As avid readers and parents ourselves, we understand the importance of finding engaging and age-appropriate books that will inspire a lifelong love for reading in young minds. So, check out this list of recommended books for your children that range from picture books to middle-grade novels.
Zen by Shabnam Minwalla
In 1935, Zainab Essanji wants to break out of her restricted life and be part of the independence movement. But it seems that all she is destined to do is embroider and wait to get married.
In 2019, Zainab Currimji, class XI student, is unhappy at getting drawn into debates and controversies which she would rather not be part of. But in India of 2019, how can one not be drawn into these?
In this deeply addictive, sweeping book about the life and times of the two Zainabs, is captured a short history of Mumbai, and of India. Of what we were and what we have become.
Strangus Derangus & Other Adventures of Little Shambu (Book 1) by Reena Ittyerah Puri
What would you say of a boy who loves rushing headlong into trouble?
That’s what Little Shambu does with his dog, the loyal Dum Dum, in tow. But as his best friend, Shanti, would tell you, it always leads him into exciting adventures involving lost cats, mysterious carrot thieves, a strange and exotic creature and stolen pandas.
Escape into the fantastic world of Little Shambu with these brand-new adventures of the beloved character from TINKLE.
In the Bear’s Den & More Adventures of Little Shambu (Book 2) by Reena Ittyerah Puri
What would you say of a boy who continues to find himself in sticky situations?
That’s what Little Shambu does with his dog, the loyal Dum Dum, in tow. But as his best friend, Shanti, would tell you, it always leads him into exciting adventures involving grouchy bears, rattling cattle, slouchy snakes and runaway elephants.
Escape into the fantastic world of Little Shambu with these brand-new adventures of the beloved character from TINKLE.
The Boy Who Wanted to Fly: JRD Tata (Dreamers Series) by Lavanya Karthik
Before Jeh started India’s first airline and changed the way the nation travelled, he was a boy who dreamt of flying.
Sleepytime Tales with Vicky Voyager by Sonia Mehta
The Series: It’s bedtime! Time to settle down, get cosy and read some stories-with magical moments, oodles of entertainment and a little bit of learning. Meet some happy characters who love to know about . . . well, everything! Join them as they explore the world and discover fun things along the way.
The Book: Vicky Voyager is a history buff and time-traveller, who has invented a top-secret time machine. With his best friends Lucky and Lulu, Vicky visits different historical eras in this trusty machine. The trio gets to meet Cleopatra, Alexander and other famous historical figures while having some rollicking adventures together!
Sleepytime Tales with Eppy Explorer by Sonia Mehta
Eppy Explorer is an intrepid world traveller, who loves to visit new countries and learn more about people and places. With her pet ginger cat, Tango, she goes on hair-raising adventures across the fjords of Norway, the savanna of Africa, the volcanoes of Japan and even the Jordanian desert. Eppy meets some interesting new friends while learning about fascinating geographical phenomena!
Truck Call for Ajju by Anjana Nagabhushana
Hello! Can you hear me?
Between working out countable and uncountable nouns with his best friend Karthik, learning to be a budding guitarist with his music teacher Miss Alva, completing his homework, and getting into trouble with his parents for building sugar-cube igloos with his Kini Maasi, Ajju was living the life of a normal eight-year-old.
And it was all going great until a baby elephant walked into his life. Molly was an eight-month-old elephant in distant Zimbabwe. What could the connection between them possibly be?
All-time Favourite Nature Stories by Ruskin Bond
‘I am lucky to be up here on this mountain, where the wind still hums in the deodars, the horse chestnuts fall in the autumn and the flycatchers flit among the ancient oaks.’
All-time Favourite Nature Stories is a collection of twenty-five soulful and timeless tales about nature, featuring endearing characters and stunning illustrations.
From ‘The Cherry Tree’ to ‘Grandfather’s Feathered Foes’, each story is replete with a different sensorial experience-rustling leaf, still forests, burbling streams, chirping birds, picturesque landscapes and so much more!
Curated by Ruskin Bond, this book celebrates the magnificence of nature and his deep, abiding love for it.
The World of Butterfingers: Adventure in Texas and Other Stories by Khyrunnisa A.
