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Tag: Children’s

Know Edmund Hillary, the Everest Climber

Posted on by Penguin India

How did Ed, a small, shy boy from the tiny town of Tuakau in New Zealand, grow up to become the world’s most famous mountaineer and adventurer? How did he climb Everest and do so many other astonishing things? First to the Top, an exceptional picture book, written by internationally acclaimed children’s author David Hill and illustrated by Phoebe Morris, tells the story of Sir Ed and his climb to the top of Mt Everest.

Here are some intriguing facts about Edmund Hillary that you may not have known!

 

 

 

 

 

First to the Top is a story about courage, skill and determination, and an inspiration to anyone who dreams of reaching the top.

Amma, Let’s Explore India’s Monuments

Posted on by Penguin India

Come, explore the places where we worship with Amma and the boys! Bhakti Mathur’s books in this series is sure to inform and excite your little one to travel to the different monuments in India. Told through interesting stories with captivating illustrations, this new series introduces readers to the history of different faiths and their associated monuments. Here are three of her books that you must take a look at!

Amma, Take Me to Tirupati

Enjoy the scenic drive uphill, while listening to captivating lore about the snake that became a hill range and how Vishnu came to reside on the very same hill, first as a boar and then as a heartbroken husband. Wake up bright and early to the hymns of Suprabhatam. Savour the delicious Tirupati laddu as prasad. Relish a few quiet moments by the lake Swami Pushkarini. Witness the adoration of Venkateshwara’s devotees.

 

Amma, Take Me To The Golden Temple

Join Amma and her children as they travel to the famous Golden Temple in Amritsar. Take a tour through the wonderful sights, sounds and history of Darbar Sahib. Hear stories about the Sikh gurus. Visit Darshani Deori and Akal Takht. Savour a drink from the sacred waters at Har Ki Pauri and the langar from the world’s biggest kitchen! Learn Guru Nanak’s eternal message of equality, love and service.

 

Amma, Take Me to the Dargah of Salim Chishti

Hear the story of why the great Mughal emperor Akbar visited the Sufi saint Shaikh Salim Chishti and then had a mausoleum built in his honour. Walk through the imposing Buland Darwaza. Admire the majestic architecture of the sprawling quadrangle. Hear the soulful notes of azan wafting from the Jama Masjid. Tie a thread in the delicate jali screens as you make a wish. Behold the dargah of Salim Chishti shining like a white pearl in an oasis of red sandstone. Listen to Amma with your eyes and ears wide open, for this whirlwind of a journey promises to leave you mesmerized!

 

Delhi or Mumbai? Get a Chance to Discover India City By City!

Posted on by Penguin India

Daadu Dolma, Mishki and Pushka are off to explore Delhi and Mumbai. They have heard about Delhi’s incredible history, its amazing food, the stunning monuments, the unique Delhi lifestyle and Mumbai’s amazing people, its film industry and its buzz of activity. They’re going to have some great adventures in the two cities so be sure to join them in Mumbai, Here we Come (Discover India City by City) and Delhi, Here we Come (Discover India City by City) by Sonia Mehta.

Here are some incredible facts about both the cities:

 

A Walk Amidst Nature

Shopper’s Paradise

Transport Tales

Cities Of National Importance

Local USP’s

Undying Spirit

Tempting Delicacies

Are you going to join them? Then keep your cameras ready and get set for a wonderful trip!

Going Down the Memory Lane with Fun Moments from ‘The Bournvita Quiz Contest’

Posted on by Penguin India

The award-winning Bournvita Quiz Contest started as a radio programme in 1972, then shifted to television in the 1990s. Since 1994, it has been hosted by Asia’s best-known quizmaster, Derek O’Brien, in his inimitable style, and it holds the record for being the longest-running knowledge game show on Indian television. This definitive edition, The Bournvita Quiz Contest Collector’s Edition comprises a selection of the best Q & As from this iconic children’s show.

Here’s what our readers have to say about the must-watch show of the ’90s!

