A list of what is is new in children’s books from Indian publishers in April 2019.
The information in this list is what is provided to us by the publishers. Details may be updated.

Picture books

The Jungle Radio
Author: Devangana Dash
About the book:Come, listen to the sweet jungle orchestra, featuring the Woodpecker’s drums, the Hornbill’s trumpet and the Kingfisher’s blues.

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!

Brought to life by painterly illustrations, The Jungle Radio is a little story about the language of birds-their songs and sounds-with a loud and clear call to listen to the world around us.
Publisher: Puffin
Age group: 4+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Devangana Dash is a New Delhi-based designer, illustrator and book maker. When she’s not designing books for a living, she reads, draws a little more and collects books for her dream library. For inspiration, she relies on nature (especially birds and sea turtles), picture books by her avourite artists and authors, different genres of music and a cup of chai.
Price: Rs 250

Sunrise, Moonrise
Author: Trishla Jain
Illustrator: Kirstin Eggers
About the book: ‘What does it mean to pray?’ the moon once asked the sun.

The sun smiled and replied, ‘I’d like to show you, come.’
Praying can come in all shapes and sizes. Some people pray in temples, while others meditate.

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.
Publisher: Puffin
Age group: 5+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: A fan of vegetables, meditation and tidiness, Trishla Jain calls herself  ‘a work in progress’. She is dedicated to deep, mindful living. As a mother of two, she writes books that bring families together to explore spirituality in a light, magical way. Trishla fell in love with English literature while at Stanford University in California, where she resides today.
About the illustrator: Kirstin Eggers grew up in South Africa, Kenya and France, and graduated in 2013 from the University for the Creative Arts in Maidstone, England, with a BA (Hons.) degree in illustration. She always strives to tell old stories in a new way. Kirstin works with a range of media, from coloured pencils and watercolours for a traditional look to collages and paint-splashing for more experimental projects. You can find more of her work at http://www.kiki-kalahari.com.
Price: Rs 350

Om the Gnome and the Chanting Comb
Author: Trishla Jain
Illustrator: Kirstin Eggers
About the book: Learn how to chant OM from the comfort of home, with a curious gnome and his magical 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.
Publisher: Puffin
Age group: 5+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: A fan of vegetables, meditation and tidiness, Trishla Jain calls herself  ‘a work in progress’. She is dedicated to deep, mindful living. As a mother of two, she writes books that bring families together to explore spirituality in a light, magical way. Trishla fell in love with English literature while at Stanford University in California, where she resides today.
About the illustrator: Kirstin Eggers grew up in South Africa, Kenya and France, and graduated in 2013 from the University for the Creative Arts in Maidstone, England, with a BA (Hons.) degree in illustration. She always strives to tell old stories in a new way. Kirstin works with a range of media, from coloured pencils and watercolours for a traditional look to collages and paint-splashing for more experimental projects. You can find more of her work at http://www.kiki-kalahari.com.
Price: Rs 250

Books for younger Readers

The Puffin Book of Holiday Stories
Author: Various
About the book: Fourteen brilliant stories that celebrate the best time of the year-the holidays.
Hop, skip and err . . . stumble through your vacations with:
Ø a clever parrot called Carrot who makes quite the entrance at summer school
Ø two arch-enemies who battle it out using delicious mango desserts
Ø a mischievous group of boys who finally meet their match

Ø a girl with inflamed tonsils who dreams of medicating on vanilla ice cream
Ø a young boy swallowed whole by a snake who lives to tell the tale
Ø a celestial being who descends into the chaos of Mumbai for a peaceful holiday
and many others!
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.
Publisher: Puffin
Age group: 9+
Category: Fiction (English)
Price: Rs 199

Great Folk Tales of the World
Author: Anitha Murthy
Illustrator: Sayan Mukherjee
About the book: Harisharman, a poor man from India, pretends he has magical powers and can solve any problem. But what will he do when the king himself asks for his help to find the g oldstolen from the royal treasury? In ancient Arabia, Ameen Beg meets a scary ghoul. With just some salt and an egg, he outsmarts the ghoul and makes him run away fast and far. In distant Eastern Europe, a king is furious with his attendant George. The only way George can escape punishment is by finding the mysterious maid with the golden hair. Will he be able to find her and bring her to his king?

Meet these and many other odd and wonderful characters—wily witches from
Australia, brave and just eagles from North America, magician-giants from South
America and boastful tailors from Scotland—in these captivating stories. There are tales
of love and humour, of adventure and daredevilry, of ogres and animals. Beautifully
illustrated, skilfully retold, this collection will thrill and charm readers young and old.
Publisher: Talking Cub
Age group: 8+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Anitha Murthy is a software consultant by profession, who likes to write whenever inspiration strikes. She has dabbled in many genres, from short stories and poetry to humour and travel. She is a voracious reader and is a partner-cum-librarian at Cosy Nook Library, a children’s library. She lives in Bengaluru with her husband and daughter and pretends to be Zen about everything.
About the illustrator: Sayan Mukherjee is an illustrator from Calcutta, who works from his own studio. After working in advertising for around nine years, he went solo with his passion: illustrations. He loves children’s books and loves to create art for kids.
He has worked with various publishers, including Penguin, Hachette, Tulika Books, Juggernaut, Speaking Tiger, Pratham Books, Ms Moochie Books.
Price: Rs 399

Unlucky Chumki
Author: Lesley D Biswas
Illustrator: Anupama Ajinkya Apte
About the book: Everyone says Chumki is unlucky and makes things go wrong with her ‘magic’.
No wonder she has no friends.
Can her brother Aki’s plan help Chumki make friends?
Publisher: Duckbill
Age group: 8+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Lesley  D.  Biswas  grew  up  in  McCluskiegunj,  and  dreamed  of  playing  cricket.  But  instead  of  a  bat,  she  ended  up  with  a  pen  in  her  hand.  Currently  based  in  Kolkata,  she’s   a  freelance  writer who  enjoys  writing  children’s  stories  the  most.  She’s  also  passionate  about  nature,  gardening  and  bird  photography.
About the illustrator: After her fifteen years stint as a software engineer, Anupama decided to pursue her childhood passion for art. She loves drawing quirky characters. An avid Urban sketcher, she deeply enjoys working in watercolors.
Price: Rs 175

The Children’s Ramayana
Author: Upendrakishore Ray Choudhury; Translated from Bengali by Tilottama Shome
Illustrator: Priyankar Gupta
About the book:Prince Ram, son of Dasharath, is loved and revered by everyone in the kingdom of Ayodhya. But Queen Kaikeyi’s greed and ambition cause him to be exiled for fourteen years. Along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, he leaves the kingdom for dense forests full of rakshasas. Soon Raavan, the terrifying king of Lanka, finds his way to them and abducts Sita. How does Ram, the bravest warrior of all, cross hills and rivers and the sea to rescue Sita and bring her back home?

Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury’s delightful retelling of the Ramayana has enthralled Bengali and other readers for over a century. With this vivid translation, a new generation of girls and boys can travel into an ancient world of princes and rakshasas, vanaras and ogres, epic battles and flying chariots, honour and bravery, loyalty and friendship.
Publisher: Talking Cub
Age group: 8+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury (1863-1915) was a prolific children’s writer from Bengal. His works Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, Tuntunir Boi, Chheleder Ramayan, Chheleder Mahabharat and more, are all classics of Bengali children’s literature. He edited and published the children’s magazine Sandesh, for which he wrote and illustrated stories, poems and essays. He was also a pioneering printer, musician, entrepreneur and painter.
About the translator: Tilottama Shome is an architect by training and wanderer by profession. Her early childhood days were spent in Calcutta when most of her time went in reading children’s fiction, both in Bengali and English. 
About the illustrator: Priyankar Gupta is a pre-visualizer and a creative consultant in the field of media, advertising and broadcast design. He has worked with various publishing companies across the globe as an Illustrator for children’s book and books for young adults. He has been a mentor in various design schools across the country teaching various forms of visual narratives.
Price: Rs 499

Books for middle readers

Born to Die
Author: Rhea Kumar
About the book: The Grim Reapers are very special teenagers chosen at birth to serve Yamaraj, the original god of death, for a hundred years. They are, in fact, born to die. Fourteen-year-old Yama doesn’t fit in with the normal human world. He is rebellious, reclusive and cynical. In fact, he is the perfect candidate to be the new Grim Reaper. But Yama struggles with his new responsibilities when a mysterious figure from his past suddenly resurfaces and he has to make the toughest judgement of all.
Publisher: Scholastic
Age group: 12+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: An avid reader since childhood, Rhea Kumar channeled her love for reading books into writing them. Born to Die (2013) is her first book and its unpublished manuscript was nominated for the National Debut Youth Fiction Award by the National Book Trust in February 2013.
Price: Rs 295

Pops!
Author: Balaji Venkataramanan
About the book: My name is V. Arun. I am seven years old.

My father’s name is Venkatesh. He is very good. He never gets mad at me. He buys me a lot of toys and chocolates … I love my father.

That’s a big bluff. Arun has never met his dad. He has only seen his photograph in the wedding album. And he hates him.

Then one day, his father comes back. His mother has to take Arun to meet him once a month. It’s a court order. His grandparents say that the Man is very bad and might try to take him away from his mom.

Arun is scared and angry.

But why does the Man keep bringing him gifts? Why does he play with dogs? Why does he climb like a monkey? Why does he keep saying ‘Pop! Pop! Pop!’? As if Arun could ever start calling this strange Man ‘Pops’!
Publisher: Duckbill
Age group: 11+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Like most middle-class boys, Balaji Venkataramanan completed his engineering, joined the IT bandwagon, went onsite and started paying EMIs. Then the bubble burst and Flat-track Bullies happened. A native of Chennai, he’s mighty proud that he comes from the land of idli-sambar, Rajinikanth and the CSK.
Price: Rs 225

Munshi Premchand: Selected Stories
Author: Premchand
About the book: A collection of short stories by Munshi Premchand, one of India’s leading Hindi authors of the early twentieth century.
Publisher: Scholastic
Age group: 10+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Dhanpat Rai Shrivastava (July 31, 1880 – October 8, 1936), better known by his pen name Munshi Premchand, was a celebrated writer, whose body of work includes more than a dozen novels, around 250 short stories, several essays and translations of a number of foreign literary works into Hindi.
Price: Rs 195

My Country, My Government
Author: Rohini Oomman
About the book: What does a Prime Minister do?
How are judges chosen?
Rohini Oomman takes on and breaks down the complicated functioning of the Indian government into bite-size nuggets of information. From the formation of the Indian Constitution to today’s election system, this book tackles complex subjects in a clear, easy-to-understand way with exercises and explanations.
A cool and fun informative guide to your country—
The Constitution, The Legislature,
The Union Executive and The Judiciary.
Publisher: Scholastic
Age group: 10+
Category: Reference (English)
About the author: Rohini Oomman is a very well-respected and experienced educator who has put together an informative guide to help the children of India understand and appreciate the working of their country and government.
Price: Rs 295

Evan Purcell is a teacher in Bhutan. His new series Karma Tandin, Monster Hunter is set in Bhutan. Duckbill publishes the first book in the series, Karma Fights a Monster, in May 2019. The second book in the series will be published later in the year.

I wish everyone was happier. I really do. The world would be a better place if every single person was just 1% happier. Wouldn’t that be great?

I’ve lived in a lot of places (from Zanzibar to Russia to America), but the only place where I found true happiness was Bhutan. Bhutan is the happiest place in the world, and there’s a reason for that.

If you don’t know anything about Bhutan, it’s a tiny kingdom sandwiched between India and China. It’s tucked away in the Himalayas, and it has a culture completely different from anywhere else on Earth. The calendar is filled with local festivals (lots of dancing, lots of costumes), and the population is small enough that it feels like everyone knows each other. It’s a nice, welcoming place, but more than that, it’s happy.

Back in the 1970s, the Fourth King proposed the policy of Gross National Happiness (GNH), which basically says that a country shouldn’t find value in money but in the level of happiness for all its people. It’s a radical idea that has gotten a lot of publicity around the world, but nowhere is it more fully realized than in Bhutan, where every part of life puts importance on happiness.

As a teacher here, I use happiness in the classroom. I even went through special training when I first got here to help me maximize the happiness of my students. We focus on positive topics in our discussions, we start each day with some meditation, and we always value happiness levels for everyone. It’s pretty cool.

If you’ve never been to Bhutan, you’ll probably be surprised by just how calm and peaceful it is. People take their time, stopping their tasks to soak in the mountain atmosphere and listen to the gentle rustle of birds. A lot of places try to be peaceful, but few can achieve that goal as well as Bhutan does.

In a perfect world, every country would embrace GNH. Sure, money is important, but money doesn’t always lead to a better quality of life. A lot of rich people can be deeply unhappy, and people with very few possessions can wake up smiling every day of their lives. It all depends on perspective, and GNH offers that perspective, puts everything into focus, and reminds us why we’re here.

I’ve started a series of books about a little kid in Bhutan who fights monsters. His name is Karma, and his life is anything but normal. Still, he’s a happy kid, and these are happy stories. When I write about Bhutan, I just can’t help myself. Everything just naturally comes out positive.

Of course, Bhutan isn’t perfect. There are definitely some problems living in a tiny village. Sometimes, the electricity goes out. Sometimes the cold wind whips through my windows and no electric heater or bukari can help. That happens. But since I’ve come here, those problems don’t seem to matter much. I wake up smiling.

The next time you have a bad day, try to think of GNH. Think of all the reasons you should be happy, and maybe you’ll wake up smiling, too.

Evan Purcell is a teacher in Bhutan. His new series Karma Tandin, Monster Hunter is set in Bhutan. Duckbill publishes the first book in the series, Karma Fights a Monster, in May 2019. The second book in the series will be published later in the year.

Slime monsters.

Vampire potatoes.

A human-gobbling tree with a thousand eyes.

Karma Tandin fights ’em all.

When I started writing my series of Karma books, I went crazy with all the monsters. Nothing was off-limits. I wanted my stories to be full of the strange and the scary and the very, very cool. I grew up loving monster stories, and I wanted to create a world where monsters were part of everyday life.

The more I thought about it, though, the more I realised that the best monster stories weren’t about the monsters at all. They were about real, human problems. Frankenstein isn’t just some flat-headed green guy. (Well, he kind of is.) But he’s also an outsider who just wants to belong. Godzilla isn’t just a big lizard with bad breath; he’s a symbol for a very dark time in history. Take all the great monsters from our past—from King Kong to the Terminator to those pale kids from Twilight—and they all represent something important.

Because Karma is an average twelve-year-old, I knew that his monsters should mean something special to preteens. With that in mind, I imagined a shark-faced librarian who is also the strict new teacher with way too many rules. I imagined a zombie kid who gets bullied by the other students because he’s a bit different. I imagined an evil twin who’s sort of a jealous sibling living under his brother’s shadow. As the series continues, the monsters will get wilder and crazier, but the ideas behind them will always be important.

