Ujjwal GaneshBooks

Little Fables, Big World · Book 1 · Ages 3–6

Mine & Ours

“It’s MINE!” A Rhyming Fable About Sharing, With Three Moves That Work

Two cat friends find one golden cake, and a very helpful monkey offers to make it fair, one nibble at a time. Retold from the Panchatantra, this read-aloud gives children three simple moves for the next tug-of-war: split it, trade it, or take a turn. For ages 3 to 6.

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Cover of Mine & Ours
Formats
Paperback · Kindle
Ages
3–6
Print length
36 pages
Published
August 2026
Series
Little Fables, Big World · Book 1

The everyday problem

When “Just Share!” Doesn’t Work

One toy, two children and a tug-of-war. Telling them to share rarely settles it, because sharing is really a set of skills, and small children haven’t yet learned which one fits the moment.

In the old tale, Meena and Mohan argue over a cake until Bandar the monkey “helps” by nibbling each half even, again and again, until only crumbs are left.

Page from Mine & Ours: Bandar the monkey nibbles the cake smaller and smaller

Inside the story

Split It, Trade It, Take a Turn

The story hides three moves a young child can use: split it when the thing can fairly break in two, trade it when each of you has something the other wants, and take a turn when it has to stay whole.

The real skill is choosing the move that fits, which is exactly what two squirrels work out when they realise a pinecone can’t be split. Children join in on the chant by the second reading: “Split it! Trade it! Take a turn!”

At the back: a note for grown-ups on why “just share” so rarely works, conversation starters, things to try at home and a ten-second script for the moment it’s happening.

Page from Mine & Ours: one cat cuts the mango and the other picks first

Sample pages

Look inside Mine & Ours

A few watercolour pages from the story. Tap any page to see it larger.

Page from Mine & Ours: Meena and Mohan, two cat friends, in a village gardenPage from Mine & Ours: Bandar the monkey swings down to judge the cakePage from Mine & Ours: two crumbs are all that is left of the cakePage from Mine & Ours: the squirrel twins take turns carrying the pinecone

What your child takes away

What Your Child Takes Away

Mine & Ours gives children a choice of fair moves instead of a single rule, and gives grown-ups a calm script for squabbles over toys, treats and turns.

  1. Three Fair Moves

    Split it, trade it, take a turn: simple options a three-year-old can remember.

  2. Choosing What Fits

    Children practise picking the right move, just like the squirrels with their pinecone.

  3. Putting Things Right

    Bandar names what he did, says sorry and offers a mend, showing how repair works.

  4. A Timeless Tale

    An ancient Panchatantra fable, retold gently for today’s listeners.

Ujjwal Ganesh

From the author

Why I Wrote Mine & Ours

I’m Ujjwal Ganesh, father of two daughters, and I have refereed my share of tug-of-wars. The Panchatantra has been told to children in India for more than two thousand years, and I wanted to hand these stories on with one small, usable tool inside each one.

Mine & Ours is Book 1 of Little Fables, Big World. Every book stands on its own, so you can start with whichever tangle your child is in today.

Ujjwal Ganesh

Cover of Mine & Ours

Get the book

Mine & Ours

“It’s MINE!” A Rhyming Fable About Sharing, With Three Moves That Work

Buy the paperback on Amazon

Also on Amazon.com: Kindle

Other Amazon stores

Paid links: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mine & OursPaperback on AmazonBuy