“I used to buy 1kg packs of Bournvita to be a prodigy child after reading this…amazing book!!”

– @karankumbria20

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 “The best thing that happened on the weekends. He was fun watching and learning.”

– @bookaville

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“Every Sunday glueing on to TV and competing with cousins in who answers the most!!!”

– @amimehta

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 “The buzzer rounds!!”

-@nishtha.shah11

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“I used to tune in and realise how much I don’t know( every time!). Derek was amazing throughout.”

-@richa_reads

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 “The amazing way Derek used to narrate the questions and our real-time contest with cousins.”

– @goodreadpoetry

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“The orange Bournvita mugs– Also our school hosted it once.”

-@ashrey_official

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 “His voice”

-@divya_katta

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 “DEREK! The opening.”

-@parinitie

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“the jingle”

-@pradishabrar

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“Challenging questions which increased my knowledge.”

-@a2kamat

Featuring 1000 questions, carefully curated from the exhaustive twenty-year-old archives, this book is dotted with heartening anecdotes, fun trivia and thoughtful essays by people who worked on this much-loved show.

 

 

 

Know the Environment Better with ‘The Green World’

Posted on by Penguin India

Meet the Econuts -Dewy, Woosh, Petals, Pebbles and Waggy call themselves the Econuts because they’re simply nuts about ecology and the environment! Learn all about the many ways in which you can help save Planet Earth in this series of story-and-activity books, aimed at generating ecological awareness through a mix of fiction, puzzles, games, activities and more.

Here are some eye-opening facts from The Green World book series to help you understand the growing environmental issues!

The Mystery Of The Lost Waterfall (The Green World)

 

The Mystery Of The Nasty Grey Cloud (The Green World)

 

The Mystery Of The Weird Noise (The Green World)

 

The Mystery Of The Plastic Rings (The Green World)

 

The Mystery Of The Strange Paw Prints (The Green World)

 

Get ready for some exciting times with the Econuts!

 

 

 

 

A Feast for Rats, by Rabindranath Tagore

Posted on by Penguin India

The Puffin Book of Holiday Stories contains a great collection of stories of brave adventures, hilarious misadventures, boisterous families, intimate friendships and facing fears that is sure to keep you entertained during your break. It features tales penned by some of the finest children’s authors, including Ruskin Bond, Sudha Murty, Paro Anand, Subhadra Sen Gupta, Nayanika Mahtani, Himanjali Sankar and more.

Here is an extract from the book, the short story titled A Feast for Rats by Rabindranath Tagore, translated by Radha Chakravarty

‘This is unfair!’ the boys complained. ‘We refuse to be taught by a new pundit.’

The new punditmoshai they were expecting was named Kalikumar Tarkalankar.

After the holidays, the boys were returning to school by train from their respective homes. One of them, a witty fellow, had composed a poem about the new pundit, called ‘Kalo Kumror Balidan’ (the sacrificial death of the black pumpkin), which all of them were reciting at the top of their voices. Just then, an old gentleman boarded the train at Arkhol station. With him he carried his kantha-wrapped bedding roll, two or three earthen handis sealed with rags, a tin trunk and a few bundles. A tough- looking boy, known to everyone as Bichkun, called out: ‘There’s no room for you here, old man. Go find another carriage.’

‘It’s too crowded,’ the old man replied. ‘There’s no room anywhere. I’ll just take this little corner; I won’t bother you at all.’ With these words, he left the bench to them and moved to a corner of the floor, where he spread out his bedding.

‘Baba,’ he asked the boys, ‘where are you all going, and for what purpose?’

‘To perform a sraddha,’ Bichkun declared. ‘A funeral ceremony.’

‘Whose sraddha is it?’ the old man enquired. ‘Kalo-Kumro-Tatka-Lanka’s’ was the reply. The boys chorused in a loud, sing-song chant:

‘Kalo-Kumro-Tatka-Lanka, black-pumpkin-green- chilli,
We’ll teach you a lesson and make you look silly!’