Growing up, I loved watching old movies about werewolves. I loved the parts where the main character gets all big and hairy. I loved watching people run through spooky forests and go to old fortune-tellers for information. All that stuff was really cool. I didn’t realize, though, that I was watching movies about how scary it is to grow up, or how everyone has to struggle against their worst impulses. Sure, some monsters are just monsters, but the best ones represent something that we can all understand.

What’s your favourite monster? Do you like big, gloopy aliens or red-eyed demons? Do you like vampires or werewolves or zombies? Whatever you pick, there’s probably a reason for it. Underneath all the howling and the brain-munching, there’s always a reason.

The truth is, books about big, dark issues can get a little boring. But if those issues are stuffed into a monster story, then things get a lot more fun. The next time you watch a movie about killer tarantulas, or hear a story about ghosts, or (best of all) read one of my Karmabooks, take a second to think about what the monsters mean.

We all have monsters in our lives, and the only way to stop them is to finally understand them.

A list of what is is new in children’s books from Indian publishers in May 2019.
The information in this list is what is provided to us by the publishers. Details may be updated.

Picture Books

Letters to Ammi
Author: Aftab Yusuf Shaikh
Photographers: Adrija Ghosh and Soumitra Ranade
About the book: A young girl traces her mother’s journey through the city of Delhi, writing letters to her along the way. Every monument holds a memory; every letter tells a story; and Fatima wants nothing more than to show her beloved Ammijaan that she is truly her mother’s daughter. Letters to Ammi by Aftab Yusuf Shaikh, with stunning photographs by Adrija Ghosh and Soumitra Ranade, is a celebration of timeless human relationships.
Publisher: Karadi Tales
Age group: 7+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Mohammed Aftab Yusuf Shaikh is a poet, writer, and teacher based in Mumbai. Aftab has always had a strong connection with Delhi–he believes that every part of the city tells the stories of thousands of people, and that its many layers will always intrigue and excite him.
About the photographers/designers: Adrija Ghosh is a literature graduate from Calcutta who is passionate about illustration. She loves to travel and work with children when she is not illustrating.
Soumitra Ranade is an art director, photographer, illustrator, and filmmaker whose films have been screened internationally, including at Cannes. He has written two books for children, both of which take inspiration from his sons’ overactive imaginations.
Price: Rs 399

One Lonely Tiger
Author: Benita Sen
Illustrator: Shekhar Mukherjee
About the book: A haunting picture book on tiger extinction.
He looks down where the forest was.
And lets out a long, sad sigh. ‘Where did my home go?’ he cries. ‘Where and why, oh why?’ The rapidly shrinking forest has a lonesome, friendless tiger who is left with only his own shadow for company. Whom should he play with now that all his fellow tigers have disappeared? In the tug-of-war over living space between people and the wild, where will the animals go if more forests are cut? One Lonely Tiger illustrates this urgent threat of extinction and loss of habitat among valuable species, and asks the pressing question: are our trees, wild animals, birds and insects safe amidst us?
Gorgeously illustrated and thoughtfully narrated, this book sensitizes young readers to the pathos and loneliness of our wildlife and the ecological crisis around us.
Publisher: Puffin
Age group: 5+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Wordsmith and journalist Benita Sen is happiest when writing for children. Peeping over the decades into her own childhood, she writes all that she loved reading: fact and fiction, prose and verse, biographies, environmental books, and craft books. Some of her happiest hours are spent conducting workshops and story sessions. Between writing and more writing, she tries to help hapless dogs, cats and neighbourhood birds, to name a few.
Price: Rs 250

Naani ke Naav
Author: Dr Harindranath Chattopadhyay
About the book: Relive … revive … revisit … your childhood! The age-old song penned by the famous writer, Dr Harindranath Chattopadhyay, comes alive with vivacious illustrations to tickle your bones.
Publisher: Katha
Age group: 5+
Category: Picture book (Hindi and English)
About the author: Harindranath Chattopadhyay was a prolific poet, writer and actor. He was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1973. He died in June 1990.
About the illustrator: Nirzara Verulkar is an illustrator, a commercial artist and an animator. Drawing Chime is a design studio initiated by her for her love of bringing happiness and cheer to everybody around. She loves illustrating food, marathi poems and yoga related things in her leisure time.
Price: Rs 195

Get Well Soon, Mamma
Author: Tanya
Illustrator: Tanya Kotnala
About the book: Mamma is not well.
Mamma has cancer.
A young girl copes with her mother’s Illness in this beautifully illustrated, emotional book.
Publisher: Scholastic India
Age group: 6+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Tanya is a nutritionist and co-founder of Bhuli, a social platform promoting food, art and craft of Uttarakhand, India. She also develops communication and advocacy material for the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Development of Uttarakhand on various health and nutrition.
About the illustrator: Tanya Kotnala is a fashion designer and illustrator based in Dehradun, India. She is passionate about water colours, sketch booking, textiles and documenting various art-and- craft sub-cultures from around the world. She founded Bhuli in 2017 and has been working with the Ministry of Textiles.
Price: Rs 195

Books for younger readers

Koki’s Song
Author: Ruskin Bond
Illustrators: Ayeshe Sadr and Ishaan Dasgupta
About the book: Ruskin Bond had his first short story published when he had just left school. Two years later, his first novel, The Room on the Roof, was accepted by a London publisher. On the ship that brought him home to India he met a twelve-year-old girl called Koki, who shared her chocolates with him, having heard that he did not have money for chocolates. He did not see Koki again, but she turns up in his stories from time to time. She doesn’t grow old. She is twelve-year-old Koki forever. And if you live close to nature, to flowers, trees, birds and mountain streams, you will remain young, like Koki and Somi.
“Over the years, I have written hundreds of stories. And whenever I write a story about children and the creatures of the forest, the years slip away and I am a boy again,” says Ruskin Bond.
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Age group: 6+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Ruskin Bond is one of India’s most well-known children’s writers. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014. He lives in Landour, Mussoorie.
About the illustrators: Ayeshe Sadr and Ishaan Dasgupta work together out of their small studio in New Delhi. A textile designer and a graphic designer respectively, Ayeshe and Ishaan found a common love for illustration and created 211 Studio in 2009.
Price: Rs 250

Adventures of the Humangoose Family
Author: Zai Whitekar
Illustrator: Niloufer Wadia
About the book: Gundu and Keeri are a humangoose couple. Which means they do behave like mongooses. They are hasty, they chatter non-stop using a variety of sounds from chirps to clicks, they eat rats… But there’s a difference. They begin to take decisions! The biggest one being to move out of the jungle and into paddy fields. And so begins their adventure into the unknown — fun-filled but also filled with danger from two-legged creatures!
Funny and quirky, the story is sprinkled with little-known mongoose traits that author Zai Whitaker knows well. She’s had them as pets!
Publisher: Tulika Books
Age group: 7+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Zai Whitaker grew up in Mumbai, in a family of naturalists. She has written novels, stories and poems for children – including Andamans Boy, Kali and the Rat Snake, Kanna Panna, and the award-winning Salim Mamoo and Me, published by Tulika. She now lives and works at the Madras Crocodile Bank near Chennai, which she helped set up more than 40 years ago.
About the illustrator: Niloufer Wadia started as a visualiser and was in advertising for over 20 years. She then took a sudden decision to leave to make a career of her first love, illustrations and painting, and she has been very successful! Her other books with Tulika are Kanna Panna, When Bholu Came Back and Not Yet!

Lucky, It’s Summer!
Author: Nalini Sorensen
Illustrator: Shamika Chaves
About the book: It’s the summer holidays, and Lucky, the Cocker Spaniel puppy, Adit and Zara spend a few days at Nana and Nani’s house. There they meet Vincent, the parrot, and Sabby, the tortoise. Vincent learns to screech, ‘Lucky! LUCKY!’ at all odd times, and Sabby tends to disappear.
A dog. A parrot. A tortoise. Summer holidays. Nana and Nani’s house. Can things get more fun? Told through a dog’s eyes, this story will make you shriek with laughter and wish that summer never ends.
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Age group: 7+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Nalini Sorensen is an award-winning children’s author. Her books include Lucky, It’s Not Just a Christmas Story!, Lucky, It’s Diwali!, While You are Sleeping, Papa’s Marathon, Dada’s Useless Present,The Star that Saved the Day,Number Marchand Alphabet Dress-up.
About the illustrator: Shamika Chaves is an illustrator and graphic designer based in Mumbai, India. Her work is inspired by the simple joys of everyday life. Shamika’s first book, Your Journal of Memories, has been published by HarperCollins India. Visit @shamikasdoodles on Instagram or http://www.shamikasdoodles.com to learn more about her work.
Price: Rs 150

Books for middle-grade readers

A Basketful of Animal Tales: Stories from the Panchatantra
Author: Sreelata Menon
Illustrator: Megha Punater
About the weekend: ‘Give me six months, and I will teach your sons how to live wisely. They will make you proud,’ said the Pandit. And thus was born the great book of animal stories – The Panchatantra.
Cunning jackals, stupid crocodiles, lumbering elephants and clever mice. Foolish fish and clever crows, quick-witted monkeys and dim-witted lions. Pit your wits against them in this feast of animal stories! The Panchatantra stories are ancient yet so contemporary that they have been retold again and again through the ages. They remain as modern as any new story today.
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Age group: 10+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: With many children’s books to her credit, author and freelance writer Sreelata Menonwrites about anything and everything. She especially enjoys capturing children’s imagination with India’s rich literary legacy. She believes that if children can relate to these stories, it will inspire them to have aspirations of their own.
About the illustrator: Megha Punater is a freelance graphic designer and illustrator based in Mumbai and Pune. She has illustrated children’s books, designed books and covers for various publishing houses and designed brand identities for established businesses. Megha is a graduate of Sir J.J. School of Art and the National Institute of Design.
Price: Rs 299

Coming Round the Mountain: In the Year of Independence
Author: Ruskin Bond
About the book:  A deeply personal memoir set against the Partition
‘It was 1947, and life was about to change quite dramatically for most of us.’ Thirteen-year-old Ruskin is back at school, doing what he loves-reading, goalkeeping, spending time with his friends and eating lots of jalebis. But things seem to be rapidly changing all around him. Whispers of a partition haunt the corridors of his school. Does the formation of a new, independent India mean saying goodbye to old friends-and, with it, the shenanigans they got up to? On the heels of Looking for the Rainbow and Till the Clouds Roll By, Coming Round the Mountain is yet another look at the past, in particular one memorable year, 1947, during which a lot happened to Ruskin and those around him. It is a fitting finale to a journey down memory lane, one about accepting change and finding hope in the unknown days to come.
Publisher: Puffin
Age group: 9+
Category: Memoir (English)
About the author: Born in Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh) in 1934, Ruskin Bond grew up in Jamnagar (Gujarat), Dehradun, New Delhi and Simla. His first novel, The Room on the Roof, written when he was seventeen, received the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. Since then he has written over 500 short stories, essays and novellas (including Vagrants in the Valley and A Flight of Pigeons) and more than forty books for children. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award for English writing in India in 1993, the Padma Shri in 1999, and the Delhi government’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. He lives in Landour, Mussoorie, with his extended family.
Price: Rs 250

Karma Fights a Monster
Author: Evan Purcell
About the book: Karma lives in Jakar, a valley in the beautiful Himalayan country of Bhutan. But he’s no ordinary kid–he’s a monster hunter. So when Karma finds out that his school librarian, Miss Charmy, is actually a shark mutant, he sets out to get rid of her before she eats up all the students!
When he realises that Miss Charmy is a nice person, Karma feels really guilty for turning everyone against her. So he convinces the town that Miss Charmy should stay.
But then, Miss Charmy does something very, very suspicious.
Now Karma and his sidekick, Chimmi, have to find a way to save their schoolmates. But how? When no one will believe them?
Publisher: Duckbill
Age group: 10+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Evan Purcell is an American teacher who has worked in Zanzibar, Kazakhstan, China, and Russia. He’s spent two years in the beautiful kingdom of Bhutan, where he hikes, sings karaoke badly, and eats way too much of the delicious local food. He has published six novels for both adults and children.
Price: Rs 250

Astra: The Quest for Starsong
Authors: Aditya Mukherjee & Arnav Mukherjee
About the book: Ravana, the lord of Lanka, desperately seeks the astra hidden in Ashmaka. Can a young prince outsmart him? Varkan, the prince of Ashmaka, plots his escape from imprisonment under the usurper Malsa’s rule. Aided by his friend and pet elephant, Daboo, and guided by Vishwamitra himself, he learns that the city is besieged by rakshasas who are in search of Starsong-the fabled weapon his father once wielded. Will Varkan find the astra and learn how to use it before it falls into the wrong hands?
Publisher: Puffin
Age group: 11+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the authors: Aditya Mukherjee is a feature writer and author. Arnav Mukherjee is an author interested in screenwriting and film-making.
Price: ₹ 250

The Adventures of Kakababu
Author: Sunil Gangopadhyay
Translator: Rimi
Illustrator: Kalyani Ganapathy
About the book: After a secret mission in Afghanistan ends in a terrible accident, Raja Roychoudhuri, fondly known as Kakababu, resigns as the director of the Archaeological Survey of India and goes home to his second-hand books. But despite an amputated leg, his desire to hunt down old, unsolved mysteries of the world refuses to leave him alone. Accompanying him on these mysterious trips, is his thirteen-year-old nephew, Shontu.
The Adventures of Kakababu, Volume 1, is the first in the new Kakababu series. In ‘The Emperor’s Lost Head’, Kakababu takes Shontu to Kashmir to find a hidden Sulphur mine. ‘King of the Emerald Isle’ finds uncle and nephew on an uncharted island in the Indian Ocean. Stubbornly secretive as always, Kakababu refuses to tell Shontu what has brought him on these trips. Is Shontu ready for the answers he might find?
Originally written by veteran Bengali writer Sunil Gangopadhyay, these Bengali classics have been translated by Rimi.
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Age group: 12+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Sunil Gangopadhyaywas an Indian poet and novelist with over 200 books to his name. A prolific and versatile writer, Gangopadhyay was associated with the Ananda Bazar group, a major publishing house in Calcutta. He was also the founder / editor of the popular seminal magazine named Krittibas.
About the translator: Rimi translates Bangla classic and speculative fiction into English. Her forthcoming works include Sunil Gangopadhyay’s The Adventures of Kakababu, Volumes 2 and 3, and Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay’s  Pather Panchali.
About the illustrator: Kalyani Ganapathy lives in the Nilgiris and illustrates for both fiction and non-fiction. Her work has been featured in books and publications in India and abroad.
Price: Rs 250

