The Puffin Back to School Reading Challenge is the much needed break from school work your child needs.
‘Tis the season…for Back to school shopping but what better things to buy your kids, than some fun companions: books!
We know it’s that time of the year when summer vacations are a throwback to the lazy and fun times spent with your kids. However, reading with your kids can be the perfect opportunity to make new memories.
We have an exciting reading challenge that will not only help your young learners discover their interests but also help sensitize them to important topics in their formative years.
From breaking gender stereotypes to solving engaging math puzzles and exploring foreign lands, we have amazing recommendations for kids in Kindergarten to Middle school.
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For 4-7 year olds:
Peppa Pig: Peppa Plays Cricket by Peppa Pig
It is a very sunny day. Perfect for a game of cricket! Daddy Pig teaches Peppa, George and Suzy Sheep how to play cricket in the garden, followed by the most important part of the game – taking a break for tea and cake! Everyone loves cricket, especially Daddy Pig!
The perfect book for your little cricketers, teaching them the rules of the game as well as teamwork and sportsmanship.
Eric Carle’s Book of Many Things by Eric Carle
Children will have hours of fun learning first words and first concepts in this beautiful book from the creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. From food and clothes to animals and feelings, this is the perfect way for little ones to learn what they need to navigate their busy worlds.
Pink and Blue by Ritu Vaishnav (Author), Vishnu M Nair (Illustrator)
Pink is for girls. Blue is for boys
Girls play house. Boys play cricket
Cry like a girl. Kick like a boy
Sometimes grown-ups can say silly things that just aren’t true–not for all kids anyway! This book is an attempt by a mum to start a conversation with her little one about gender stereotypes. It encourages kids to question these notions before they begin to shape their thinking and offers adults an opportunity to initiate this very necessary discussion.
Helping Others Is Cool (My Book of Values) by Sonia Mehta
Nicky and Noni both badly want to win the School Champ contest, so they’re much too busy to help anyone around them. But along the way, they realize what it takes to be an all-rounder. What do they learn? Read on to find out.
For 8-10 year olds:
Middle School: Hero To Zero by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts
After a mostly-successful stint at Hills Valley Middle School, Rafe is excited to visit the incredible city of London with his class. Sightseeing around a foreign country sounds like a blast, until Rafe finds out his roommate will be none other than Miller the Killer, bully extraordinaire! And it’s no surprise that Rafe’s bad luck follows him across the pond, putting him in one crazy situation after another–out of all of his adventures, this trip could prove to be Rafe’s most embarrassing yet, undoing everything good he has going for him back home!
Detective Nosegoode and the Music Box Mystery (Detective Nosegoode 1) by Marian Orlon
At first glance, Mr Ambrosius Nose Goode seems to be a perfectly ordinary older gentleman.
But appearances can be deceiving: this unimposing man was once a famous detective and his dog isn’t an ordinary mutt either – he can talk! When a mysterious man with a fake black beard comes to town and a music box goes missing from the workshop of clockmaker Mr Ignatius Blossom, the two friends begin to investigate.
Globe Trotters by Arefa Tehsin (Author), Nafisa Nandini Crishna (Illustrator)
Hudhud is horrible to everyone. He polishes off his classmates’ lunches, plays cruel pranks on his teachers and troubles innocent creatures. Until his strange new history teacher decides to set him straight.
The lesson? A curse! Now Hudhud must roam the vast earth . . . with-and as-the greatest migratory animals. And so begins Hudhud’s remarkable journey.
Follow Hudhud on this surreal trip, through the Arctic Ocean and the Sahara Desert, among fragrant flowers and tall grass, and find out all about the inner lives of some majestic animals and the wonders of the wild.
The Cloudfarers by Stephen Alter
Paramount Academy is nothing short of a prison. As Kip comes to terms with this awful military-style school, he makes new friends who have a terrible secret: they are Cloudfarers-a lost tribe of beings from another planet, who have been exiled on earth. And they need his help to get back to their land, away from Principal Captain Lovelock, who is on to them. But time is running out . . .