The train halted at Asansol. The old man got off to have a bath. As soon as he returned to the carriage afterwards, Bichkun warned him: ‘Don’t remain in this carriage, sir!’

‘Why, may I ask?’
‘It’s infested with rats.’

‘Rats! How’s that possible?’

‘Just look at the mess they made when they got into those handis of yours.’

The gentleman found that the handi full of sugary kodmas was now completely empty, and the one containing khoichur had not a grain left in it.

‘And they even ran off with whatever was inside your rag bundle,’ Bichkun added.

That bundle had contained four or five ripe mangoes from his garden.

‘The rats are famished, I see,’ remarked the gentleman with a faint smile.

‘No, no, it’s their nature to devour things even if they’re not hungry,’ replied Bichkun.

The boys laughed uproariously. ‘Yes, moshai,’ they guffawed, ‘if there had been more, they’d have eaten it up as well.’

‘I made a mistake,’ the gentleman observed. ‘Had I known there would be so many rats travelling together in the train, I would have carried some more stuff.’

The boys were disheartened to find that the old man did not lose his temper in spite of so much teasing. If he had been provoked, it would have been fun.

The train stopped at Burdwan. It would halt there for about an hour, to switch tracks.

‘Baba,’ said the gentleman, ‘I won’t trouble you any more. There will be room for me in another compartment.’

‘No, no, that won’t do. You must travel in the same coach as us. If there’s anything left inside your bundles, we will guard it together, all of us. Nothing will be lost.’

‘All right,’ the gentleman assented. ‘Get into the carriage, all of you. I’ll join you in a little while.’

So the boys got into the carriage. A little later, the sweet seller’s cart came and halted before their compartment, accompanied by the gentleman. Handing a paper bag to each of the boys, he said: ‘Now there will be no shortage of food at the rats’ feast.’

‘Hurrah!’ shouted the boys, jumping up in glee. The mango seller also arrived there, with his basket of mangoes.

There was no dearth of mangoes either, at their feast.

‘Tell us,’ the boys asked the gentleman, ‘where are you going? What will you do there?’

‘I am going in search of work,’ he replied. ‘I’ll get off wherever I find work.’

They clapped their hands, all of them, and said: ‘Come to our school then.’

‘Why would your authorities want to keep me?’

‘They must. We won’t let Kalo-Kumro-Tatka- Lanka set foot in our neighbourhood.’

‘You have put me in a difficult position, I must say! What if the secretary doesn’t approve of me?’

‘He must approve—or else we shall all leave the school.’

‘All right, then take me with you.’

The train arrived at their station. The secretary was there in person. Seeing the old man, he cried: ‘Welcome, welcome, Tarkalankar-moshai! Your house is ready and waiting.’ With these words, he bowed at the old man’s feet to offer his respects.

A version of this story first appeared in The Land of Cards: Stories, Poems and Plays for Children. Grab your copy of The Puffin Book of Holiday Stories!

Meet the Two Spunky Princesses of ‘Twice upon a Time’

Posted on by Penguin India

‘All princess stories are the same!’ But not this one. This is a story about two girls. Keya just happens to be a princess. Nyla just happens to be a tomboy. Both, as it turns out, just want to be themselves. When Princess Keya quits and Nyla shows up to replace her, two worlds collide. Together the girls ruffle dresses and feathers; break vases and traditions; fight dragons and boredom; grow roses and revolutions.

Here is a look at the two lovable characters of Twice Upon a Time!

Meet Princess Keya:

Princess Keya is the definition of everything pristine and perfect. Princess Keya does princessy things like any princess anywhere: She sings, dances, wears pink at all times. She throws tea parties, she embroiders, she crochets.  She can join her hands in a namaste more exquisite than a lotus bud, admire the roses in her garden and, oh yes, she bakes too. While she may not know what she wants from her life, she only knew what she didn’t want! Which is the crowd of people at her heels all day, pinning her back, pressing her legs or carrying her parasol! She wants to achieve great, heroic things such as planting a flag upon a mountaintop or trussing up the sails of a ship at the height of a storm. She wants to travel far, far away, where no one can tell her to eat, sleep or sit still.