Virat: The Making of a Champion
Authors: Neeraj Jha & Vidhanshu Kumar
About the book: The gripping and action-packed story of the boy who never gave up!
He is that exceptional teenager who returned to play an innings the day his dad passed away. He is the chubby rookie who now sets fitness goals. He is the fiery batsman and nimble fielder who always wants to win. Virat Kohli’s determination to beat his drawbacks and shine his skills has him well on his way to becoming an all-time great in cricket.
From gully cricket and junior teams to the Ranji and national squads, Virat has had more than his share of hurdles. But he has made performing under the toughest conditions an art with his fine strokes, his electric feet and his ginormous appetite for runs. That’s why the dashing King Kohli – captain of Team India across all formats of the game – holds several records and prestigious awards.
Virat looks unstoppable in his run-up to the top, and his tremendously inspiring story is told vividly in this book. Peppered with behind-the-scene anecdotes by his coaches, teammates and other insiders from the cricketing world, this is one life story that is must-read for anyone who, like Virat, prizes both guts and glory.
Publisher: Hachette
Age group: 11+
Category: Non-fiction/Biography (English)
About the authors: Neeraj Jha is a television journalist, show producer and live sports broadcaster with more than 16 years of experience in the field.
Vidhanshu Kumar is an award-winning sports journalist, who has worked with ESPN STAR Sports, BBC, News X and, IBN 7.
Price: Rs 250

All of Me
Author: Venita Coelho
Illustrator: Harshad Marathe
About the book: London, 1854: Eleven-year-old Castor is discovered locked away in a basement. He has been there for five years, but he hasn’t been alone. The Family has kept him company. These are his multiple personalities that have emerged out of the dark. Mr Pickwick is the father figure with a habit of quoting from the Bible. Miss Trent is the nervous governess who dreads germs. Skinner is the street urchin with a smart answer for everything. The Infant Prodigy is a cranky genius. Together, this most unusual team of detectives tries to solve the mystery of why Castor was imprisoned. The clues lead them to the most fabulous jewel in the world – the Koh-i-Noor. The young Maharaja Duleep Singh has just arrived in England to present the diamond to Queen Victoria.
Hunted by the deadly Blue Turbans, Castor and the Family race against time to unravel the connection between the diamond, his imprisonment and the disappearance of his parents.
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Age group: 12+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Venita Coelho is a writer, director and artist with several books to her name, including Dungeon Tales, Tiger by the Tail, Boy No. 32, Dead as a Dodoand others.
About the illustrator: Harshad Maratheis an illustrator and storyteller. He graduated from the ‘MFA Illustration as Visual Essay’ Program at the School of Visual Arts, New York in 2014.
Price: Rs 299

20 Indians Who Changed the World
Author: Shruthi Rao
About the book: A brilliant collection of profiles of 20 trailblazing Indians who changed the world with their ideas, innovation and discoveries.
For over 3000 years, the Indian subcontinent has contributed to fields as diverse as mathematics and science, spirituality and philosophy, as well as music and literature. In this absorbing book, Shruthi Rao profiles 20 legendary Indians who dared to think differently and changed the world—from starting a new religion based on the principles of compassion and peace; to creating the first set of rules for grammar; to discovering the existence of black holes, and so much more. 20 Indians Who Changed the World is as informative and well-researched as it is inspiring, a book every Indian can read with pride.
Amartya Sen | Ashoka | Bhaskara II (Bhaskaracharya) |Buddha |C.V. Raman |Faqir Chand Kohli | Har Gobind Khorana | Indra K. Nooyi | Jawaharlal Nehru | Kalpana Chawla | Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi | Mother Teresa | Narinder Singh Kapany | Pandit Ravi Shankar | Panini | Rabindranath Tagore | Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar | Swami Vivekananda | Tipu Sultan | Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
Publisher: Talking Cub
Category: Non-fiction
Age group: 12+
About the Author: Shruthi Rao is an author and editor. She has a master’s degree in energy engineering, and worked in the IT industry before she started writing. She is the author of Susie Will Not Speak (2018, Duckbill), Manya Learns to Roar (2017, Duckbill), The Secret Garden (2016, NSI), Avani and the Pea Plant (2016, Pratham) among others. She loves books, desserts, trees, benches, science and long walks. Shruthi is obsessed with learning about new things, and believes that there is always more to everything than meets the eye.
Price: Rs 299

Postcards from Bombay
Author: Jerry Pinto
Illustrator: Vishnu Nair
About the book: Bombay boy and Sahitya Akademi Award-winning author Jerry Pinto opens the door to his home and heart—Bombay, now Mumbai.
Join him as he traces the history and culture of the people that give the City of Dreams its distinctive flavour.
Publisher: Scholastic India
Age group: 10+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Jerry Pinto is a Bombay-based writer of poetry, prose, non-fiction and children’s fiction as well as a journalist and a lecturer. He has won the National Film Award for best book on cinema for Helen: The Life and Times of an H-Bomb; the Hindu Literary Prize, the Crossword Book Award (fiction) and the 2016 Sahitya Akademi Award for Em and the Big Hoom.
Abut the illustrator: Vishnu Nair is a graphic designer and illustrator who likes to draw inspiration from the beautiful and the peculiar in his surroundings. He likes to experiment with different mediums and styles and believes his work to be a lens through which a story is told.
Price: Rs 175

Shriman Badbu
Author: David Walliams
Translator: Maneesha Taneja
About the book: David Walliams’ much-loved middle-grade novel, Mr Stink, now in Hindi.Come, join Chloe and Shriman Badbu on their adventures!
“Mr Stink stank. He also stunk. And if it was correct English to say he stinked, then he stinked as well…”
It all starts when Chloe makes friends with Mr Stink, the local tramp. Yes, he smells a bit. But when it looks like he might be driven out of town, Chloe decides to hide him in the garden shed. Now Chloe’s got to make sure no one finds out her secret. And speaking of secrets, there just might be more to Mr Stink than meets the eye … or the nose.
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Age group: 12+
Category: Fiction (Hindi)
About the author: David Walliams is an English comedian and actor and the bestselling author of children’s books. He has been described as “the fastest growing children’s author in the UK”. His literary style has been compared to Roald Dahl. His books have been translated into 53 languages.
Price: Rs 200

Books for teens

The Hidden Palace Adventure: A Hate-Love Story
Author: Ranjit Lal
About the book: A relevant and stirring story for our times—about who we love and who we help
Umi, Anshu, Lavina, Shiv, Nasreen and Pankaj are typical teenagers living in Delhi. The six love to take off on their all-terrain cycles and explore the city. And one place they frequent is the Delhi Ridge—a forest area filled with all kinds of trees and thorny shrubs and home to half-forgotten monuments. Here, they come across the spooky Malcha Mahal with its strange and sad history.
But the children are also getting sucked into another kind of adventure that is unfolding right next door. Their brilliant and pretty tutor, Khushboo Didi is in love with Salim, her childhood friend. Her family is dead opposed to this love story and the children are her only friends and allies. Will love triumph over hate? What dangerous game have the children started when they decide to help Khushboo and Salim? And how will the Ridge, with all its secrets, come to their rescue?
Unflinching, exciting and action-packed, The Hidden Palace Adventure is a story for our times—about who we love and who we help, and about bravery that leads people to go places and do things they never thought possible.
Publisher: Talking Cub
Category: Fiction
Age group: 12 +
About the author: Ranjit Lal is the author of over thirty-five books—fiction and non-fiction—for children and adults who are children. His abiding interest in natural history, birds, animals and insects is reflected in many of his books: The Little Ninja Sparrows, Owlet, Not Out,TheCrow Chronicles, The Life and Times of Altu Faltu, The Small Tigers of Shergarh, The Birds of Delhi, The Tigers of Taboo Valley and others. His other books with social themes include Faces in the Water, Our Nana Was a Nutcase,Taklu and Shroom, Miracles, Smitten, The Secret of Falcon Heights, The Dugong and the Barracudas and The Battle for No. 19. He enjoys photography, reading and cooking. He lives in Delhi.
Price: Rs 299

Ranjit Lal writes of the inspiration behind his new non-fiction book 10 Indian Animals You May Never Again See in the Wild, coming in June 2019.

This book tells the survival stories of ten of India’s rarest animals.

Some, like the Asiatic lion, have made truly heroic comebacks from the very brink of extinction: from just a dozen lions left alive in 1890, there are now more than 600. Others have not been so lucky: spiralling to its almost inevitable doom is the wonderful Great Indian bustard, down to maybe just 100 birds. Another is the rare Ganges river dolphin, whose riverine habitat is being sectioned off by dams, and is being dredged and made suitable for huge ships. The lovely forest owlet seems to be popping up in central Indian forests all over, though its numbers are still painfully low.

What’s the saddest thing is that these ten animals seem to be the proverbial tip of the iceberg. When I started making a list, I found I had more than twenty contenders coming right off the top of my head in less than a minute—and there are sure to be many, many more. Some of the animals that got left out include the Nilgiri tahr, snow leopard, Royal Bengal tiger, red panda, hispid hare, dhole, Jerdon’s cursor, pygmy hog, Gee’s golden langur and Himalayan quail, which actually might be extinct.

There’s one thing we must never forget: These valiant, pathetic survivors, many of whom number a few hundred or thousand, are struggling to survive against 1.3 billion mostly greedy, grasping people intent on destroying their habitats. Habitat destruction— fragmentation or the chopping up of forests into small sections, and conversion of forest land for other uses in the name of ‘development’, and so on—is one of the major reasons for the declining numbers of these animals.

And as governments hardly seem sympathetic to their cause—despite our very excellent wildlife protection laws—it is really up to you and me and all those who are like-minded to stand up and shout and shake our fists and raise a real stink, when, say, the authorities try to ram an eight-lane expressway through a national park or wildlife sanctuary. Would you like one running right through your home?

So keep your eyes and ears open at all times: the moment you get the whiff of a ‘development’ project coming up in or near a protected area (such as the building of expressways, or damming of rivers and the chopping down of entire forests, or a mining operation), get up, join forces and protest furiously. Many such ‘development’ projects merely enable the people involved to make a lot of money very quickly. This is really what you should use social media for!

Write to the prime minister, the ministry of environment and forests, the chief minister and point out that what they’re planning is going to be ruinous for future generations, of which you are very much a part. Remind them that barely five percent of the country’s area is ‘protected’ by law and if we can’t keep even this small section untouched, we (and they) should be completely ashamed of ourselves.

Visit national parks and wildlife sanctuaries (and other wilderness areas) as often as possible: with your family, or with your school. Then you’ll see what’s actually happening on the ground and will be able to ask the authorities some really embarrassing questions. Remember this country belongs to you—and not to those who are intent to rip it off by making the excuse that we have to ‘develop’. Any ‘development’ that destroys natural habitats is not development at all, just sheer destruction.

Ranjit Lal’s 10 Indian Animals You May Never Get to See in the Wild will be published in June 2019.
Bijal Vaccharajani is a writer, editor and environmentalist.

With a title like 10 Indian Animals You May Never Get to See in the Wild, you may expect to be crying and howling like a Howler Monkey. But because the book’s written by Ranjit Lal, it means you will also be howling with laughter and feel like, hey, we need to protect these animals and birds.

The Asiatic Lion, the Great Indian Bustard, the Blackbuck, the Vulture, the Rhino, the Hoolock Gibbon, the Forest Owlet, the Gharial, the Lion-tailed Macaque, the River Dolphins – all come alive in this book’s pages. Facts, myths, wild encounters are enmeshed with threats. There’s a chapter titled “Susu in the River” and it’s not what you think. There’s an entire conversation in a vulture restaurant and Lal’s descriptions of the animals are pretty brilliant.

Part of The 10s series, 10 Indian Animals is timely and how – just this month, The UN’s Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services released a report summary on the Earth’s biodiversity. And guess what? As the Vox’s headline put it: “A million species are at risk of extinction. Humans are to blame.” As Lal writes, “What’s the saddest thing is that these ten animals seem to be the proverbial tip of the iceberg. When I started making a list, I found I had more than twenty contenders coming right off the top of my head in less than a minute— and there are sure to be many, many more.”

Lal’s book is a clarion call – to act now before it’s too late. I caught up with my favourite nature writer-children’s book author over email and am still chuckling over his answers.

Firstly, congratulations on the Wildlife Service Award 2019! You’ve been writing about nature for so many years now. How did you get started on this nature trail?

I was interested in nature and liked writing, so well, they were made for each other as far as I was concerned!

The title –10 Indian Animals You May Never Get to See in the Wild– conveys a sense of urgency but also one of possibility and despair. Tell us about writing this VIP book! 

Not the happiest book I’ve written. The poor old GIB [Great Indian Bustard] and the gharial are very much looking down the barrel. Also, though a certain amount of research seems to have been done on most of the animals by various experts, the information/findings – for example, population estimates – may not tally. However, what does come through is that for many of these animals the situation is pretty dire and the prognosis bleak.

There are so many species, how did you narrow it down to ten (Readers: Don’t worry there are boxes of information on other species in need of SOS intervention)?

That was the biggest challenge. There were more than twenty species I could just reel off at the top of my head and had to narrow them down to ten as that’s what Duckbill wanted… Alas, another tough choice in life! The rare creatures I have actually encountered – the GIB and lion for example – got in because of that; some of the others – like the rhino – because I had a soft corner for them; the gharial because it is so misunderstood…

What I love is how you describe animals and birds – there’s a certain sense of the now, almost as if we’re looking at it when we read your words. How in the world do you manage to do this?

Dunno. I guess it just happens. I think of the animal and take off!

Everyone’s obsessed with the big, enigmatic species and tall forests, but your writing, especially in this book, talks about the lesser known species and spaces. Tell us about documenting their stories.

Ah, the good old Internet helped a lot – but I had to be careful and check the authenticity of the source to ensure it was not just someone gassing off! Plus of course, there was personal experience and stuff that had been published, which was referred to. The lesser known (as in every sphere of life) need a leg up, and even in this book, several such (for example rare Western Ghats frogs!) got left out.

At a time when there’s so much to worry about, especially when it comes to the natural world, how do you keep your sense of humour intact?

If you didn’t you’d drown in misery (I have actually nearly drowned in water which was bad enough!), and drown everyone else as well (as you try to do when you are drowning yourself!) Besides, everything has its ludicrous side: look at the rhino! Such a dangerous, bad-tempered giant with such a baby face and the gait of a ballerina – it’s ridiculous!! And everyone you ask still calls the Indian lion the Indian loin!!

The one think you hope readers will take and keep from your book?

To bash their elders and betters for what they’ve done and are not doing and to mend their ways! Like what’s beginning to happen with teens and climate change. Shout, scream, don’t sit for your exams until they implement the laws they have put in place and done nothing else about ever since.

At a time when a child’s roaming radius is shrinking, how can we get nature into their everyday life and get them to become nature defenders when they grow up?

Mandatorily confiscate all electronic gadgets from them for at least an hour every day and shoo them away to play in parks, gardens, trees, jungles, whatever green and natural spaces you can find. Try not to make ‘environment’ an academic subject like algebra, or something that goody-two shoes do: they’ll hate it and set fire to the park! There should be some risk and danger in their encounters with nature, also getting wet and muddy and slimy and no parents chasing them with hand sanitizers!! Where’s the fun otherwise?

