The Blue Jackal is a retelling of a fable in India. The story is about a jackal named Juno, who is often teased and left out to fend alone from other jackals. One night, Juno who is on the hunt to find food, stumbles upon a village of people, where animals reside. Juno goes into the village to prowl for food. Unknowingly there are dogs in the village who protect the people and their belongings, which includes animals. Juno is chased by the dogs, and hides in a barrel that contains blue dye. Juno's fur dyes blue, and he reinvent himself as King. As King, Juno banishes all the jackals. However, Juno slips when he begins to whistle like the other jackals one evening, and then is banished himself. The story ends with a note about the retelling of the story and inspiration of the artwork.

USBBY Outstanding International Books - Grades K-2: 2017, Listed in The White Ravens 2006 catalog of notable and remarkable international children's books.

Author and illustrator live in India.

English. Originally published in India as The Blue Jackal by Karadi Tales in 2014. Published in the United States by Eerdmans Books in 2016.

Juno the jackal is the runt of the pack, and the other animals bully him because of his size. One night, Juno is chased by some dogs from the village, and he hides in a vat of indigo dye to escape. When he returns to the forest, his fur is bright blue, and the animals hail this strange new creature as their king. But can Juno keep his true identity hidden? Featuring illustrations inspired by traditional Warli artwork and an informative historical note, this Indian folktale will spark a wonderful discussion about the relationship between perception and reality.