 

 

Meet Nyla:

Nyla is a bubbly and effervescent girl with a rare indomitable spirit. Beneath the rough exterior, she is an innocent child who loves the colour pink as it reminds her of flowers and sunsets. Nyla wants to eventually make her parents proud of her and see her for the girl she is. Reading the newspaper is one of her favourite things to do. But normally disturbed by her brothers and their antics, she struggles to read and find her personal space. Dared by her brothers in a silly challenge, Nyla soon finds her way to becoming a real princess!

 

 

Boisterous, over the top and wicked funny, Twice Upon a Time is the perfect princess book for girls who have outgrown princesses.

 

Welcome the Season of Spring with these Enjoyable New Stories!

Posted on by Penguin India

Are you looking for some new summer reads for your little one? Worry not, as we have got you covered! Here is an interesting mix of books to entice your child to spend vacation days with a book in hand. Another epic summer vacation is in tow with our brand new launches!

The Jungle Radio

The Jungle Radio

When curious little Gul hears some strange sounds coming from her radio, she follows the musical clues into . . . an Indian jungle! On her walk, she finds feathered friends who TWEET, TAPP and TALK. There are some who howl and hoot, and others who play the flute. With a KEE here and a KAW there, Gul discovers songs everywhere!

Om the Gnome and the Chanting Comb

Om the Gnome and the Chanting Comb

When a gnome called Om receives a shiny comb on his birthday, little does he know that he’s going to learn an important lesson. Om the Gnome and the Chanting Comb unpacks the magic behind the beautiful sound of OM through words and illustrations that are both exquisite and inclusive. Read this book out loud to help your young ones feel light and free.

 

Reignited 2: Emerging Technologies of Tomorrow

Reignited 2

This groundbreaking book will provide young readers with a whole new world of ideas, inspiration and inputs from pioneers in fields that have shaped the world, helping them think out of the box and make a difference in the future. A must-have guidebook for all budding scientists who are looking to change the world through careers in science and technology!

 

Sunrise, Moonrise

Sunrise, Moonrise

Travel with the sun and the moon in this heartfelt picture book to find out how people from different cultures and faiths pray. Read Sunrise, Moonrise aloud to spark a discussion with your young ones about the meaning of prayer and what it can do for us.

 

The Puffin Book of Holiday Stories: An Anthology

The Puffin Book of Holiday Stories

This great collection of stories of brave adventures, hilarious misadventures, boisterous families, intimate friendships and facing fears is sure to keep you entertained during your break. Featuring tales penned by some of the finest children’s authors, including Ruskin Bond, Sudha Murty, Paro Anand, Subhadra Sen Gupta, Nayanika Mahtani, Himanjali Sankar and more.

 

Phenomenal Phonics (Fun with English)

Phenomenal Phonics (Fun with English)

Learning what sound goes with what letter can help you rhyme and make listening to and speaking in English a whole lot of fun. This book is jam-packed with fun activities for you to learn and practise listening and speaking using the right letter sounds.

 

Popular Proverbs (Fun with English)

Popular Proverbs (Fun with English)

A proverb a day keeps you healthy, wealthy and wise, or so they say. Proverbs are full of wisdom, but they can sometimes be a bit odd and funny too! This book is jam-packed with fun activities for you to learn and practise using proverbs.

 

Incredible Idioms (Fun with English)

Incredible Idioms (Fun with English)

Idioms are great! They’re funny and sometimes silly, and make language so much more interesting to read and listen to. Get ready to find out all about idioms on different themes like animals, clothes, food and colour. This book is jam-packed with fun activities for you to learn and practice using idioms.

 

Perfect Punctuation (Fun with English)

Perfect Punctuation (Fun with English)

Punctuation is just a big word for a lot of little dots and dashes! If you’ve ever been confused by commas, semicolons, colons, periods and all the rest, get ready to learn how easy they can be. This book is jam-packed full of great activities for you to learn and practise using punctuation. For ages 7+.