Who’s outside your window right now?

It’s mid-afternoon so all quiet at the moment.

If these animals were to write their own biographies, what would the title of their books be? 

The Indian Rhino Rumble in the Jungle! of course (I’ve actually got a book by that name, so this could be blatant plagiarism!!)

The Great Indian Bustard Spell my name with an ‘a’ and I’d never be endangered!

The Gharial The Last Potboiler

Devika Rangachari’s new non-fiction book 10 Indian Monarchs Whose Amazing Stories You May Not Know will be published in June 2019.
She is interviewed by Anu Kumar, whose new book, also on Indian monarchs, will be published soon.

Devika Rangachari’s 10 Indian Monarchs Whose Amazing Stories You May Not Knowis more than a historical unearthing of monarchs long forgotten. The book is an absorbing excavation of facts and facets, a recreation of royal lives from various sources. It is also fable-like in the manner she tells us about monarchs who despite falling into ‘historical shade’, worked hard, providing stability, managing relationships, balancing different groups and forces. These are aspects that make up more of a monarch’s work than waging battles and constructing big monuments in commemoration of their rule, as their more flamboyant, better-known counterparts did. Though these ten rulers did all this and more. The monarchs Devika writes about range from rulers in ancient times to those more recent. They faced challenges unique to their times, and some that were universally similar. Courageous and compassionate, practical and astute, sensible and clever, these monarchs bring their times alive, in the process revealing leadership qualities that appear relevant even today.

AK: Was it a hard choice—choosing these ten monarchs? Did you agonise over making your choices?

DR: Yes and no. The monarchs I chose were characters that definitely needed more attention and appreciation, so the task of finding ten was relatively easy. The hard part was choosing which ones to include in this compilation given that there are so many interesting figures in our historical past who share a similar fate of having slipped between the cracks and being more or less forgotten.

AK: Was there some one, some monarchs, you had to leave out?  I’d think there’s more than one book here.

DR: Yes, there is enough material for many more books. I had to make a judicious selection for this one. Prabhavatigupta of the Vakataka dynasty was one of those that I had to regretfully omit. Daughter of the powerful Chandragupta II of the Gupta dynasty, she married a Vakataka ruler and ruled with competence as the regent on behalf of her son when her husband died. She continued to wield influence even after her son came of age and took over the reins of the Vakataka empire.

AK: Tell us how you do your research—how do you get a balance of sources?

DR: Historians are trained to identify sources pertinent to their research and evaluate the evidence from each so as to derive a largely objective picture of the past. For the ancient and early medieval timespan of Indian history, one has to largely rely on inscriptions, coins and textual material. For the later periods, the documentation becomes more profuse. The importance of different types of source material varies according to region and time. For instance, literary sources are crucial to any reconstruction of early Kashmir while colonial archives are important to understand the history of the Indo-Portuguese conflict.

AK: Kashmir seems to fascinate you; Didda makes an appearance again. Tell us more about what you find fascinating about its history.

DR: Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of the history of Kashmir in ancient and early medieval times was that women—both royal and non-royal—wielded enormous power and influence. They were prominent in every sphere of life—political, social, economic and religious. The unfortunate fact, though, is that they have been virtually written out of the historical past of Kashmir due to the insidious gender bias in the writing of history.

AK: Were monarchs from the ancient times very different from the ones more recent? And were there commonalities too?

DR: The same preoccupations seem to span the past and present—the acquisition and retention of power, power wrangling and its inevitable fallout—violence, and the desire to make a mark. The one slight difference, though, is that the rulers of early India were largely secular or had to make a pretence of being so in order to broaden their support base. In present times, the scenario is somewhat different.

AK: There’s the fact that dynasties rose and fell throughout Indian history, that able rulers came to the forefront after a time of chaos. Does this speak of a certain fluidity in Indian society in the past, and that hierarchies of caste, for example, were not binding till some 2-300 years ago?

DR: Yes, merit rather than caste usually determined the power stakes. However, many rulers of obscure backgrounds fabricated caste legends of origin and genealogies for themselves so as to gain easy acceptance by the people. So caste was an important factor in the past but not the most crucial one in the scheme of things. Over time, though, it has acquired overweening importance in a highly insidious manner. Rigidity has replaced fluidity in the society.

AK: There’s something I had read about ancient Magadha’s history—about people revolting and placing their own choice as king. Did this mean people’s say mattered at one time, and did this dwindle over time?

DR: The people, as a collective entity, were a pivotal element in early India, to begin with. It was important for rulers to woo them to gain their support; it was equally important not to antagonize them. They could raise rulers to the throne; they could, as easily, topple them. However, as rulers and the state, as a whole, became more powerful over time, the people’s concerns ceased to matter and the focus shifted towards exploiting them for the formers’ benefit through increased taxation, labour requirements and so on.

AK: You’ve written serious stuff as a historian, and then amazingly fun stuff that brings alive history for children. How do you work out a balance? Can you work on both things together?

DR: The balance is there in the historical narrative itself. I have merely tried to highlight the fact that history is a combination of fact and fun, and this is something that textbooks often try to obscure. It is perfectly possible to sidetrack the terribly dull details to focus on the more interesting story that lies at the core—and this doesn’t necessarily compromise one’s understanding of the past.

AK: There are some who might argue that reading about kings and queens gives but only a one-sided view of history; your book, your stories, make it amply clear that monarchs are creations of their times and reflect the ages they live in. What’s your response to the former argument?

DR: I don’t entirely subscribe to this view. An exclusive focus on royalty might result in a poor understanding of the non-royal class but kings and queens did not live in a state of splendid isolation—they had constant dealings with the common people who served as their advisers, officials, soldiers, servants, companions and so on. Therefore, if one reads about royalty, one also obtains some amount of information on the non-royals and their lives and concerns. For instance, my book, Queen of Ice (Duckbill) is as much about Queen Didda of Kashmir as it is about Valga, the woman who served her. History is always interconnected.

A list of what is new in children’s books from Indian publishers in June 2019.
The information in this list is what is provided to us by the publishers. Details may be updated.

Books for younger readers

Giggi and Daddy
Author: Richa Jha
Illustrator: Mithila Ananth
About the book: There’s a story Giggi’s daddy tells her every day. It’s about a little bit of this and a little bit of that and a whole lot of everything. And it all begins when Giggi wasn’t even born… GIGGI AND DADDY is a charming, chucklesome story with its moments of glorious highs, a heartbreaking low and oodles of daddy-daughter love.
Richa Jha spins an endearing maze of believable tall tales and cuteness overload. Mithila Ananth’s uncluttered frames with impish illustrations and exceptional visual comic timing leave the reader craving more.
Publisher: Pickle Yolk 
Age group: 3+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Richa Jha is an author and picture book enthusiast. Her books have won several prestigious national and international awards and nominations. She is also the founder and publisher at Pickle Yolk Books, an independent publishing house for children’s picture books in English.
About the illustrators: Mithila Ananth (A.K.A Doodlekaari on the internet) is an illustrator and designer based in Bangalore. She is a self-taught artist and has been illustrating for the past 3 years now (after quitting her 9 to 5 job!). Her art style is uncomplicated and playful with a touch of humour and plenty of colours.
Price: Rs 350

Merry the Elephant
Author: Karishma Mahbubani
Illustrator: Pia Alize Hazarika
About the book: Meet Merry! This happy little elephant wants to paint a nice picture for her teacher, Miss Moo. But her classmate, Gee the Langur, does something terrible to her painting. What will Merry do?
This uplifting story, written by Karishma and illustrated by Pia, advocates a positive
attitude while dealing with new situations. The book also provides opportunities for children to explore concepts such as feelings and self-management.
Publisher: Ms Moochie
Age group: 2+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Karishma Mahbubani is a writer, editor, and trained storyteller with an avid love for early childhood education, books, and her family, but not necessarily in that order. She lives in Chennai with her pets – Bubbles and Oreo. This is her twelfth book for young children.
About the illustrators: Pia Alize Hazarika is a cat in human form. She draws, takes many naps, eats all the fish, glares at pigeons living outside her window and is primarily interested in comics & the visual narrative. She runs ‘PIG studio’, an illustration-driven space, based out of Mumbai.
Price: Rs 150

Guthli Has Wings
Author: Kanak Shashi
Illustrator: Nancy Raj
About the book: Guthli is everyone’s favourite — a happy child who likes to draw
fairies, swing and cycle. But then one day she is told not to wear her sister’s frilly frock that she loves, but her ‘own’ boy’s clothes. And things erupt. “Why do you keep saying I’m a boy when I’m a girl?” Guthli asks her mother. In that simple question lies all the bewilderment that children like Guthli feel, who don’t seem to others what they know they are. The gentle, bold story about gender identity tells it like it is, reality echoed in
the flatness of the vibrant cutout illustrations — Guthli’s sparkle and sadness, her family’s confusion, the big question mark that hangs over them all. How will Guthli get wings to be herself, to fly?
Publisher: Tulika
Age group: 6+
Category: Picture book (Multilingual)
About the author: Kanak Shashi loves walking amidst nature collecting twigs, leaves, seeds and feathers, and wondering what stories they may hold within. An artist, she has studied painting at MS University, Vadodara, and been illustrating, writing and designing children’s books for over a decade.
About the illustrators: Nancy Raj likes to spread energy through her pictures — which is why she loves doing comic strips and caricatures, and of course, illustrations for children. Her lively pictures and lovable, quirky characters can be seen in some of Tulika’s most popular books. Her work for Maharani the Cow won her The Hindu- Goodbooks Award.
Price: Rs 165

Malli is Coming
Author: Jeeva Raghunath
Illustrator: Nancy Raj
About the book: Malli gave her Uncle’s family many things when they came to her
village. Now she is coming to the city. A music-loving, terrace-gardening grandmother puts creative hats on her grandchildren as they think of what to give their favourite cousin. This sequel to the ever-popular Malli comes wrapped in a vibrant palette, and once again presents little readers with the joy of gift-giving!
Publisher: Tulika
Age group: 3+
Category: Picture book (Multilingual)
About the author: Jeeva Raghunath is a professional storyteller in English and Tamil. She is at her best when working with children. Based in Chennai, she also conducts workshops on storytelling and developing language and communication skills through stories. This is her second book in the Malli series.
About the illustrators: Nancy Raj likes to spread energy through her pictures — which is why she loves doing comic strips and caricatures, and of course, illustrations for children. Her lively pictures and lovable, quirky characters can be seen in some of Tulika’s most popular books. Her work for Maharani the Cow won her The Hindu- Goodbooks Award.
Price: Rs 100 for English/Hindi; Rs 90 for other languages

Snip
Author and illustrator: Canato Jimo
About the book: A pair of scissors turns the day upside down for Avi and Toto. Will the playful siblings get into trouble? A wordless story full of mischief and mayhem.
Publisher: Pratham Books
Age group: 2+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Canato Jimo is an illustrator from Nagaland, and has studied graphic design at the National Institute of Design. He now lives in Delhi, and has fun watching picture books come alive as an art director at Pratham Books. He loves to sing, travel and is a big foodie.
Price: Rs 45

Today, I Am
Author: Varsha Seshan
Illustrator: Sandhya Prabhat
About the book: What will Megha be today? An explorer, an astronaut, an artist?
Publisher: Pratham Books
Age group: 5+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Varsha Seshan is a children’s writer and a classical dancer. She was shortlisted for the Scholastic Asian Book Award in the years 2016 and 2018. Find out more about her at http://www.varshaseshan.com
About the illustrator: Sandhya Prabhat is an independent illustrator/ animator from Chennai. She holds an MFA degree from NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia in Animation and Digital Arts, and did her Bachelor of Arts in Literature from Stella Maris College. Her work can be seen at http://www.sandhyaprabhat.com and http://instagram.com/sandhyaprabhat
Price: Rs 35

Tell Me, What is a Drone?
Author: Shabnam Minwalla
Illustrator: Ruchi Bakshi Sharma
About the book: A drone flies. It takes photographs, saves wildlife and can rescue people during an earthquake. Would you like to meet a drone?
Publisher: Pratham Books
Age group: 6+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Shabnam Minwalla is a popular writer of children’s books in India. These include The Six Spellmakers of Dorabji Street, The Shy Supergirl and What Maya Saw. She regularly conducts workshops in schools around the country and has been a speaker at numerous literature festivals.
About the illustrator: Ruchi Bakshi Sharma has studied communication design at the National Institute of Design and has directed several award-winning live-action and stop-motion shorts.. Play and motion are dominant elements in her work, and the picaresque characters in her drawings are often based on outlandish folklore.
Price: Rs 40

Stick Your Tongue Out
Author: Sheela Preuitt and Praba Ram
Illustrator: Sandhya Prabhat
About the book: Do you think all tongues are soft and pink like yours? Animals have tongues of various shapes, sizes and colours. They use their tongues in many different ways, but not for talking like humans do.
Publisher: Pratham Books
Age group: 6+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Co-authors Praba Ram and Sheela Preuitt love telling tales about artisans and their handmade crafts. Blogging about children’s books at http://www.saffrontree.org, crafting with kids, and promoting early-literacy programmes in their communities are some of their other passions.
About the illustrator: Sandhya Prabhat is an independent illustrator/ animator from Chennai. She holds an MFA degree from NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia in Animation and Digital Arts, and did her Bachelor of Arts in Literature from Stella Maris College. Her work can be seen at http://www.sandhyaprabhat.com and http://instagram.com/sandhyaprabhat
Price: Rs 40

Off We Go! To Delhi, to Delhi
Authors: Arthy Muthanna Singh and Mamta Nainy
Illustrator: Aniruddha Mukherjee
About the book: Follow Tiya as she flies off to her grandparents’ place in Delhi for the first time and explores the places and things that make India’s capital city what it is. From magical monuments to green gardens to bustling bazaars to crowded streets to famous restaurants, this book serves up in exciting ways a variety of sights, smells and sounds that will leave you asking for more. So what are you waiting for? Jump right into these pages and prepare to be amazed!
Publisher: Talking Cub
Category: Non-fiction (English)
Age group: 6+
About the authors: Arthy Muthanna Singh is a children’s writer, freelance journalist, copywriter, editor and cartoonist. She has a diverse range of experience in the publishing industry, a large part of it spent at Limca Book of Records. She has authored over thirty-five books for children. She conducts creative writing workshops and dreams of moving to Goa some day.
Mamta Nainyis a children’s writer based in New Delhi. She spent some years in advertising before an apple fell on her head while she was sitting under a mango tree, and she had her Eureka moment. She has been writing for children since then. She loves travelling but when she’s too lazy to do it, she makes do with reading. She can usually be spotted next to a pile of children’s books, chuckling to herself!
About the illustrator: An MFA from Delhi School of Art, Aniruddha Mukherjee doodles non-stop, photographs riversides, and can usually be spotted next to a pile of children’s books. He’s illustrated a number of books for children. His works move from the figurative to the fantastical, and use a variety of media from paint to print. Apart from illustrating books for children – which he enjoys the most – he’s also worked on other projects, including painting, digital assemblages, murals and wallscapes. His works have been honoured with a number of national and international recognitions.
Price: Rs 350