Join Kip and his friends as they embark on a stormy adventure on the clouds and through dangerous cliffs and mountains to reach a safe haven.
For 10-13 year olds:
The Firework Maker’s Daughter by Philip Pullman
What Lila wants to be more than anything else in the world is . . . a Firework-Maker!
But firework-making is not just about being able to make Crackle-Dragons and Golden Sneezes. There is also one special secret: every Firework-Maker must make a perilous journey to face the terrifying Fire-Fiend!
Not knowing that she needs special protection to survive the Fire-Fiend’s flames, Lila sets off alone. Her friends, Chulak and Hamlet – the King’s white elephant – race after her. But can they possibly reach her in time?
Maths Sutras From Around The World: Speed Calculations On Your Fingertips by Gaurav Tekriwal
Learn how to be quick and better at Maths with this well-researched book that has an amazing collection of mathematical techniques from around the world. Explore ingenious maths concepts and systems, and try your hand at popular puzzles like KenKen, Kakuro and Alphametics. Who says maths can’t be fun?
My First Book of Money by Ravi Subramanian and Shoma Narayanan
They say time is money. But they never really tell you why. They say money doesn’t grow on trees. But they don’t tell you where it comes from. Aman and Anya are as clueless about cash as you are. Then, they start asking questions. Egged on by clever Dadi and forthcoming Mom and Dad, Aman and Anya learn what finances are really all about.
So go ahead! Read on for a rollercoaster ride through the world of money.
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Look out for our Independence Day reading challenge next week!
Tag: Puffin
Is your child down with FIFA fever? We’ve got friends to keep them company
As the final match of the FIFA World Cup approaches, we’re getting more and more excited! To keep the excitement going, we’ve put together a list of our friends from the world of Puffin who are into football as well!
Here are excerpts from two books they feature in, that your child is bound to love. Let’s read football!
Chintamani Dev Gupta a.k.a Chintu from Lost in Time
As the twenty-two players faced each other and shook hands before the kick-off, I could have sworn the IPS team’s striker in front of me gave me a death stare. I looked away coolly, instead watching the referee, a tall man with unnaturally huge biceps, come forward for the toss. The coin was flipped and both teams were stationed by the captains in their positions. It was now or never. I had been anticipating this moment for such a long time.
I could feel the tension balled up in my stomach, coursing down my arms, in every muscle of my body. Then I heard the piercing whistle. We will win this fight, I told myself. And I was in action, powerfully flitting from side to side to guard my post.
The first half of the game was uneventful, neither team having been able to score. A substitute on the IPS team, who was called in after half-time, ended up playing way better than the key player and made us rather anxious. A few free kicks that went wide and some throw-ins later, the score still remained unchanged. The match had now come down to its last ten minutes. With neither team having a goal on the scoreboard, it was still anyone’s game. We just had to find a way to break the deadlock.
To top that, the IPS striker had come way too close to scoring a few goals in the second half, and I could almost feel the pressure weighing me down like a millstone. Five minutes on the clock and he was going for it yet again. The crowd erupted wildly over the striker as he slowly made his way across the field, skillfully dribbling past our agitated defenders almost halfway from the centre line. Uh-oh, my mates were struggling. I knew it was time to brace myself. Now it was up to me. Very slowly, I bent my knees and locked my hands close to each other, my shin guards digging into my skin. My ears were ringing with the roars of exhilaration and anticipation from the audience.
In an unhindered moment, almost at the edge of the penalty box, my opponent bent backward ever so slightly and, with a powerful instep kick, shot the ball to the left. I just couldn’t gauge where it was headed for half a second, as it burst from a jumble of stomping feet. Would it swing out and miss the bar? No! It might just make it! Simultaneously I dived to the side, my hands outstretched desperately.
The microseconds slowed down, the past, the present and the future all coming together as I soared towards the hurtling ball. I stretched every muscle of my body and steeled every nerve, until I was slicing through the air like a bird, a bee, a butterfly. Like a boy who had flown through the air before. I could feel someone, something, lifting me higher and higher until the tip of my middle finger kissed tough leather and I became one with the goal. I was the goal.
We won.
