (swallowing a forest fire's flames). Each spread contains centered paintings framed by finely detailed, colorful, and ornate borders set against a pale beige backdrop. Text appears low on each page; empty space above draws the reader's focus to the illustration. Krishna, distinguished by blue flesh, appears either playing or dancing with animals and friends his size, or thwarting the king's increasingly elaborate attempts to murder him by conquering enormous demon animals or gods. More visually arresting than plot driven, this compilation of stories offers an accessible introduction to one of Hinduism's central figures. Ages 4-8. (Mar.) Publishers Weekly Introduce your little ones to the stories of Krishna with The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna, written and illustrated by Demi. This delightful picture book condenses these classic tales into a version more easily understood by children, and is accompanied vibrant illustrations that kids will be pleased by. This book is a wonderful way to introduce your youngest readers to the tales of Krishna, and the simplified tale of good versus evil will keep them eagerly turning the pages until the end. San Francisco Book Review PreS-Gr 4-Set in a peaceful kingdom in India more than 5000 years ago, this story begins as demon kings start disposing of all the good and wise rulers. In answer to a plea for help, the god Vishnu returns to Earth to restore peace in the form of a child named Krishna. He is raised by two loving cowherds and grows up to be clever and loving. The current ruler, King Kamsa, is not pleased and tries to dispose of Krishna in a variety of ways. The boy, using his phenomenal strength and other amazing powers, is able to thwart the evil king's messengers, including giant snakes, forest fires, and a cranelike demon. Finally, a threat against his parents pushes Krishna to confront the evil king himself. Upon Kamsa's death, the good king is released from prison and, once again, love and joy reign. Krishna then travels far and wide helping people live in peace and harmony. This tale serves as an introduction to one of Hinduism's most renowned figures, who features prominently in sacred scriptures. The mixed-media illustrations have intricate borders and are the focus of each page with the text off to the sides. The beautiful, full-color images are detailed in Demi's recognizable style. Krishna, depicted with blue-colored skin, is easily identified on every page. A meaningful addition to folktale collections. School Library Journal "The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna" is a beautiful edition of intricately illustrated retellings of 5 thousand year old Hindu tales of adventures of Krishna, beloved Avatar. When evil demon kings threatened the earth, she visited Lord Vishnu in heaven in the form of a sacred cow to beg for assistance. Lord Vishnu promised he would be reborn as the child Krishna on earth, who would destroy all the evil kings and bring peace back to the earth. This comes to pass and many adventures befall young Krishna in his life on earth, as he destroys evil demons in the form of snakes, cranes, whirlwinds, and more, even fire. Many exciting contests, threats and adventures occur when Krishna is threatened by evil King Kamsa in the form of many terrible demons. Finally Krishna defeats and destroys Kamsa, and restores the rightful King Ugrasena to the throne. Finally, Krishna left the people of this kingdom, asking them to love all beings and promising he would be with them in their hearts. Krishna traveled far and wide teaching people how to live together in peace and happiness. The spectacular Hindu-influenced illustrations demonstrate the joyous heroism of Krishna and his beloved people, gods, and animal friends. "The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna" is perfect for audiences of children age 4-8. Midwest Book Review