Off We Go! To Kolkata, to Kolkata
Authors: Arthy Muthanna Singh and Mamta Nainy
Illustrator: Priyankar Gupta
About the book: Get on board with Mithu on a colourful tour of Kolkata and dive headlong into a swirl of sights, smells and sounds. From monuments to parks to bridges to markets to streets to foods, this book unfolds the magic and mystery of the City of Joy—one page at a time!
Publisher: Talking Cub
Category: Non-fiction (English)
Age group: 6+
About the authors: Arthy Muthanna Singh is a children’s writer, freelance journalist, copywriter, editor and cartoonist. She has a diverse range of experience in the publishing industry, a large part of it spent at Limca Book of Records. She has authored over thirty-five books for children. She conducts creative writing workshops and dreams of moving to Goa some day.
Mamta Nainyis a children’s writer based in New Delhi. She spent some years in advertising before an apple fell on her head while she was sitting under a mango tree, and she had her Eureka moment. She has been writing for children since then. She loves travelling but when she’s too lazy to do it, she makes do with reading. She can usually be spotted next to a pile of children’s books, chuckling to herself!
About the illustrator: Priyankar Gupta is a pre-visualizer and a creative consultant in the field of media, advertising and broadcast design. He has worked with various publishing companies across the globe as an illustrator for children’s book and books for young adults. He has been a mentor in various design schools across the country, teaching various forms of visual narratives.
Price: Rs 350

Off We Go! To Mumbai, to MumbaiOff We Go! To Mumbai, to Mumbai
Authors: Arthy Muthanna Singh and Mamta Nainy
Illustrator:Zainab Tambawalla
About the book:Join Raju as he takes you around the magnificent city of Mumbai and introduces you to its incredible sights, sounds and smells. In this exclusive guided tour, you will see Mumbai’s major landmarks, travel in boats, taxis and double-deckers, have a brush with Bollywood, get to know the city’s best-kept secrets and learn lots of cool stuff. So, strap yourself in and get ready for a colourful adventure!
Publisher: Talking Cub
Category: Non-fiction (English)
Age group: 6+
About the authors: Arthy Muthanna Singh is a children’s writer, freelance journalist, copywriter, editor and cartoonist. She has a diverse range of experience in the publishing industry, a large part of it spent at Limca Book of Records. She has authored over thirty-five books for children. She conducts creative writing workshops and dreams of moving to Goa some day.
Mamta Nainyis a children’s writer based in New Delhi. She spent some years in advertising before an apple fell on her head while she was sitting under a mango tree, and she had her Eureka moment. She has been writing for children since then. She loves travelling but when she’s too lazy to do it, she makes do with reading. She can usually be spotted next to a pile of children’s books, chuckling to herself!
About the illustrator: Zainab Tambawalla has studied Animation from NID, Ahmedabad. She has worked with Animagic on their award-winning films. Zainab, a mother to two, thinks that there is no better way of capturing the day-to-day fun and craziness that comes with children in the house than doing illustrations. Illustrating for children’s books keeps her closest to animation, and to telling stories in images. She also teaches at a graphic design school in Mumbai and is a nature lover.
Price: Rs 350

How the Sea Became Salty
Author: Sudha Murthy
About the book: A long, long time ago, seawater was sweet and drinkable. How it became salty is a remarkable story. India’s favourite storyteller brings alive this timeless tale with her inimitable wit and simplicity. Dotted with charming illustrations, this gorgeous chapter book is the ideal introduction for beginners to the world of Sudha Murthy.
Publisher: Puffin India
Age group: 5+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Sudha Murty was born in 1950 in Shiggaon, north Karnataka. She did her MTech in computer science, and is now the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation. A prolific writer in English and Kannada, she has written novels, technical books, travelogues, collections of short stories and nonfiction pieces, and six bestselling books for children. Her books have been translated into all the major Indian languages. Sudha Murty is the recipient of the R.K. Narayan Award for Literature (2006), the Padma Shri (2006) and the Attimabbe Award from the Government of Karnataka for excellence in Kannada literature (2011).
Price: Rs 175

Fiction for middle readers

The National Park Explorers: Chaos at Keoladeo
Author: Priya Fonseca
About the book: A must-read for birding enthusiasts, Sameera, Alex and Tarun are headed to Bharatpur with their Uncle Avi. They’ve heard that the Siberian cranes have started coming back to Keoladeo National Park after more than twenty years. But
something smells fishy in the park-and it ain’t got fins! Things are about to get wilder for our three young explorers as they spot birds and animals, bump into wildlife biologist Rauf Ali and sleuth around to solve mysteries along the way.
Is the legend of the hidden gastrolith gems more than just folklore? Who is the weird guy lurking around the park? And where are these fabled Siberian cranes everyone is talking about? Chaos at Keoladeo is an entertaining read as fiction, travelogue, encyclopedia and birding guide all rolled into one.
Publisher: Puffin India
Age group: 8+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Priya Fonseca was born and brought up in Bandra, Mumbai. From the time she was little, she’s loved nature and the ocean. Priya is a writer and voice artist. When she’s not working, you can find her enjoying her hobbies that include scuba-diving, travelling, birdwatching, trying out all kinds of food, reading, astronomy and all things related to space exploration, yoga and running. She lives in Mumbai with her husband, Hashim, their son, Tarun, and their two huge dogs, Rexiblu and Noel.
Price: Rs 299

Shrilok Homeless: The Ultimate Adventures Volume 2
Author: Pika Nani
About the book: India’s favourite teen detective is back!
After taking Mumbai by storm, Shrilok and his best friend, Rohan, are now chasing criminals far and wide, even landing up in London. The stakes are high for the chaiwala-turned-super-sleuth, with murder mysteries, secret codes, museum robberies, an exam-paper racket and a terrorist from the past. Will our desi Sherlock rise to the challenge?
Publisher: Puffin India
Age group: 9+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Pika Nani was what Deepika Murthy called herself as a child. She wanted to become a writer and realised this dream with her first book, Little Indians: Stories from Across the Country (2013). She grew up in Mumbai and now lives in Bengaluru with her family.
Price: Rs 150

The Case of the Missing Water
Author: Shalini Srinivasan
Illustrator: Upamanyu Bhattacharyya
About the book: When the tank in Ranj’s village dries up, she sets out on a mission to find the missing water. Join Detective Ranj on the case.
Publisher: Pratham Books
Age group: 12+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Shalini Srinivasan likes animals, walks, and nonsense. She lives mostly on the train between Bangalore and Hyderabad.
About the illustrator: Upamanyu is an animation filmmaker who works on short films, feature film previsualisation, title sequences and music videos. He takes a stab at comics and illustration on occasion.
Price: Rs 50

The Night the Moon Went Missing
Author: Shreya Yadav
Illustrator: Sunaina Coelho
About the book: When the moon doesn’t rise from the sea one night, it is up to Maisha and her friend Uchli the flying fish to find her. But how can they look for the moon without any light?
Publisher: Pratham Books
Age group: 9+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Shreya Yadav is a marine biologist who studies coral reefs. One of her favourite things to do is cling onto a rock underwater and spy on all the fish and plants and crabs and coral that live there.
About the illustrator: Sunaina Coelho grew up in New Delhi and studied at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.  In her free time she enjoys exploring cuisines, books and most importantly, the outdoors.
Price: Rs 45

The Girl Who Thinks in Numbers: Data Warrior Prukalpa Sankar
Author: Shreyansi Singh
Illustrator: Rai
About the book: Prukalpa Sankar loves numbers. They help her see patterns and solve community problems. How does she do this?
Publisher: Pratham Books
Age group: 12+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Shreyasi Singh has been an author, magazine editor and columnist. In these roles, she has chronicled the journey of India’s ambitious entrepreneurs. She now works in the  field of higher education and is excited by its potential to help young people transform.
About the illustrator: Rai calls herself a visual maker — she specialises in narrative illustration and animation. She’s especially interested in soundscape design, bioacoustics, comics, whittling and entomology.
Price: Rs 50

Secret School Mysteries: The Invisible Spy
Author: Ashok Banker
Illustrator: Ravi Gupta
About the book: WARNING!
This book contains: A most mischievous spy | A loony librarian | Crazy cafeteria madness | Hilarious misadventures
Publisher: Scholastic India
Age group: 8+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Ashok Kumar Banker began writing stories at the age of nine. He’s still writing, many years and many books later. He is the author of over seventy books, including the internationally acclaimed Ramayana Series and the recent Burnt Empire Series.
About the illustrator: Ravi Gupta is a storyteller. He works in the field of comics, illustration and animation design.
Price: Rs 250

A Thud in the Middle of the Night
Author: Arathi Menon
Illustrator: K.R. Raji
About the book: Arj, Tam and Mira are spending their summer holidays in Elathoor, a little village in Kerala when Arj’s mother’s jewellery gets stolen. They decide to become detectives and catch the thief. Will they succeed?
Publisher: Mango Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Arathi Menon is an author and a columnist, currently based in London. Her first book was Leaving Home With Half A Fridge.
About the illustrator: KR Raji is a professional painter. She studied Fine Arts at the National School of Arts, Manjeri, and has had her works presented at many painting exhibitions. She has also participated in artists’ camps in Kerala and further afield.
Price: Rs 250

Stage Fright
Author: Yamini Vijayan
Illustrator: Somesh Kumar
About the book: Champa loves to sing. But she can’t sing on stage. Will she be able to face the huge crowd on her school’s Annual Day?
Publisher: Pratham Books
Age group: 9+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Yamini is an editor at Pratham Books. In her free time, she likes to escape to green spaces and take photographs.
About the illustrator: Somesh Kumar co-runs By Two Design with his friend and colleague, Hazel Karkaria. He is a comic book/graphic novel enthusiast who likes to polish his brush pen skills by sketching in his free time. He loves his tea and has many times accidentally dipped his inking brush in it.
Price: Rs 45

How Pintu Found Pi
Author: Sarat Talluri Rao
Illustrator: Aratrika Choudhury
About the book: Pintu is lonely in his new school. Whenever he approaches his classmates, they form a closed circle. Then Pintu finds pi.
Publisher: Pratham Books
Age group: 12+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Sarat Talluri Rao is a writer/film-maker who is almost never bored. Forever curious about almost everything, he loves to keep learning and trying new things. He believes that being creative is a way of living and anyone can be creative. He thinks humans are a mix of stories and stardust.
About the illustrator: Aratrika Choudhury is an illustrator, researcher and fox enthusiast. Her first comic strip was published in The Obliterary Journal Vol. 2. She has consistently illustrated for the Bengali children’s magazine Sandesh. Her graphic story Zero has been published by Harper Collins in the Longform annual.
Price: Rs 50

Sudipta Sengupta – The Rock Reader
Author: Veena Prasad
Illustrator: Manjari Chakravarti
About the book: Sudipta loves climbing mountains, and she can read rocks like books. As the first Indian female geologist in Antarctica, she scales the Schirmacher Hills to find out what stories the rocks have to tell.
Publisher: Pratham Books
Age group: 12+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Veena Prasad writes stories and essays, creates crosswords, teaches literature, makes compost, and completely fails to classify herself! She has written for both children and adults on a variety of topics, and she particularly enjoys tackling difficult subjects and writing about them in simple, lucid prose.
About the illustrator: Manjari Chakravarti has always loved picture books. She loves working with all sorts of materials and colours. She has exhibited widely in India and abroad and stays and works in the quiet town of Shantiniketan where her close association with nature moulds her art and writing.
Price: Rs 50

Non-fiction for Middle-grade Readers

10 Indian Monarchs Whose Amazing Stories You May Not Know
Author: Dr Devika Rangachari
About the book: This book tells the stories of ten Indian monarchs who find, at best, passing mention in the history textbooks we read, though their lives were exciting and their achievements considerable:
Ajatashatru | Bindusara | Rudradaman | Pulakeshin II | Jayapidada | Didda | Ramapala | Abbakka | Chand Bibi | Ahilyabai Holkar
Historian and award-winning novelist, Devika Rangachari writes absorbing tales of the men and women who shaped lives and kingdoms in their times.
Publisher: Duckbill Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Dr Devika Rangachari is an award-winning children’s writer whose book, Queen of Ice (Duckbill), was on the White Raven list, won the Neev Young Adult Book Award and has been optioned to be made into a movie/ television series. She is also a historian who has conducted post-doctoral research on gender in early medieval Indian history.
Price: Rs 200

10 Indian Animals You May Never Again See in the Wild
Author: Ranjit Lal
About the book: This book tells the survival stories of ten of India’s rarest animals. A few have made truly heroic comebacks from the very brink of extinction, others have not been so lucky and are spiralling to their almost inevitable doom.
The Asiatic Lion | The Great Indian Bustard | The Blackbuck | The Vulture | The Rhino | The Hoolock Gibbon | The Forest Owlet | The Gharial | The Lion-tailed Macaque | The River Dolphin
Conservation writer and award-winning novelist, Ranjit Lal writes an engrossing account of how human callousness has driven so many beautiful animals and birds out of their natural habitats.
Publisher: Duckbill Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Ranjit Lal is the author of over forty books, both fiction and non-fiction, for children and adults who are happily still children. His interests include natural history, birds, dogs, automobiles, photography and cooking. He was the winner of the Crossword Award for children’s books in 2010 and again in 2016 and was honoured by IBBY for his contribution to children’s literature. In 2019, he was awarded the Zeiss Lifetime Service Award for Promoting the Cause of Wildlife especially Birds, through Exceptional Literary Skills.
Price: Rs 200

Builders of Modern India
Author: RobinAge
Illustrator: Aditya Krishnamurthy
About the book: India is a strong nation today because of the hopes, aspirations and actions of its great men and women. Read about twenty-five such eminent personalities who have helped shape modern India with their invaluable contributions to business, arts, science and society.
Publisher: Scholastic India
Age group: 11+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: RobinAge is an award-winning weekly newspaper for children aged four to sixteen years.
About the illustrator: Aditya Krishnamurthy is a Mumbai-based artist and illustrator. He has been illustrating select children’s books since 2016, using a range of styles.
Price: Rs 295