Amar Kishen a.k.a. Butterfingers from Goal, Butterfingers
A nervous Jayaram tried to instil confidence in his team. ‘We need not one but two goals. Get them!’ He replaced Kishore and Arun with Pratyush and Ujjal. The double substitution paid off as Ghana began to dominate the match. Argentina was content to sit back and try to hold on to its lead. As time ticked by, Ghana was still looking for that elusive goal, despite the best efforts of Jayaram who, in frustration at not finding an opening, began to attempt shots whenever he found himself with the ball. Tempers began to fray when Arjun received a pass from Ajay and shot it past Visudh to score what he thought was the equalizer; unfortunately it was called offside. Arjun began to argue fiercely with Mr Sunderlal and stopped only after Jayaram intervened.
As the game got rough, Dipankar of Argentina pulled Arjun’s hair hard and brought him down, then tripped and fell over him. Arjun landed on his injured hand and took full advantage of that by holding his hand and stomach in turn and writhing in pain. Mr Sunderlal looked a little suspicious, but Arjun continued to moan. Showing Dipankar a yellow card, Mr Sunderlal awarded Ghana a penalty that was neatly converted by Jayaram. After that, in spite of vigorous forays by the forwards of both teams, no goals were scored. Argentina came pretty close to going ahead but Amar brought off a spectacular save, jumping high and tipping the ball away.
When it was full time, the two teams were locked at 2–2, and it was time for the penalty shoot-out. With the ‘vuvuzelas’ providing plaintive and jarring background music, Ishaan took the first penalty for Argentina, kicking the ball high into the right corner while Amar, judging wrongly, went to the left. Next Jayaram, after taking his time, took the kick, missed and hit the crossbar. ‘Oh no!’ said Kiran, dismayed. ‘Wearing Gyan on his shirt and missing a penalty like him!’ A roar went up from Argentina’s supporters while Jayaram just sat down, face in hands until Abdul gently led him away. But the next shot from Milosh was beautifully saved by Amar who, smartly anticipating the direction this time, fell over the ball and saved it. Arjun was given the ball and in an audacious move that had everyone gasping in disbelief, turned quickly and did a backflick penalty kick that luckily for him found the net.
Arya took the next penalty and slipped as she was about to kick, causing the ball to roll to a stop before the goal line. Shoulders hunched, she forlornly joined her team and burst into tears. Ujjal’s kick was fast and furious and Visudh just couldn’t get to it. Hitesh who took the next penalty sent the ball high to a corner of the goal. Amar didn’t have a chance. It was Ghana’s turn next and Pratyush’s shot was in. Visudh himself came to take his team’s fifth penalty. His team huddled around him and there was a hush around the grounds. If he missed, Ghana would win. Jayaram went to talk to Amar. Visudh took careful aim and kicked it beautifully over Amar’s head but Amar bounced high as if he had anti-gravity paste on his shoes and got the tip of one finger to it. Though he hurt his finger badly, the ball’s trajectory got altered and it rolled out of harm’s way. Ghana had won the World Cup!
Meet Judy Moody, The Queen of Moods!
Judy Moody is a third grader with plenty of attitude and a mood for every occasion. This delightful series, created by Megan McDonald, is loaded with laughs and moments of wisdom as readers follow Judy through her hilarious adventures.
The fabulous Judy Moody will delight any child who’s known a bad mood or a bad day—and managed to laugh and learn along the way!
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10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Glorious Rani Lakshmibai
Sonia Mehta is a children’s writer who has been writing and curating content for children for over two decades now. She conceptualized and directed the Cadbury Bournvita Quiz Contest, and has also authored several children’s activity books for Disney including the popular Chhota Bheem franchise. In her latest book titled Rani Lakshmibai, Mehta recounts the historic rule of the glorious queen.
Here are ten facts we discovered about the brave heart- Rani Lakshmibai that you should know too:
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Puffin’s 10 most Iconic and Popular Reads
To celebrate 30 glorious years of Penguin in India, Puffin presents a selection of 10 of its most iconic and popular books. This will be a beautifully packaged special edition series of the best of children’s literature. It will include the bestselling works of literary doyens spanning both fiction and non-fiction that are a must-have on every shelf.
