Once Upon the Queens: Gender Upturned Tales From Bengal
About this ebook
What if the princess saved the prince? What if demon queens weren’t so wicked after all?
Step into the world of Once Upon the Queens, where classic Bengali folktales are turned upside down and inside out. Originally inspired by the beloved collections Thakumar Jhuli and Thakurdadar Jhuli, this anthology reimagines timeless stories with powerful girls, wise queens, and magical adventures that break the mold.
👑 Bold Heroines, New Adventures
In this collection:
The Sleeping Kingdom – A determined princess awakens a slumbering prince and breathes life back into his frozen kingdom.
Lalkamal, Neelkamal – Discover the true heart of a demoness-queen who is more than just her monstrous appetite.
Malanchamala – Follow a brave young girl who refuses to fade into obscurity and forges her own path toward knowledge and freedom.
Seven Brothers Champa – Watch as competitive queens become sisters who thrive through cooperation and unity.
🌏 Rich Bengali Folklore with a Modern Heart
Once Upon the Queens celebrates the magical storytelling traditions of Bengal while embracing themes of equity, empathy, and empowerment. With each story, young readers are invited to question norms, challenge stereotypes, and imagine a world where girls lead with courage and kindness.
📚 Perfect For:
Readers ages 9–14 who love fairy tales with a twist
Parents and educators looking to share stories of strong female protagonists
Book clubs exploring multicultural and diverse literature
Classrooms introducing world folklore and global storytelling
About the author
A Kolkata-based story-teller. Is professionally entrusted to help in the learning of pupils, but is more akin to aid in their unlearning. A Disrupter. Unsettles things for six days a week and recreates them on day seven. The same has been done here, with renowned Bengali folklore. This is how fairy tales read when retold by the granddaughters of ancient witches.
A translator bringing her first translated work to life with a wish for happily-ever-afters all around! She is based in Kolkata and has an English literature degree. Nadia aspires to change the world, one word at a time. She dreams of closing cultural divides through translation so that every tale she touches has a chance to connect, uplift, and leave readers a little more hopeful.
A student of first literature, and then film from Jadavpur University, Paramita Brahmachari comes pre-addicted to all good books and visuals. Despite having a doctorate in Film Studies, and no training at all in graphics, she has been making covers since 2016, mostly as an excuse for reading yet more books, and imagining how stories unfurl in lines and colours.
She has won the Oxford Bookstore and the Publishing Next awards for cover design, but this is her first time ever illustrating for children.