 

Wondrous Words (Fun with English)

Wondrous Words (Fun with English)

Words, words, words. Words that sound the same and mean different things or mean the same thing but sound different; words that are noises and words that have silent letters…there are just so many different kinds of words in English! This book is jam-packed with fun activities for you to learn and practise using new and interesting words.

 

Fantastic Figures of Speech (Fun with English)

Fantastic Figures of Speech (Fun with English)

Do you find figures of speech somewhat flummoxing? Don’t worry, alliteration, metaphor, simile, personification and all the rest are just different ways of making language entertaining to read and write. This book is jam-packed with fun activities for you to learn and practise using figures of speech.

Learn Science Concepts On The Go With Biplob The Bumblebee!

Posted on by Penguin India

Biplop is a very busy bumblebee. When he isn’t collecting nectar, he is off on rollicking adventures to save his garden with the help of his friends, farmer Balram and the flowers. From harvesting water to saving baby plants from a dangerous infection, join Biplob in The Adventures of Biplob the Bumblebee as he comes up with innovative ideas that are always eco-friendly.

Here is a very useful scientific technique that Biplob talks about in the book:

Flying Pollen

 

 

 

 

 

These vibrantly illustrated stories from The Adventures Of Biplob The Bumblebee promise to teach kids something new through lessons on science and friendship.

#OutThisMarch Inspiring Stories For Your Little Ones

Posted on by Penguin India

March brings along with it spring, the season of new beginnings. Fresh buds bloom, animals awaken and the earth seems to come to life again.

Begin this month of March with a spring in your step. Take a look at these energising reads that will lift up your spirits and make for a very interesting storytelling session with the kids!

First to the Top

 

How did Ed, a shy boy from a tiny town in New Zealand, grow up to become the world’s most famous mountaineer and adventurer? How did he climb Everest and do many other astonishing things?

This exceptional picture book, written by internationally acclaimed children’s author David Hill and illustrated by Phoebe Morris, tells the story of Sir Edmund Hillary and his climb to the top of Mount Everest. It’s a story of courage, skill and determination, and an inspiration to anyone who dreams of reaching the top.

The Mystery of the Lost Waterfall (The Green World)

Dewy and her class are going on a picnic to a lovely waterfall. But when they get there, they find that the waterfall has gone missing! Dewy gets the Econuts on the case at once. Can they find out where the waterfall went? Read on to find out.

The Mystery of the Nasty Grey Cloud (The Green World)

Woosh is very, very worried. There’s a nasty grey cloud that is making everyone sick. Where did it come from? More importantly, how can they make it go away? It sounds like a job for the Econuts! Read on to find out how they solve the mystery.

The Mystery of the Weird Noise (The Green World)

Petals keeps hearing a weird growly noise. Where is the noise coming from? What is making it? Petals gets the Econuts together to track down the source of the noise. Read on to find out what they discover!

The Mystery of the Plastic Rings (The Green World)

Pebbles finds some plastic rings buried in his garden. He has no idea what they are or where they’ve come from. When Pebbles and the Econuts get together to figure it out, they stumble on something very scary. What do they discover and what do they do about it? Read on to find out.

The Mystery of the Strange Paw Prints (The Green World)

Waggy is puzzled. He’s noticed some very odd-looking paw prints around town. Whom do they belong to? Waggy and the Econuts decide to investigate. What they discover shocks them! Read on to find out what that is!

The Bournvita Quiz Contest Collector’s Edition: Volume 1

The award-winning Bournvita Quiz Contest started as a radio programme in 1972, then shifted to television in the 1990s. Since 1994, it has been hosted by Asia’s best-known quizmaster, Derek O’Brien, in his inimitable style, and it holds the record for being the longest-running knowledge game show on Indian television. This definitive edition comprises a selection of the best Q & As from this iconic children’s show.

Featuring 1000 questions, carefully curated from the exhaustive twenty-year-old archives, this book is dotted with heartening anecdotes, fun trivia and thoughtful essays by people who worked on this much loved show.

 

 

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