Let’s have a look at these 10 hand-picked gems.
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- Letters From a Father to his Daughter by Jawaharlal Nehru
- How I Taught My Grandmother How To Read and Other Stories by Sudha Murty
- Malgudi Schooldays by R. K. Narayan
- My India by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
- Pashu by Devdutt Pattanaik
- The Adventures of Rusty by Ruskin Bond
- The Incredible History of India’s Geography by Sanjeev Sanyal
8. The Puffin Book of World Myths and Legends by Anita Nair
9. The Puffin History of India: Volume 1 by Roshen Dalal
10. The Village by the Sea by Anita Desai
Who is Chatur Chanakya and Why Should Children Meet Him? Radhakrishnan Pillai Answers
Radhakrishnan Pillai now writes for your young ones! Little Chanakya goes to school, standing up to bullies and maneuvering his way through tricky situations we all may have found ourselves in sometimes. But what inspired this journey? Let’s find out!
From Corporate Chanakya to Chatur Chanakya, what inspired this transition in writing for a different audience?
It was a new dimension for me. Even though the common connect between Corporate Chanakya and Chatur Chanakya is the same – Chanakya, it is very differently presented. Corporate Chanakya was meant as a management book especially for those who are in management and leadership positions. The audience was educated and already decision makers. While Chatur Chanakya was a different aspect. Reaching out to children who are 10 years old. The challenge was to make the profound knowledge of Chanakya from the Arthashastra, to be presented in a simple format. When the puffin team approached me with this concept to write for kids, it was a challenge. But I got inspired to try a new way of writing. And thanks – the book has really come out well. Much better than what was expected.
Is the character of young Chatur inspired by anyone from your life?
Yes and No. Chatur Chanakya is an imaginary character. Just like Superman, Batman and Chota Bheem. These characters are imaginary but have a message to give to kids. Through Chatur Chanakya we are going to bring out the best of wisdom of Chanakya (who lived nearly 2400 years ago) and his Kautilya’s Arthashastra. He was a leadership guru and a king maker. Chatur Chanakya will teach children how to think and become a leader. The other children in the book are inspired by real children. Arjun is the name of my son, who is the friend of Chatur Chanakya. Lakshmi is inspired by my daughter (her real name is Aanvikshiki). While Datta, Aditya and Milee are their friends. All of them become part of the book.
What is so special about Chatur and why should children befriend him?
Though a comic character. He is very real. Because he is a school going kid like any child of our generation. He has all the challenges that is faced by kids today. Be it bullying in schools, exam fever, being compared to other kids (even parents do that). So any one can associate with Chatur Chanakya. He is cute and nice. But he is also a fiend, philosopher and guide to his other classmates and friends. He is your friendly neighbour and ‘best friend’. He has got a choti on his head and a trick up his sleeve. You will love him. Not only children, but parents, grandparents and even teachers in schools will love Chatur Chanakya. He is what everyone wants in an ideal child – Intelligent and dynamic.
Tell us that one thing in Chatur Chanakya and the Himalayan Problem that one should look out for.
How to think out of the box. Chatur Chanakya faces a huge problem. Himalaya is a class mate of his, who is huge and bullies everyone. While Chatur Chanakya is not physically as strong Himalaya, he uses his intelligence to defeat Himalaya. So through this book we are giving a message to children, teachers and parents that – If you are mentally strong you can defeat any Himalayan (huge) problem.
Revisit school and relive all the memories with your little one in Radhakrishnan Pillai’s Chatur Chanakya and the Himalayan Problem!
5 Reads on Family to Gift Your Child Returning Home for Christmas!
If your young one is on their way back home for Christmas, here are a few super reads for them that are sure to feel like the long-pending hug from their dearest ones.
My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
A work of autobiography, My Family and Other Animals is a story of five years of the author’s crazy and colourful childhood spent with his family on a Greek island, spread over three villas and a lot of heart-warming memories.