Urban Tails: Living in Harmony with Animals
Author: Sharada Dubey
Illustrator: Nicolas Chevaillier
About the book: It is time we learnt to share the planet …
As more forests are cut down, wild animals are being forced into human settlements. With increasing incidents of interspecies conflict, can we learn to share our space with our animal friends?
Find out in this passionate quirky book where Scharada Dubey shows how it is possible to coexist in harmony.
Publisher: Scholastic India
Age group: 12+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Scharada Dubey is an award-winning author of books for children and adults. She won the first prize in the Commonwealth Essay Competition in 1973 and second place in the Outlook-Picador Non-Fiction Competition in 2000. She has also won several prizes for her children’s books.
About the illustrator: Nicolas Chevaillier was born in 1986, near Düsseldorf, Germany to an American mother and French father. He has lived in Germany, Scotland, India and the United States.
Price: Rs 250

501 Facts Factory: Buildings
Author: Sreelata Menon
About the book: The famous Red Fort in Delhi was originally white.
The 800 year old Minaret of Jam is made entirely of baked bricks.
The roofs of the Sydney Opera House are covered in 1,056,006 tiles.
The Istana Nurul Iman Palace in Brunei has 1,788 rooms and 257 bathrooms.
Humans have not stopped building since they learned how to, and this book takes you on a fun and fact-packed tour of the architectural masterpieces and curiosities people have built across continents and centuries.
From ancient monuments to lofty sky-kissing modern marvels, from technical feats to the fabulously fanciful, from rich royal residences to sacred spiritual places, it covers forts and castles, palaces and pavilions, museums and libraries, lighthouses and clocktowers, offices and work spaces, and many more unusual buildings that will make you go ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’!
With bite-sized text, quirky illustrations and photographs, this well-researched book gives you an informative and entertaining peek into of the most talked-about man-made structures worldwide. What are you waiting for? Step into the 501 facts Factory to see the most fascinating line-up of the most brilliant buildings ever.
Publisher: Hachette
Age group: 11+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Published the world over with many children’s books to her credit, author and freelance writer Sreelata Menon is a history buff who writes on anything and everything. She especially enjoys introducing children to the rich cultural and historical heritage of our remarkable past, and capturing their imagination with her words.
Price: Rs 299

Why Are You Afraid To Look Into My Eyes
Author and illustrator: Sheila Dhir
About the book: Why Are You Afraid to look into my eyes? is a sensitive little book about becoming blind and learning to deal with it bravely and courageously, with a positive attitude, that is inspiring! Simply put, people who are blind or visually impaired are forced to rely on their other senses to absorb information, and so they often develop a more heightened sense of smell and touch. Speak to a blind child, like you would to any sighted person. A child who is blind, doesn’t want pity; he or she wants kindness, empathy and acceptance.
Publisher: Mango Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Sheila Dhir has authored and illustrated about fifty children’s books internationally. Gandhi received the 1984 Public Relations Society of India Award.
Price: Rs 99

Why Am I Afraid Of Cancer?
Author: Sheila Dhir
Illustrator: Malavika PC
About the book: This is a book about courage. The courage that children show in accepting that they have cancer. This is a book about determination. Their determination to understand the disease and to fight against it. It is a book about confidence. The confidence that they will win this battle. This book was born of the memory of childhood encounters with cancer. It has been touched by the pain, that is the disease’s faithful shadow. It is inspired by the hope, that glows in the eyes of suffering little children – and by the belief that this hope must always be kept alive, in order that cancer may be defeated. This book asks for no sympathy. Makes no promises. Just describes the experience of a little child simply, without pathos, and with a glimmer of humour, that is like the sun breaking through the clouds.
Publisher: Mango Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Sheila Dhir has authored and illustrated about fifty children’s books internationally. Gandhi received the 1984 Public Relations Society of India Award.
About the illustrator: Malavika PC has worked with various organisations as graphic designer, illustrator, art director and writer. Trained in Adishakti, she has also conducted radio and television shows and acted in plays. In her current project, tentatively titled Krr Krr, Malavika wants to challenge the idea of children’s books and the canonical understanding of their production.
Price: Rs 99

Why Are You Afraid Of Autism?
Author and illustrator: Sheila Dhir
About the book: This book describes a condition, that affects the way autistic children relate to their environment. The main areas of difficulty are in social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication. Children who have autism find it difficult to act in a way, that other children think is ‘normal’. They may find it hard to talk to others and to look at them, face to face. A child who has autism, can seem to be turned inwards. The directness and simplicity of the lines and visuals, in this book capture the sensitive condition of autism, powerfully and beautifully.
Publisher: Mango Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Sheila Dhir has authored and illustrated about fifty children’s books internationally. Gandhi received the 1984 Public Relations Society of India Award.
Price: Rs 99

Why Don’t You Think Of Me, The Meena Girl?
Author: Sheila Dhir
Illustrator: Bhakti Phatak  
About the book: The book describes a silent conversation between Meena – the girl child and society. The girl child responds in verse – simply and straight from the heart.
The book Why Don’t You Think of Me, the Meena Girl? is a sensible and sensitive way of thinking of the feelings, needs and thoughts of today’s girl child, who in some economic stratas of society, is deprived of basic education, vocational guidance, training, support and direction. The simplicity of the lines, both visual and verbal, will encourage both children and adults, as a powerful tool to engage more meaningful conversations and two-way dialogues.
Publisher: Mango Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Sheila Dhir has authored and illustrated about fifty children’s books internationally. Gandhi received the 1984 Public Relations Society of India Award.
About the illustrator: A postgraduate of graphic design from NID, Ahmedabad, Bhakti Phatak is a professional graphic designer. She has illustrated Basava and the Dots of Fire.
Price: Rs 99

Why Am I Afraid Of AIDS?
Author: Sheila Dhir
Illustrator: Malavika PC
About the book: How does one explain AIDS to their teen who has a friend with AIDS? How do we talk about the method of transmission? One must walk a thin line between explicit frankness and coy suggestiveness. Bringing about the right attitude is not easy. This little book makes the difficult easy.
Publisher: Mango Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Sheila Dhir has authored and illustrated about fifty children’s books internationally. Gandhi received the 1984 Public Relations Society of India Award.
About the illustrator: Malavika PC has worked with various organisations as graphic designer, illustrator, art director and writer. Trained in Adishakti, she has also conducted radio and television shows and acted in plays. In her current project, tentatively titled Krr Krr, Malavika wants to challenge the idea of children’s books and the canonical understanding of their production.
Price: Rs 99

Bijal Vachharajani and Radha Rangarajan’s 10 Indian Warriors who are Fighting to Save the Planet is a collection of inspirational stories of the different ways people are taking on the challenge of preserving and renewing our dying planet. The book will be out in August 2019. 

We bring you this preview for World Environment Day.

Not all warriors wear armour. The eco-warriors in this book wear regular clothes (and sometimes camouflage) and their armoury is tanked up with cool weaponry—their writing, their knowledge, and their experience. And their battle cry is loud and clear, because they’re speaking up for the environment.

This book will be published at a time when the world is overheated, and the temperatures are rising steadily—the carbon in the atmosphere has crossed 415 parts per million (that’s bad; 350ppm is optimum) —and a million species are at risk of going the dodo way. So much so that the UK-based Guardian is changing the way it reports on climate change by calling it a climate crisis.

For every policy maker who pretends climate change is not urgent, there are many more people who fight to make Earth a more liveable place for humans and flora and fauna. This is the story of a handful of these people. Ten of them, to be precise. Researchers, writers, activists, conservationists, scientists, cartoonists who are fighting the good fight against the climate crisis, the burgeoning waste problem, food insecurity and polluted waters. Those who are standing up for underwater and terra firma denizens, for birds, snakes, mammals, and corals. Because everyone has the right to live a good life.

But what is life without clean air and water, the whoosh of the Great Hornbill’s flight; a gharial peeking out of the water, snout first; a hermit crab clicking into his shell; an Olive Ridley turtle dancing in the sand to cover her eggs and a shrike saving its meal by impaling it on a thorn?

Of course, after the initial excitement, we were filled with dread—how would we pick ten? We made lists, asked people for suggestions, scratched out the lists, re-did the lists, ran them by our editors, and made more lists. Our first list had the great stalwarts of environment and wildlife—Salim Ali, Indira Gandhi, J Vijaya, Shehla Masood, M Krishnan, Anupam Mishra, Zafar Futehally, Bittu Sahgal. Then we realised we wanted to talk about today and tomorrow—problems and solutions. And everyday heroes, both young and old.

Really, this book barely scratches the surface of the wonderful work being done across India and the wonderful people who have dedicated their lives to conservation and protection.

This book got us closer to understanding the problems humanity is creating and facing—how every small anomaly can potentially be connected to climate change. How hornbills might be breeding earlier, because the trees are fruiting sooner. How more female baby turtles may be born, because our beaches are getting warmer. How almost all the plastic in the world is ending up in our oceans. How this plastic is breaking down into minute pieces and making its way back into the food chain. How our water is getting overdrawn and access to this precious resource continues to be inequitable. How we’re growing more food than ever but more people are suffering from malnutrition.

But for every problem, there are thousands of eco-warriors who work tirelessly to find solutions, protect and conserve, research and document, fight and negotiate to save the last remaining frontiers of the natural world.

What came across in each and every interview was a firm belief that you, the reader, deserves a better Earth–a kinder and equitable world  that’s teeming with hornbills, corals and gharials, where there’s good food and clean water for everyone, and where each and everyone of us has a voice that is heard. And we all have a part to play in this—in which direction our future is headed. It’s not a coin toss, it’s hard work to make way for real development. And despite all the setbacks, it’s worth it because without all of this, life is no fun.

For the Earth,
Bijal and Radha

Shruthi Rao’s new book on Indian women pioneers will be published in August 2019.

This book contains the stories of ten remarkable Indian women who were pioneers in their fields.

We usually encounter many of their names in answer sheets of general knowledge test banks, or as passing paragraphs in magazine articles (of course, Indira Gandhi is the clear exception here). But often, when we view their stories through the lens of the twenty-first century, without an idea of the society they lived in, we do not realise the full measure of their achievements. In this book, I have tried to describe the historical setting in which they lived and worked, and I hope the reader will be able to fathom the magnitude of the journey these women took, and imagine what it must have been like to take that first step—like stepping off a cliff into the unknown!

When I talk about these women as being the first women to do what they did, it is in the context of the modern world, where it became socially acceptable for women to do what men had always done. A large part of the contribution of these women is that they made it normal for women to do anything they wanted to.

The ten women in this book are from diverse fields, and their stories are different, and so are the challenges they overcame. It is interesting to note that most of these women are clustered around the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. This coincides with the evolution of awareness of women’s rights all over the world, in what is called first-wave feminism, an international movement mostly dealing with women’s suffrage.

It was difficult to zero in on these ten women; there were so many contenders at the same period. Sometimes, within the span of a few years, a particular field would have multiple women entrants. Some of these women were pathbreakers not only in India but in a larger context. Take Anna Chandy–she was the first woman judge not just in India but in the whole Anglo-Saxon world, decades before Britain got its first woman judge, Elizabeth Allen. But the stories of these ten were just too compelling not to include.

Many of the trailblazers in this book were born into privilege—and were from educated, rich or forward-thinking families. This gave them a head-start over less privileged women as the financial challenges were less, and frequently, there was support at home. It was only after they stepped out into the world that patriarchy slammed doors on their faces. But others had to beat oppression, social ostracisation and poverty to do what they wanted to do.

It is interesting though that the first major sportswoman (since all definitions are by their nature arbitrary, major sportswoman is the first woman to make it to an Olympic final) is someone who was winning accolades when your parents were kids. Many believed (and some still do) that women are inherently weak, unable to withstand the  rigors of physical training, and that menstruation and pregnancy are obstacles to sporting achievements. And so, it took much longer for Indian women to take large strides in sports.

During the research for this book, I “met” awe-inspiring women from all over the world, each of them deserving of an entire book to herself. We have these women to thank for opening up the way for all of us to achieve our dreams. And I hope you’ll read the stories of their struggles and realise how good we have it, and to not let our privileges go to waste.

Ruchika Chanana’s middle-grade detective novel Neha and the Nose will be published in July 2019. This is her first novel.

Entering the mind of a tween was harder than I imagined. Research, interviews and many WhatsApp listicles later, I was still trying to figure out whether kids actually still like Justin Beiber, and when exactly to use ‘sick’ in a cool way without sounding like I had an incurable disease. Life was very different when I was a kid, growing up in quiet, leafy Bangalore. I went to Sophia High School where the most scandalous thing was finding out that the nuns had waxed legs under their sarees. We snuck in ‘photoromances’ into class and saved our pocket money for the next Whitney Houston or Wham cassette. Colour TV was the greatest invention in our lives, and Indira Gandhi’s assassination was the most horrific thing we’d ever experienced.

I’d like to think that Indian kids nowadays still have some of that innocence, and that they hang on to it despite how crazy the world is out there. Neha and the Nose kind of lives in that bubble–that even kids open to every influence from insta to reality TV to mass killings to Pikachu can still be kids, and still have the adventures I grew up dreaming I could have. In mybackyard, not in some English countryside with scones and clotted cream for tea and five firang kids and a dog for company.

Even back then, mysteries were my favourite reading, although I never ever imagined I’d ever write one. I have always been all admiration for detective novelists, and I devour their work. My life would have been dull dull dull without first Nancy Drew, Miss Marple and Feluda, and then Inspector Wexford, Chief Superintendent Gamache or the Dublin Murder Squad.

So when fate led me to write a short story in the detective genre six years ago, and a certain pair of platypuses liked it enough to ask me to develop it into a book, I was terrified, as only someone who adores whodunits can be. But Neha and the Nose appeared out of somewhere, and they pretty much wrote their own adventure. To me, at heart, the book is about growing up a little, and about learning about oneself a little, and about understanding the world a little, too. It’s about a girl who can be brainy and geeky, and snobbish about those not as clever as her, but also play basketball, which is the coolest sport ever. It’s about a boy who lives in his own strange world, has no notion of high school hierarchies, but tops his class. It about how stereotypes are never really that. It’s about children who stand apart but yearn to be noticed; and how kids are cruel because they don’t understand each other–yet. It’s about that odd place where childhood begins to crash into the real world with all its darkness and light. And because I lost my sense of smell a dozen years ago, of course it’s about that Nose.

A list of what is new in children’s books from Indian publishers in July 2019.
The information in this list is what is provided to us by the publishers. Details may be updated.

