Why do I have to sit separately in a corner of the classroom? Why can't I drink water from the tap like other children? Why do the teachers never touch my books? The ‘whys' shout louder in little Bhim's head as he grows up, trailed constantly by the monster of untouchability. They catapult him into a lifetime of struggle for equality. And they shape the...
After his big-big sneeze, Gajapati Kulapati is back with a SPLASH! Like the very popular first book, sounds, rhythm, and repetition make this too a perfect read aloud for little ones.
Nikoo loves to paint. One day he reads an adventure story about the big blue sea and, as usual, picks up his paintbrush. Suddenly, he falls into his own painting! Watercolour illustrations swirl us into Nikoo's imaginary world.
SPLASH! Ira does happy backflips in the calm waters of Odisha’s Chilika Lake. But she and the other friendly Irrawady dolphins must be mindful of the hidden dangers that lurk all around. The author, a well-known wildlife filmmaker and conservationist, spent many weeks observing these dolphins while making a film on Chilika Lake. Brilliant photographs...
Little Nonnu's world revolves around her goat, Appaka. Soft as cotton, Appaka loves to munch on jackfruit leaves and play with Nonnu and her friends. One day, Nonnu returns home from school to find Appaka missing! What will she do without her best friend? Set in Kerala, the story is full of evocative glimpses of a child's everyday life. The uplifting...
Everyone has their own story of Gandhi. And in this book – that came out of a set of four large paintings – a Warli artist, an animation filmmaker and a storyteller collaborate to create a very visual Gandhi story. While the artist was inspired to paint Gandhi's life simply because “he was like us”, the curating of the visuals was inspired by the details...
Every night, Kukku wants his father to tell him his favourite story. It is about the giant Kumbhakarna who sleeps non-stop for six months – and Kukku falls asleep just as Kumbhakarna does. In Kukku's dream, everyone is trying everything to wake up the giant. Nothing works! A lively retelling of an episode from the Ramayana with wildly funny pictures....
Irfaan has a story in his head. So do Thanh, Suzanne, Wang and others. They write them down on white sand and yellow sand, pebbly and clayey sand... and then what happens to them? They are washed away by waves, churned in the oceans and left on other sands, where other children listen to them. Sandhya Rao lyrically evokes the ebb and flow of tales across...
When Fakruddin worries, he gets frantic. And Frantic Fakru is now worried because his fridge is spoilt, the day is hot, and he is desperate for cold water. What does he do? A light-hearted story with a smart idea and cheerful watercolour illustrations which bring alive the ambience of Fakru's neighbourhood in Bhopal.
Ari may be shy, but he knows he will make a wonderful lion in the class play. But he is neither noticed nor chosen. Then, suddenly in his room a roaring, growling, prowling creature comes to life! The flat illustrative style with its strong kitschy palette gets away from usual depictions of the ‘soft, sensitive' child, and captures the energy and fun of...
Little i hops out of the computer to play with her friends but they are too busy. Peeved, she decides to have her own fun – zapping letters and making them disappear. What follows is complete confusion! Suniti Namjoshi is back with the familiar cast – Aditi, Monkeyji, Siril the ant, and Beautiful the elephant – of her popular Aditi Adventures series, and...
Tak tak sum, tak tak sum… Hambreelmai sits by the Kamblang river, happy at her loom, copying patterns from the clouds, the birds, the ripples in the water. She is the first weaver, taught by the goddess Matai herself. One day, Sheipung the porcupine sees her exquisite cloth and wants it… What happens next is the story of how the Mishmi people learnt to...
10, 9, 8, 7 – count the children as they come leaping, riding, zooming in on cycles, scooters, rickshas… A racy counting book with a different mode of transport on every spread! Children with completely different personalities brighten up the streets. NCERT recommended
Everyone tells Laali that she's too little to do the things she wants to do. What if I really was very little, wonders Laali. She dreams, shrinks and steps into a little big world, where there's a new adventure round every corner! Bright and playful illustrations match the little girl's happy imagination.
Little Tsomo eats a big, steaming hot momo. And then? A mouthwatering story in which the flavour-filled savoury comes appetisingly alive! Watercolour pencil illustrations softened with subtle brushstrokes conjure up scenes sure to tickle the taste buds, satisfy hunger pangs and stir up a song.
A bird's nest? A cow with two horns? No, it's Minu's hair and she does NOT like it. Her mother, her father, her grandmother try hard to tame it. But her grandfather is unconcerned… The illustrations of this charming story give Minu's hair a truly wild, tactile feel as it spills exuberantly through the pages. Best of Indian Children's Writing: Contemporary
Do roosters sing ragas? This one does, but like all true artistes gets to it after a lot of struggle! Every time he opens his mouth he sings a new tune but not the kukaroo-kuroo of the other roosters. His friends skip and stretch, stamp and roll and try to teach him. Try as he might our rooster kuka-moooooos, kuka-heeen haaans, kuka-miaooows but can't...
What will you be when you grow up? To this common question, Appu has the most uncommon answers. If he can't be just ‘me', then he can be anything – or many things! With illustrations that have the lively touch of an animator, this book will open little minds to endless possibilities for the future. NCERT recommended
It is pouring rain. From her window, little Anju sees familiar scenes of a rainy day – cloudy skies, umbrellas, puddles… But her curious eyes pick up other surprises too, while her imagination plays with the raindrops sliding down her window pane. Soft watercolours drench the pages with the mood of a wet, wet day. CBSE & NCERT recommended 2018: Best of...
An elephant with nail polish? Ranganna is captivated by the brightly coloured nails of his friends and wants to paint his toes too – all 18 of them! Illustrations that are a riot of colour zestfully capture the happy spirit of Ranganna.
When her friend's cat, Kaapi, gets lost, Dip Dip goes off to look for it – on the road, inside dustbins, behind houses, under bushes, everywhere. And when Kaapi finally climbs up a tree and can't come down, the only thing to do is…? Exuberant illustrations from an award-winning illustrator delightfully capture the spirited little girl for whom being on a...
There was a time when happiness began to leak out of the world. Everything dried up. No colour, no food, no smiles – only hunger, sadness and quarrels. One old woman decided that something had to be done, and she heard from the wind about a magical fish that lived in a green-green lake... Told by a Gond storyteller and illustrated by a Gond artist, this...
Little Satya lives by the River Ganga in Banaras and longs to row her own boat, just like her father. But he says she's not old enough or strong enough. But Satya can't wait… One day, she makes a little paper boat and that night, she dreams and drifts into a watery world. As the story unfolds, the finely detailed illustrations and their colours heighten...
Mayor Piloo Paheliji loves to show off by asking riddles no one can answer. But someone is more than a match for him and confounds confusion by riddling him! A book that celebrates riddles with illustrations that capture all the fun.