A Vicarage Family by Noel Streatfeild
The Vicarage family was living through the First World War, some of the most trying times known to mankind. The three girls in the house grow up to find themselves fitting into different roles in the family, except the youngest. A Vicarage Family is a moving, fictionalized work of autobiography where the little protagonist ultimately finds her true self.
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
One of the most widely read and much-loved classics of all times, Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows is a story of finding family among friends. Wouldn’t you want your little one to spend a blissful Christmas with the best people by the riverside?
The Family from One End Street by Eve Garnett
This is your story, this is my story. This is the story of finding joy in the every day life of a family, like The Family from One End Street. An award-winning novel by Eve Garnett, the novel brings to life the beautiful little happinesses one finds in their every day lives, much like the Ruggles who live in the small town of Otwell.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway by Jeff Kinney
What better way to end the Christmas extravaganza than with Wimpy Kid? Jeff Kinney’s latest in the series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway, is a riot of misadventures as the Heffleys escape the stress of ‘Christmas holidays’ by going to a resort. Little did they know that their relaxed getaway would soon turn into an unforgettable holiday nightmare!
Could homecoming on Christmas get any better than this?
5 Books that Will Help You Answer those Christmas Questions From Your Kids!
Who is Father Christmas? Is he the same person as Santa Claus? What was Christmas like many, many years ago? Why do only reindeers get to pull the sleigh?
When it’s Christmas around the corner, make sure your little one finds Christmas under the tree, and within the pages too!
Here is a list of 5 wonderful reads for your young one that will not only set the Christmas in their hearts, but help you find them the answers to those Christmas questions too!
The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher
A Christmasaurus? What is that? Sounds like a dinosaurus for Christmas…Maybe it is just that and much, much more! Tom Fletcher’s magical tale of elves singing, reindeers flying and tonnes of Christmas magic is just the right kind of friend for your little one this Christmas!
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
As the famous saying goes – If Christmas can’t be found in your heart, Christmas can’t be found under a tree. The powerful, moving story of Ebenezer Scrooge whose life changes forever on a Christmas Eve, has remained timeless through the ages. What better time to share it with your little one than Christmas itself?
The Puffin Book of Christmas Stories
It’s definitely THE essential read for your child on Christmas! A marvellous collection of Christmas tales from across eras, The Puffin Book of Christmas Stories tells traditional and real stories of Christmas, and spreads the Christmas cheer like no other!
Christmas with the Savages by Mary Clive
What was Christmas really like a hundred years ago? Did they celebrate it the way we do? Mary Clive’s amusing and delightful book answers those questions as her little eight-year-old protagonist, Evelyn, “survives” a Christmas of the kind we could never have imagined!
Father Christmas by Raymond Briggs
Why is Father Christmas also called Santa Claus? What does he do the rest of the year? Raymond Briggs’ award-winning book Father Christmas tells us the magical story we’ve always wanted to know!
Oh what a wonderful list of books to read, isn’t it? We’re sure your little one would not want to miss out on this magical treat!
“An entire year without school! What more could an eight-year-old boy ask for?”: ‘Looking for the Rainbow’ — An Excerpt
Ruskin Bond ran away from his prison-like boarding school in the hills to go and live with his father in Delhi. In ‘Looking for the Rainbows’, Ruskin Bond regales in his past and revisits the beautiful days he spent with his father going to the cinema, singing songs, reading books and taking long walks.
Here’s a short glimpse from ‘Looking for the Rainbow’, holding Ruskin’s hand and going back to where it all started.
An entire year without school! What more could an eight-year-old boy ask for? Not what his parents would ask for, certainly; but after serving a two-year sentence in a fun-less convent school in the hills, I was more than happy to take a long, enforced break from gloomy classrooms, smelly dormitories, an overcrowded playing field and a diet of cabbage soup and boiled meat.
That was the sort of school I’d escaped from— or rather, been plucked out of by my father in the middle of the summer term.
It was 1942, the middle of World War II, and my parents too had been at war with each other. They had, in fact, separated, and my mother was about to marry again. My father was serving in the Royal Air Force, and was living on his own in an Air Force hutment in New Delhi, working in the Codes and Cyphers section at Air Headquarters. I was particularly close to my father, and I insisted on going to live with him rather than to a new and unknown home.