Chaotic Butterfingers, aka Amar Kishen, and his misadventures return in this collection of 3-in-1 comics. From travelling to Texas to solving a shoe mystery to getting into trouble and then saving the day–Butterfingers does it all!
Brand new baby shoes in a pile of garbage invite Amar and his friends to unravel the mystery of the missing baby.
A trip to Texas and Amar’s clumsiness take a rather unexpected turn to dizzying new heights!
Disaster strikes when Amar is tasked to run a marathon with his school principal leaving everyone with a case of giggles.
So, drop everything and jump into this book . . . because where there’s Butterfingers, there’s bound to be fun, thrills and, of course, spills.
The Library of hOles (New Box Set with 33 hOle Books!)
Thousands of Indian kids have jumped into reading with a Duckbill hOle book!
Get all 33 books in the series in this unique Library of hOles, and make your child fall in love with books and stories. Recognizable by the hOle at the top corner of each book, these chapter books are for kids learning to read independently. They are full of fun stories, gorgeous illustrations and hOles!
Six 10s: Sixty Indian Stories You May Not Have Heard Before
There are so many things about India we learn and so many fascinating things that are left to find out. This set deals with six such subjects-ranging from history, environment and art to people who have transformed lives in many ways. Sixty such enthralling and incredible stories are contained in this box that is sure to delight and spark the curiosity of young readers.
Read the books to find out about
- Monarchs whose amazing stories you may not know
- Animals that you may never again see in the wild
- Heroes who help people live with dignity
- Champions who are fighting to save the planet
- Art mysteries that have never been solved
- Women who were the first to do what they did
The Adventures of Feluda (Special Birthday Edition; Collector’s Edition Box Set) by Satyajit Ray
Dive into twelve timeless classic whodunnits by iconic storyteller Satyajit Ray, featuring the legendary detective, Feluda. Join the private investigator as he plunges into seemingly impossible and strange cases accompanied by his sharp and curious nephew, Topse, and the comically anxious novelist, Jatayu.
1. THE EMPEROR’S RING: Feluda is on holiday in Lucknow when a priceless Mughal ring is stolen.
2. THE ROYAL BENGAL MYSTERY: A bloodthirsty tiger is suspiciously killing off people related to an ancestral treasure.
3. THE HOUSE OF DEATH: The search for a scroll leads Feluda to a motley crew of characters, among whom lurks a dangerous killer.
4. TROUBLE IN GANGTOK: In the picturesque city of Gangtok, a businessman is murdered, and the list of suspects is long.
5. THE MYSTERY OF THE ELEPHANT GOD: In Varanasi, the theft of a valuable statuette of Ganesha leads Feluda to unmask a fake sadhu.
6. THE GOLDEN FORTRESS: Feluda sets out in search of a missing boy claiming to remember his previous life.
7. THE CURSE OF THE GODDESS: A stamp collection vanishes; some coded diaries are uncovered and the head of a family in Hazaribagh lies dead.
8. THE BANDITS OF BOMBAY: Soon after Jatayu hands over a package to a man in a red shirt, someone is murdered.
9. THE SECRET OF THE CEMETERY: Feluda chances upon an old grave that has been dug up at the Park Street cemetery.
10. A KILLER IN KAILASH: Feluda, Topse, and Jatayu try to prevent the smuggling of priceless sculptures out of India.
11. THE CRIMINALS IN KATHMANDU: A murder in Calcutta sets Feluda on a trail that leads him all the way to Kathmandu and the doorstep of his arch-nemesis, Maganlal Meghraj.
12. THE INCIDENT ON THE KALKA MAIL: When a man’s blue briefcase gets accidentally switched with someone else’s during a train ride, he enlists Feluda’s help to recover it.
Dum Dum to the Rescue and Yet More Adventures of Little Shambu (Book 3)
What would you say of a boy who gets into trouble over and over again?
That’s what Little Shambu does with his dog, the loyal Dum Dum, in tow. But as his best friend, Shanti, would tell you, it always leads him into exciting adventures involving homely chickens and a crafty fox, mischievous mice, moustached men and confusing encounters with aliens.
Escape into the fantastic world of Little Shambu with these brand-new adventures of the beloved character from TINKLE.