Books for Younger Readers

I Won’t Eat That
Author: Lavanya Karthik
Illustrator: Pia Alize Hazarika
About the book: On Monday,
Appa gave Chinna her lunch.
Chinna said, “Aaaaa! I can’t eat that!”
On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Appa tried his best to get Chinna to try his delicious-looking dishes. However, Chinna responded with a new reason to avoid trying them. What did Appa decide to do on Thursday?
Publisher: Ms Moochie
Age group: 6+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Lavanya Karthik lives in Mumbai where she writes, draws, and takes a lot of naps. She is the author of several picture books, short stories, and chapter books, including the Ninja Nani series. Unlike Chinna, she will eat anything.
About the illustrator: Pia Alize Hazarika is cat in human form. She draws, takes many naps, eats all the fish, glares at pigeons living outside her window, and is primarily interested in comics & visual narrative. She runs ‘PIG studio’, an illustration-driven space, based out of Mumbai.
Price: Rs 175

The Story of Buddha: The Enlightened One
Author: Tripti Nainwal
Illustrators: Ayeshe Sadr, Ishaan Dasgupta
About the book This is a book that brings the story of Buddha alive. Readers, both young and adult, will connect instantly to the time and events in young Siddhartha’s life. They will struggle with him as he stumbles and questions, journey along with him in his quest for answers and discover an innate peace when he finally becomes the Buddha.
Mounted on an opulent scale, the artwork is at once evocative and inviting. Flowing visuals combine with painstaking details and merge seamlessly with the strong, contemporary narrative. This is a delightful retelling that shows just how relevant Buddha’s story is even today. Especially today.
Publisher: Eicher Goodearth
Age group: 4+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: A regular writer for the legendary ‘Amar Chitra Katha’ graphic novels, Tripti Nainwal has won the prestigious Comic Con India award for ‘Best Writer of the Year’ in 2019. She has written books for children on the environment (TERI Press) that have been translated into many international languages. She has also authored coffee table books on the art and culture of the Himalayan region and the North East.
About the illustrators: A textile designer and a graphic designer respectively, Ayeshe Sadr and Ishaan Dasgupta created 211 Studio in 2009 and work together in New Delhi. They have worked on a wide variety of illustration projects, ranging from children’s books, food packaging, wedding cards to restaurant murals. When not working or spending time with their two cats, they love travelling, cooking, dancing and climbing.
Price: Rs 450

Ammama’s Sari
Author and illustrator: Niveditha Subramaniam
About the book: “Ammama’s Sari was inspired by memories of my grandmother, for whom upcycling was a natural part of the fabric of life,” says Niveditha. Through the
arresting collage-visuals of this wordless picture book, we see how a sari goes on to become different things — from a curtain to a baby carrier to a cat’s plaything — but always remains a quiet part of shared everyday experiences.
Publisher: Tulika Books
Age group: 0+
Category: Wordless picture book
About the author: Niveditha Subramaniam is a children’s book writer-illustrator. She particularly loves picture books, wordless narratives and comics.
Price: Rs 125

Merry the Elephant’s Paper Plane
Author: Karishma Mahbubani
Illustrator: Pia Alize Hazarika
About the book: Merry is excited! She has made her first ever paper plane. Her friend, Rino the Rhino, tries to fly it. But a strong wind lifts the paper plane high in the sky and blows it away. Will Merry get her special plane back?
This charming story, written by Karishma and illustrated by Pia, will engage readers and help children become more aware about their community. The book also provides opportunities for children to explore themes such as places in one’s neighbourhood and road safety.
Publisher: Ms Moochie
Age group: 2+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Karishma Mahbubani is a writer, editor, and trained storyteller with an avid love for early childhood education, books, and her family, but not necessarily in that order. She lives in Chennai with her pets – Bubbles and Oreo.
About the illustrator: Pia Alize Hazarika is a cat in human form. She draws, takes many naps, eats all the fish, glares at pigeons living outside her window and is primarily interested in comics & the visual narrative. She runs ‘PIG studio’, an illustration-driven space, based out of Mumbai.
Price: Rs 150

Sion’s Misfortune
Author: Chen Jiafei
Illustrator: Wang Ran
About the book: Sion is a fortune-teller who lives in an ancient Chinese kingdom with his son and a beloved horse. When he begins to experience a series of unlucky events, he shocks everyone in town by saying that it is a sign of good things to come. Will Sion lose his reputation for being the wisest man in the kingdom, for how could misfortune ever be a blessing? This profound folktale from China is beautifully adapted by Chen Jiafei and illustrated by award-winning artist Wang Ran.
Publisher: Karadi Tales
Age group: 4+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Chen Jiafei got her bachelor’s degree in Nanjing University, and a master’s at Peking University. She is now pursuing many literary adventures of her own. She believes that telling stories is the best way to remember who you love.
About the illustrator: Wang Ran is a graphic designer and illustrator with several published books. She has won many awards for her work, and her favourite painting tools are Chinese ink and paper.
Price: Rs 399

The Runaway Peacock
Author: Niyatee Sharma
Illustrator: Shailja Jain
About the book: Trisha is counting the number of beautiful peacocks on her mother’s saree when one curious peacock jumps off to explore the world. Trisha follows on his tail! And what we get is a high-speed chase through a bustling market, onto an umbrella, onto a tree… and find out where else! Detailed pictures create vibrant scenarios where
children will have fun spotting the perky peacock.
Publisher: Tulika Books
Age group: 4+
Category: Picture books (English + Hindi, Tamil,
Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali)
About the author: Niyatee Sharma is an interior architect and writer, who loves to look at the world through the curious eyes of her two children. Keen on alternate and sustainable ways of living, she believes in the power of stories to change the world.
About the illustrator Shailja Jain is fascinated by the world of drawing and cinema. She is ever keen to explore ways to live more mindfully and harmoniously. Her other books  include Sabri’s Colours, Rangoli and The Talkative Tortoise.
Price: Rs 175 (English); Rs 150 (Other languages)

Let’s Do This Together: Maths Stories to Solve
Authors: Lubaina Bandukwala and Vineeta Kanoria
About the book: Maths helps make sense of the world around us. How many mangoes are needed to make a jar of pickle? How many toes do the monsters under the bed have? How many days till the new moon?
Let’s Do This Together is filled with stories that cleverly weave everyday maths problems into the narrative so children can easily solve them with the help of a parent, teacher or friend.
As they start with sums that are easy-peasy, move to mostly easy and then to ones that are not that easy, the book helps them build their self-confidence and number proficiency.
Publisher: Puffin Books
Age group: 5+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the authors: Vineeta Kanoria has been a preschool educator for over 20 years. She also set up the Early Intervention Centre at Ummeed Child Development Center for children with special needs. She enjoys helping children and parents discover the joys of maths an an early age.
Lubaina Bandukwala has been in children’s publishing as a writer, editor and festival curator for a decade. She founded the Peek A Book Literature Festival for children’s, which is now in its fourth year. She does all this so that she can read all the books she wants anytime she pleases and say she’s working.
Price: Rs 199

Books for Middle-grade Readers

Neha and the Nose
Author: Ruchika Chanana
About the book: No case is too difficult for Neha and Johan.
So what if they’re just 13.75 years old? They have a secret weapon–“the Nose”–which belongs to Johan, and which can smell anything from day-old underwear to a whiff of vetiver in a bus full of sweating kids.
When the warden of the girls’ hostel is knocked out cold, setting off a series of mysterious incidents, Neha and the Nose swing sniff into action. But with meddlesome police hawaldars, preening teen divas and obnoxious college boys throwing them off the scent, how will Neha and the Nose ever solve this complicated case?
Publisher: Duckbill Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Ruchika is a writer, editor and theatre practitioner. She has written short stories, non-fiction books, content for many, many websites and a Bollywood screenplay. Ruchika runs Wordsetc., a content/copy/ideas resource. She reads too much and regularly imagines herself as a swashbuckling warrior on a crusade to reverse climate change and implant the notion of equal rights in every human brain.
Price: Rs 199

The Rise of the Midnight King
Series: The Kumaon Secret Society
Author: Olivier Lafont
About the book: Every summer, twins Shari and Tal Kandhari, sisters Iti and Trikaya Pillai, and Safir Idris holiday in Devagarh, a village high in the hills of Kumaon. Here, they’ve set up the Kumaon Secret Society, or the KSS. This summer they have a new member: the mysterious Isaac Shroff. Also back in Devagarh is the Mesmerizing Mister Mer, a strange and cruel magician whose appearance has timed perfectly with the disappearance of all cats from the village.
As the KSS sets out in search of the cats, it reaches the forbidden village of Yakshagarh, where a whole new world slowly reveals itself to them. In this world there are cat-hungry rakshasas, warrior statues, yakshas and devas, and a shadowy Midnight King—all guardians of the two villages. But Mister Mer is determined to invoke spells best left unsaid and gain untold powers that will forever destroy the peace not only of the villages and the hills, but the entire world. Can the members of the KSS discover their hidden superpowers in time and foil Mister Mer’s diabolical plans?
The Rise of the Midnight King is an edgy, action-packed fantasy—full of wit and high adventure—that will enthral and captivate readers of all ages.
Publisher: Talking Cub
Age group: 10+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Olivier Lafont is a French author, screenplay writer, and actor living in Paris. His fantasy novel Warrior was published by Penguin Random House, and was shortlisted for the Tibor Jones South Asia Prize. His other works include Sweet Revenge, a contemporary romance novel, Snowbound, a fantasy young adult novel, and Purgatory: The Gun of God, a fantasy novelette. The first film he wrote, an Indo-French comedy, opened at the Toronto Film Festival and went on to win seven awards at film festivals worldwide. As an actor Lafont has worked in Hollywood and Indian films, in TV serials, and in over eighty television commercials.
Price: Rs 350

The Lizard of Oz and Other Stories
Author: Khyrunnisa A.
Illustrator:Krishna Bala Shenoi
About the book: An inquisitive lizard gets caught in a shoebox.
An orange duck changes its luck.
A lion agonizes over his lost teeth.
A mosquito decides to spend its short life helping humans.
Read about the exciting misadventures of various creatures as they wriggle and nibble their way out of tight spots in this collection of funny and sensitive short stories.
Publisher: Scholastic India
Age group: 8+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Khyrunnisa A. is a prize-winning author of children’s fiction. She created the popular comic character Butterfingers for Tinkle and later authored the Butterfingers series of books. She writes regularly for the children’s magazine Dimdima and freelances for other publications too. This book includes stories that first appeared in Dimdima.
About the illustrator: Krishna’s artwork, spanning a variety of styles, has accompanied children’s literature in books produced by esteemed publishing houses. He lives in Bangalore with his family of humans and cats, where he plans to continue contributing to children’s storytelling, imbuing his work with gentleness and a sense of wonder. Price: Rs 195

The Tenth Son
Authors: Ayan and Ashish Malpani
About the book: Ten-year-old Advik comes from the US to India, and what is meant to be a quiet visit is about to jolt him! Did he ever imagine that Narada, the celestial messenger, would pay him a visit in the dead of night to ask for help on behalf of the gods? That the truth he is to discover about himself would bring him face to face with the dreaded Harkasura and his hordes, who threaten devastation? What will he choose to do, especially when his grandfather’s life is on the line? Find out in this spellbinding mythological adventure that takes Advik and his friends, Riya and Samar, to ancient Hastinapur. Well out of their depth, they are thrown into a world of asuras, astras and mantras, complex riddles and death-defying fights, to stand up to the biggest bully in the three worlds!
Publisher: Tulika Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the authors: Ayan Malpani can usually be found reading a middle-grade fiction. He is often lost in a fictional world, and only football or ‘Fortnite’ has the power to bring him back to reality.He loves to bring his personal experiences from traveling around the world to life in his writing. Ayan is a sixth-grader who lives in Austin, Texas.
Ashish Malpani had two dreams growing up: to write fiction and travel around the world. Forty countries and counting, he loves to capture the world through the lens of his camera. He self-published his first crime fiction ‘Ten Days in October’ and continues to write as a freelancer.  A technology product marketer by trade, Ashish lives and works in Austin, Texas.
Price: Rs 265

Krishna in Rhyme
Authors: Kairavi Bharat Ram and Ananya Mittal
Illustrator: Ishan
About the book: We’ve all heard about Lord Krishna, with his peacock feather and flute,
But have you read about the days, he was naughty and cute.
Before he was the great leader, before the Gita he did share,
He was the most fun guy in town, the cool dude, we swear!
Written in lyrical verse with beautiful artwork, this exciting book about Krishna’s childhood adventures will appeal to children of all ages!
Publisher: Scholastic India
Age group: 8+
Category: Poetry (English)
About the authors: Kairavi Bharat Ram is currently studying Fashion Management at London College of Fashion. She is also a make-up blogger on Instagram under the name @blushmasterk. She has grown up in a family that has always encouraged Indian culture and that’s where her love for mythological stories started. In her free time she likes to watch Korean dramas, cuddle her dog, Google, and dream about starting her own make-up line!
Ananya Mittal is studying Neuroscience at Princeton University and wants to be a doctor when she grows up! She loves all things Disney, collecting funny socks, reading just about anything and fighting with her brother.
About the illustrator: Ishan is an artist-storyteller who has illustrated and authored a number of children’s books. An art graduate from Lucknow College of Arts and Crafts, he began his career illustrating comics. Ishan is fascinated with Indian mythology and fantasy. His work is influenced by ancient Indian traditional art and paintings. He resides in New Delhi and is passionate about illustrating his creativity digitally.
Price: Rs 295

Flyaway Boy
Author: Jane De Suza
About the book: Kabir doesn’t fit in. Not into the wintry hill town he lives in, and not into his school, where the lines are always straight. Backed into a corner with no way out, Kabir vanishes. With every adult’s nightmare now coming true, finding this flyaway boy will mean understanding who he really is. Spirited and powerfully imaginative, Flyaway Boy is a story about embracing everything that makes you uniquely you.
Publisher: Puffin Books
Age group: 9+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Jane De Suza does not write normal books. The Super Zero series, Uncool, Happily Never After and The Spy who lost her Head, among others, areexamples of a very different, quirky and questioning look at life. She has been a creative director, and a long-standing columnist for The Hindu and Good Housekeeping. Jane has a management degree and writes for magazines, brands and sites across the world; and travels betweenSingapore and India.
Price: Rs 250

My Mother is in the Indian Air Force
Series: The Armed Forces series
Authors: Arthy Singh and Mamta Nainy
About the book: Rohan thinks his mom is a bit like a a superhero-she flies in to save the day, she loops and swoops between the clouds, she even jumps off planes wearing parachutes! But her job demands that she keep moving from place to place, and Rohan doesn’t want to move again. Not this time. Can he find a way to stay?
Read on to find out about the people and their families whose big and small acts of heroism make the Indian air force formidable!
Publisher: Puffin Books
Age group: 9+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the authors: Arthy Singh is a children’s writer, freelance journalist, copywriter, editor and cartoonist. She has authored more than thirty-five books for children. Currently she is partner at SYLLABLES27, an outfit that produces books for children on a turn-key basis for publishers and organizations that work with children.
Mamta Nainy is a children’s writer, editor and translator based in New Delhi, whose book A Brush with Indian Art won The Hindu-Goodbooks Young World Award 2019 in the Best Book Non-Fiction category.
Price: Rs 199