My mother took me out of the hill school near her home in Dehradun and put me on the train to Delhi.
My father was on the station platform in Delhi, looking very smart in his RAF uniform. He hugged me, took me by the hand and led me to the station restaurant, where we had a healthy breakfast. Even a railway breakfast was better than the fare we had at school!
We were joined by my uncle Fred, who was then the station superintendent at the Old Delhi station. He had a bungalow nearby. But my father’s quarters, or hutments as they were called, were at the other end of Delhi, on Humayun Road, where the new capital of India had been created.
We must remember that up until then, Calcutta had been the capital of British-ruled India, and Simla, the summer capital. Now the capital was New Delhi, still very new and still coming up, and Simla, of course, was much nearer.
The hutment was a bit of a surprise. It consisted of two brick-walled rooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. And it was in the middle of nowhere.
Humayun Road, in those far-off days, was simply a lane running through a scrub forest. It had been cleared in places so that these wartime hutments could come up. But there were more jackals than people in the area. And snakes too.
As Ruskin prepared to spend some of the most wonderful days of his life with his father in ‘Looking for the Rainbow’, let’s gear up for the next part in the enchanting series where Ruskin’s life is about to take a drastic turn! Pre-order your copy of ‘Till the Clouds Roll by’ today!
When Young Chintamani Woke Up in a Place He Had Only Read About: ‘Lost in Time: Ghatotkacha and the Game of Illusions’ — An Excerpt
Chintamani Dev Gupta is on a trip to a bird camp near Lake Sat Tal! Away from the drudgery of urban life in Gurgaon, Chintamani finds himself near the cool, blue water of the lake and dives in for a swim. But when he emerges out of it, things look different. Where is he?
Find out with Namita Gokhale’s beautiful new novel for your little one, ‘Lost in Time: Ghatotkacha and the Game of Illusions’.
Here’s an excerpt from the book telling you where it all started.
A figure was approaching. He, she, it, was holding a burning branch of wood and breathing deeply. I had slouched down, suddenly tired and drowsy, in a bed of dry leaves. An enormous face came into view a long way above me. I wondered if I was dreaming, but the warmth from the flaming torch seeped into my bones, as did the long, careful breaths of this giant. I sat up bolt upright.
He was sniffing me, and I could smell him too. The tang of leaves and the forest, with a whiff of animal and the scent of human.
‘Who are you?’ he asked in a language I didn’t understand. And yet, strangely enough, I did. Was this telepathy?
‘And who are you?!’ I asked back, the question was put forward in sheer panic mixed with some cunning. I was still trying to take in the awesome size of this Godzilla, and figured my question might help establish a bond with this primeval creature. But then, how would he understand my question, which probably sounded more like a squeal?
‘I am Ghatotkacha,’ he replied. ‘I am the rakshasa Ghatotkacha, born of the lord Bhimasena and the lady Hidimbi. I rule over hill and vale, forest and stream to protect the spirit of the forest and all who live in it.’
I understood this too, through some sort of teleprompter that seemed to have lodged itself somewhere in the left lobe of my brain like a Google Translate implant.
‘I am Chintamani Dev Gupta,’ I replied tentatively. But it wasn’t me speaking at all, perhaps some sort of decoder that seemed to be picking up on signals from my brain. Take control, I told myself, take control, or you will lose this mind game.
‘I am speaking Paisachi, but I am fluent in Prakrit and Sanskrit too,’ the giant replied.
He had huge red eyes that were lit up by the burning torch he held in his hand. But they were kind eyes . . . there was not even a hint of cruelty in them.
‘And don’t worry, I am not trying to take control of your mind!’
Weird, weirder, weirdest. He could actually read my mind! Holy cow! This situation was just impossible. I pinched myself even harder this time, so that I might now wake up from this fast-accelerating nightmare.
It only gets “weird, weirder, weirdest” from here on! You wouldn’t want to miss it! Grab your copy and dive right into the charming world of Ghatotkacha!
