The Magic Drum and Other Favorite Stories is a collection of stories for children written by Sudha Murty. Some of the stories in this book are that of a princess who thinks she is a bird, a coconut that costs around a thousand rupees, a shepherd who has a bag of words. Princes and paupers, kings and misers, wise men and foolish boys and funny and odd men and women are involved in this compilation of stories. A few more stories that are a part of this book are ones that feature a clever princess who will only marry the man who has a question she cannot answer, an orphan boy who outsmarts his greedy uncles with a bag full of ash and an elderly couple in anguish who are saved by a magic drum. The author, Sudha Murty's grandparents told her a few of these stories when she was a little girl. The other stories are ones that she heard from her friends from all over the world. These charming and eternal folktales have been her favorites for many years and she has retold them many times to the young people she came across in her life. The collection has over 25 stories that have been written to be enjoyed by children everywhere. The Magic Drum and Other Favorite Stories by Sudha Murty was published by Penguin India in 2006. This book is available in paperback.