Children’s Day special: 12 lovely books for kids of all ages

By Neha Kirpal

Here’s our bi-annual list of the latest children’s books, just in time for Children’s Day in India! From mythology to art, sports, humour and wisdom, we’ve got kids with a range of ages and interests covered.

How to Be You
By Ruskin Bond (Harper Collins, ₹99)

One of India’s best known writers Ruskin Bond is back with his latest book, offering readers pearls of wisdom on how to be what you want to be.

His life itself is a perfect embodiment of the advice he gives his readers. As a child, Bond loved books, and decided to be a writer. Even after getting many rejections from editors, he was determined to pursue his dream.

Soon, many of his stories began to get published, and he became an established children’s writer. Seventy years later, he is still following his heart, and loving what he does.

Filled with colourful illustrations by Shamika Chaves, the quick and breezy book is a great read for young and old alike.

Davina Finds Her Vowels: A Book of Malayalam Vowels
By Elizabeth Marie Keyton, illustrated by Kohan Kolam (Adidev Press, ₹499)

This interactive book introduces Malayalam vowels to toddlers. The narrator Davina takes readers through her town in Kerala pointing out objects and alphabets. The shapes of the letters are found in banana trees, sign boards, football fields and bus tickets, among other things.

With the help of colourful illustrations, the book simplifies the language for young readers who want to learn Malayalam and delve deeper into their heritage. The book also includes a free accompanying audiobook in both languages accessible via a QR code.

Hanuman the Flying Hero, Book 1
By Sudhamahi Regunathan, illustrations by Anushka Madhavan (Bloomsbury, ₹399)

The three stories in this rhyming book are from the Ramayana. The first is about how Hanuman got not only his name, but also his power, speed, intelligence, courage and fame.

The second is about how Hanuman crossed the sea to find Sita along with his brave army of monkeys and bears, travelling through small dark caves and dodging monsters along the way.

The third is about what all happens when Hanuman reaches Lanka – from fighting the mighty Meghnad, finding Sita and setting Lanka ablaze. For adults and older children, the book also includes a companion guide outlining the context of each story.

Neel, Krishna Through Art
By Vineeta Kanoria and Arvind Kanoria (Adidev Press, ₹595)

This visually stunning book has famous paintings consisting of episodes from the life of Lord Krishna. The authors describe the stories behind each painting along with activities for young readers.

A diversity of art forms are covered in the book, including Gond art, Kerala mural, miniature painting, Pichhwai and Patachitra. Further, the paintings are by acclaimed artists, including Jamini Roy, MF Husain, Manjit Bawa, Sakti Burman and Dilip Shyam

Banian Buddies
By Vibha Batra, illustrations by Isha Nagar (Scholastic, ₹299)

One sultry summer day on a quaint street in a big city, something is about to change. For an upcoming road-widening project, the authorities ask the vendors to vacate the street, and even order the trees on it to be felled.

Along with 10-year old Venky, Kannalmozhi, a fruit seller, decides a petition to save the trees. But it’s not easy to convince people. They make posters with slogans to raise awareness and even approach a celebrity. Read this sweet book to find out what happens, and if they manage to succeed.

POFFS Collection Of Funny Stories
By various (Harper Collins, ₹899)

This hilarious collection of five books by beloved authors and illustrators is about Pets, Other animals, Family, Friends and School (POFFS).

A Doggie Day Out by Cyrus Broacha and Ayesha Broacha is a delightful story narrated by a friendly neighbourhood Alsatian. The Cuckoo Capers by Bijal Vachharajani and Canato Jimo is about a family that is making all kinds of plans just so that it rains.

A Rizvi Family Winter by Sadaf Siddique and Riya Nagendra is a heartwarming story about two children who are visiting their grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles in Solan for their winter vacation.

Blame it on the Untz by Lavanya Karthik is a musical caper about four classmates who are forced to do some group work in school. The Great Sneak-Out by Sanjana Kapur and Sunaina Coelho is about a third grader dealing with her younger sister running away from her classroom in tears.

1, 2, 3 Idlis in a Sambhar Sea
By Ashwitha Jayakumar, illustrations by Tanya Sharma (Adidev Press, ₹499)

This bright board book with vibrant illustrations brings out the soul of India through its unique cuisine belonging to various cities – crunchy sweet jalebis from Varanasi; spicy biryani from Hyderabad; potato-stuffed parathas from Amritsar; spicy egg curry from Kochi; crispy fried fish from Kolkata; tangy bhel puri from Mumbai; fluffy idlis from Chennai; aamras and puris from Ahmedabad; tender kebabs and naan from Delhi; and a refreshing glass of chhaas from Jaipur.

Let’s Use Our Words : Speak Smarter, Write Stronger
By Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan, illustrations by Isha Nagar (Harper Collins, ₹250)

One can’t emphasize the power of words enough. At the beginning of the book are A-Z poems that delve into the essence of the English alphabet, celebrating its significance. The poems include little known facts, trivia, tongue twisters and games.

The comprehensive book also covers among other things rations and appellations, figurative speech, Indianisms, parts of speech, a list of zany words, and 100-word stories with exercises for the reader to write their own.

Forever Friends: The Gods and their Vahanas
By Chitwan Mittal, illustrations by Kalyani Ganapathy (Adidev Press, ₹599)

The greatest Hindu gods and goddesses all have vahanas, animal friends whom they rely on. In this unique book, we learn about the roles these much-loved companions play.

Nandi always wanted to be by Lord Shiva’s side, so the lord turned him into a sweet little bull and his forever companion. Goddess Durga rides on Simha’s back for all her battles.

Not many people know that Goddess Saraswati is also called Hamsavahini, because she rides a swan. Accompanied by beautiful watercolour artwork, these are just some of the many stories about these fun companions of various gods and goddesses.

When Mummy Had Cancer
By Priyanka Pandya Bhatt, illustrations by Debasmita Dasgupta (Harper Collins, ₹399)

Recently, I was shattered to learn about an ex-colleague of mine who lost her life to breast cancer. In her mid-forties, my friend left behind a young daughter. That’s why a sensitive book like this one resonated.

In this heartwarming picture book, a little girl recalls a dark time in her family when her mother had a lump in her breast. Worried, she doesn’t know who to talk to, and soon realizes that it’s okay to feel scared, sad, and to cry. Along the way, she shares her understanding and experiences related to cancer with her young readers.

India’s Paralympians
By Mistunee Chowdhury (Harper Collins, ₹399)

India has one of the world’s largest number of medals in parasports. The Paralympic Games are one of the most competitive and demanding global sporting events.

This book spotlights 20 of India’s best-known Paralympians, and the inspiring stories behind their success – their dreams, challenges and determination.

“Disability is not tragedy – it is a facet of human diversity,” writes Dr Deepa Malik in the book’s foreword. Reading the book truly makes one believe that impossible is just a word.

The Day the Crayons Made Friends
By Drew Daywalt, illustrations by Oliver Jeffers (Penguin Random House)

Part of the bestselling Crayons series, this fun book is about Duncan’s crayons that go into his playroom and make friends. They then write letters to Duncan, telling him about who all they met and the new adventures they’ve had – Red Crayon gets to drive a fire engine, White Crayon becomes a queen in the chess set, Pink Crayon starts baking cupcakes and Blue Crayon becomes a fashion doll’s head!