My Father is in the Indian Army
Series: The Armed Forces series
Authors: Arthy Singh and Mamta Nainy
About the book: Beena’s dad is in the Indian army, which means that when duty calls, he’s got to get going at once. Beena knows her dad’s job is important, but her birthday is coming up. She really, really wants her dad to be at home to celebrate with her. Will he be able to make it back in time?
Read on to find out about the people and their families whose big and small acts of heroism make the Indian army inspiring!
Publisher: Puffin Books
Age group: 9+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the authors: Arthy Singh is a children’s writer, freelance journalist, copywriter, editor and cartoonist. She has authored more than thirty-five books for children. Currently she is partner at SYLLABLES27, an outfit that produces books for children on a turn-key basis for publishers and organizations that work with children.
Mamta Nainy is a children’s writer, editor and translator based in New Delhi, whose book A Brush with Indian Art won The Hindu-Goodbooks Young World Award 2019 in the Best Book Non-Fiction category.
Price: Rs 199

My Sister is in the Indian Navy
Series: The Armed Forces series
Authors: Arthy Singh and Mamta Nainy
About the book:Nikky’s sister is in the navy. When her ship is in port, she and Nikky get to do lots of fun things together. Nikky would like to spend more time with his sister, and he doesn’t want her to leave, but he knows that, eventually, her sailing orders will arrive…
Read on to find out about the people and their families whose big and small acts of heroism make the Indian navy exemplary!
Publisher: Puffin Books
Age group: 9+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the authors: Arthy Singh is a children’s writer, freelance journalist, copywriter, editor and cartoonist. She has authored more than thirty-five books for children. Currently she is partner at SYLLABLES27, an outfit that produces books for children on a turn-key basis for publishers and organizations that work with children.
Mamta Nainy is a children’s writer, editor and translator based in New Delhi, whose book A Brush with Indian Art won The Hindu-Goodbooks Young World Award 2019 in the Best Book Non-Fiction category.
Price: Rs 199

Books for Teens

Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl’s Confabulous Memoir
Author: Kai Cheng Thom
Illustrator: No illustrator
About the book: A haunted young girl (who happens to be a Kung-fu expert and pathological liar) runs away from an oppressive city, where the sky is always grey; in search of love and sisterhood, she finds herself in a magical place known only as the Street of Miracles.
There, she is quickly adopted into the vigilante gang of glamorous warrior femmes called the Lipstick Lacerators, whose mission is to scour the Street of violent men and avenge murdered trans women everywhere. But when disaster strikes, can our intrepid heroine find the truth within herself in order to protect her new family and heal her broken heart?
Publisher: Young Zubaan
Age group: 12+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Kai Cheng Thom is a writer, performer, lasagna lover, and wicked witch based in Toronto, unceded Indigenous territory. She is the author of several award-winning works including the poetry collection a place called No Homeland, the children’s book From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea, and the forthcoming essay collection I HOPE WE CHOOSE LOVE: A Trans Girl’s Notes from the End of the World. Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl’s Confabulous Memoir is her first novel.
Price: Rs 350

Ruchika Chanana is the author of Neha and the Nose, a very funny contemporary detective novel we publish in July 2019.

Madhulika Liddle, whose work Ruchika and we love, is an author, and the creator of Muzaffar Jung, the suavest Mughal detective ever!

ML: You’ve done a lot of other writing—why did you choose your first novel to be this one? Why children’s fiction, and why a detective novel?

RC: I never intended to write a children’s novel and certainly not a detective novel because I adore mystery novels and I know how hard they are to write. I happened to choose the detective genre for a workshop exercise, a short story. The lovely platypuses liked my characters and asked me to develop the story into a novel. It took me over six years to actually do it!

ML: How difficult was it to write for children rather than for adults? Did you have to make a conscious effort to rein yourself in, or write in a particular way that you wouldn’t usually do?

RC: I actually didn’t think too much about the fact that I was writing for kids. I’m told I’m fairly good with kids – I think it’s because I don’t talk down to them and I remember being a child very vividly. Occasionally I had to go back and change a few phrases or words but mostly I just told a story. At the editing stage we did have to tweak it a bit to get it perfect for the middle grade reader but I’m satisfied that kids won’t feel we are patronising them in any way. That’s important to me. The other thing which was challenge was the plot–I’m a stream of consciousness type of writer when it comes to fiction but a detective story has to be very carefully plotted. I’ve added a few more layers to the book that are more up my usual street: the changing of the seasons in the city is an underlying motif; so is the deliberate distorting of some stereotypes while maintaining others, because I think kids are a mix of adults’ perceptions, and their true evolving identities.

ML: We’ve all lived through the teen years, and while a lot has remained the same, a lot has changed, too: teenagers today face, and have access to, a lot which we who grew up in a different time perhaps never experienced. How did you get into the mind of a present-day teenager?

RC: I am lucky to have access to a lot of teenagers–mostly friends’ kids and a couple of nieces and nephews. My own son is very young but these kids have been a superb resource, sending me lots of references and stuff they are into. Also just being around them gave me a sense of the flesh and blood characteristics of children. Both Neha and Johan are inspired somewhat by these kids.

Since I wrote the novel over such a long period of time, the cool bands and shows and trends kept changing! That was mind-bendingly crazy. I grew up in such a different era, and though I’ve been the ‘cool’ aunt for a lot of these kids I really would have been out of my depth without this amazing bunch of trendspotters who spanned the grunge, alt, and pop spheres and gave me superb tips and inspiration.

ML: And, continuing from the previous question, how did you nail the teenspeak? Both inside Neha’s head, and between your characters?

RC: I don’t know if I’ve nailed the teen speak but I think my characters assumed a life of their own very early on and they really did speak in their own voices with very little conscious subversion from me. I also feel that having worked in the theatre makes me obsess about keeping conversation and dialogue natural. I hope that comes across.

ML: I find it interesting that there’s a team of two in your book, but they’re neither exactly on the same level (as in The Three Investigators, The Famous Five, etc) since Neha is more the sleuth and Johan is more the tool—and nor are the two a detective-sidekick duo, like Holmes-Watson or Poirot-Hastings. What brought about this somewhat unusual relationship?

RC: I actually think they are exactly equal. Neither of them can function without the other. Johan has the super-ability and Neha has the brains to turn his ability to use. Neha, of course, uses all the other tools at her disposal – the Internet, science, her inherent smarts and keen eye; and Johan uses his nose. And when they are not in the heat of the moment and chasing after clues, I think they can both rationally discuss a case and figure where they are. It’s just that Neha is the narrator and we hear the story in her voice, but I think they solve cases together. Perhaps in the future there will be a book where Johan is the narrator…

ML: There are several references in Neha and the Noseto classic detective and mystery fiction, from Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot to Nancy Drew—and there are references to other children’s literature, like the Mallory Towers series. Which of these (if any) would you say was the biggest influence on your book?

RC: I am a mystery buff. Sherlock Holmes to Nancy Drew to Feluda to Agatha Christie and the Famous Five were all part of my childhood. I was so excited by the fact that Johan’s personas took on all these plus some of my adult faves like Dr Who and Artemis Fowl and Harry Potter. I didn’t consciously plan these but I’m so thrilled they are there! The Malory Towers reference and others like it are kind of my dig at how our childhood reading was so anglicised–like Chimamanda Adichie, I yearned for thick bread and butter sandwiches and imagined scones to be the epitome of gourmet delight till I actually tasted them.

ML: On to The Nose. I have several questions about The Nose, so I’ll start with the first. What made you decide to introduce an ultranormal character as part of the detective team?

RC: Most of my fiction has an element of magic realism. It was completely natural that there was an ultranormal element in this book too.

ML: Why a Nose, specifically? Why not an Eye, or an Ear?

RC: I lost my sense of smell about ten years ago. That might be it! It was not conscious but I think I am a little preoccupied with all things sensory.

ML: Given that you chose The Nose to help Neha in her sleuthing, will there be more adventures for the two that enable The Nose to really sniff around?

RC: I would love that–but I’d have to think of some really good plots!

ML: To end, a question almost every author gets asked sometime or the other: how much of you is there in your protagonist? Okay, in this case, I suppose that would mean Neha, but if there’s also a good bit of you in Johan, feel free to answer either way.

RC: I think Neha is a combination of what I was and what I would have liked to be as a young girl. I think I was different from her – I was popular but not as confident; but I was also observant and fairly bossy and precocious. I think Johan is not like anyone I know but it would be so cool to be him! To be unconcerned about school politics and what people thought of you… wow. What I have used a lot are my memories of my schooldays, my teachers, and the buildings and environments of schools I have known. It’s all kind of familiar territory but set in a time that’s so very new.

Author photo credit: Anandi Chowriappa

SR: Apart from the fact that they are so awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping? Because both women and men need to realise what a hard journey it has been for us to get here, and that we shouldn’t take our privileges for granted. I’ll also paraphrase Yuval Noah Harari: We need these stories told “to widen our horizons, to understand that our present situation is neither natural nor inevitable, and that we consequently have many more possibilities before us than we can imagine.”

A list of what is new in children’s books from Indian publishers in August 2019.
The information in this list is what is provided to us by the publishers. Details may be updated.

Books for Younger Readers

My Blue Elephant
Author: Vidya Varadarajan
Illustrator: Zainab Tambawalla
About the book: A little girl has a BIG secret. It’s her pet elephant, but sshhh … nobody knows!
Will she be able to hide him for long?
Publisher: Scholastic India
Age group: 3+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Vidya Varadarajan is a postgraduate with over eighteen years of writing experience. Vidya makes up silly stories for her young children in order to get them to sleep. Unfortunately, the stories are never dull enough.
About the illustrator: Zainab Tambawalla is a children’s book illustrator, an urban sketcher and an avid nature lover. She has studied Animation Film Design at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad and has illustrated several books books for children. Currently, she also teaches at the Ecole Intuit Lab, Mumbai.
Price: Rs 250

Rattu and Poori’s Adventures in History: 1857
Author: Parvati Sharma
About the book: In a bizarre turn of events, Rattu and her bullying older sister, Poorie, come face-to-face with two nineteenth-century soldiers! So begins their journey back to the Uprising of 1857, on which they encounter Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, Nana Sahib of Kanpur, Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and many more personalities.
Publisher: Puffin Books
Age group: 6+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Parvati Sharma’s first book for children, The Story of Babur, was acclaimed as ‘delightful’ and ‘deeply engaging’. She has also written books for adults: The Dead Camel and Other Stories of Love; Close to Home, a novella; and, most recently, Jahangir: An Intimate Portrait of a Great Mughal, a historical biography. Sharma lives in New Delhi, where she worked as a travel writer, editor and journalist.
Price: Rs 299

Books for Middle Grade Readers

10 Indian Women Who Were the First to Do What They Did
Series: The 10s
Author: Shruthi Rao
About the book: This book tells the stories of ten Indian women who were pioneers in diverse fields. While their stories and challenges are different, what is common is that they all opened up the way for all women to achieve their dreams.
Savitribai Phule | Kadambini Ganguly | Cornelia Sorabji | Anusuya Sarabhai | Jaddan Bai Hussain | Lakshmi Sahgal | Indira Gandhi | A Lalitha | CB Muthamma | PT Usha
Award-winning writer Shruthi Rao writes absorbing tales of the lives, times and societies that these women lived and worked in.
Publisher: Duckbill Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Shruthi Rao studied to be an energy engineer and worked as a software professional until her story-gobbling-monster-daughter pulled out the writer lurking inside her. She writes for both adults and children, and is a freelance editor. She loves books, science, trees, desserts, hikes and the internet.
Price: Rs 200

Things Lost and Found in History
Series: A Dozen And A Half Stories
Authors: Arthy Muthanna Singh & Mamta Nainy
About the book: What really happened to the Indus Valley civilization? Where is the lost river of Saraswati? Did the ancient city of Dwarka actually disappear under water? How did the city of Muziris fall off the map only to miraculously reappear? Who stole the Kohi- Noor? What is the secret behind the last door of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple?Piece together puzzles from the past with the first book in this exciting new series that looks at some of the most intriguing, head-scratching, spine-tingling mysteries about things lost and found in Indian history. From strange disappearances to cryptic comebacks, from mystifying monuments to long-lost treasure, this book will serve you history with a whole lot of mystery and mayhem!
Publisher: Red Turtle
Age group: 9+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the authors: Arthy Muthanna Singh is a children’s writer, freelance journalist, copywriter, editor and cartoonist. She has written more than 35 books for children. She conducts creative writing workshops and lives in Gurugram.
Mamta Nainy is a children’s writer and editor. She has authored many books for children, including A Brush with Indian Art, which won The Hindu-Goodbooks Young World Award 2019 in the Best Book Non-Fiction category, and Bioscope, a picture book that featured in the IBBY Honour List 2012.
Price: Rs 295

Amazing Countries of the World
Series: 501 Facts Factory
Author: Ananya Subramani
About the book: France covers the most number of time zones in the world, with 12 of them. Libya is the driest country in the world, with 99 per cent of its land covered in desert. China accounts for about 30 per cent of global carbon-dioxide emissions. In Denmark, parents have to choose baby names from a list of 7,000 government-approved names.
Every nation on earth is brimming with amazing people, places, events, lifestyles, customs, laws and quirks, and this book takes you on a fun, fact-packed trip through the craziest and the most colourful of these. From what happened in the past to current phenomena, from language to landscapes, from festivals to flags, from food to famous people, and from transport to technology in the most well-known and the remotest locations, this book covers a range of topics and themes that will make you go ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’!
With bite-sized text and photographs, this well-researched volume gives you an informative and entertaining peek into the most interesting facts about countries worldwide. What are you waiting for? Step into the 501 Facts Factory for a whirlwind world tour!
Publisher: Hachette India
Age group: 11+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Ananya Subramani has a Master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Leeds, UK, and has studied Journalism and Communications from Northwestern University (Qatar campus).
Price: Rs 299

A Cloud Called Bhura: Climate Champions to the Rescue
Author: Bijal Vachharajani
Illustrator: Aindri C.
About the book: Amni wakes up one morning to find the sky taken over by a huge brown cloud. Where did this cloud appear from suddenly? Even as she and her friends Mithil, Tammy and Andrew start finding out more, their city of Mumbai starts reeling from the changes the cloud brings to the weather. Bhura Cloudus, as the media calls it, contains noxious gases, causes scalding rain to fall, makes birds flee the city, and suffocates every living thing.
What will Mota Bhai, the powerful politician, do now? Can Vidisha and Bidisha, the scientist twins, find a solution? And what about superstar Pavan Kumar and the amazing cloud-sucking machine? Can Bhura ever be driven away, or is it already too late?Thought-provoking, funny and inspiring, A Cloud Called Bhura is about the changing global climate and the havoc it can cause, as well as the forces of friendship, trust and community that give hope and will help counter this deadly threat to humanity.
Publisher: Talking Cub
Age group: 9+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: When Bijal Vachharajani is not reading Harry Potter, she is Editor Scissorhands at Pratham Books. A journalist, Bijal is the author of three children’s books, So You Want to Know About the Environment, What’s Neema Eating Today? and The Seed Savers. She has co-authored The Great Indian Nature Trail with Uncle Bikky and 10 Indian Ecostars Who Are Fighting to Save the Planet.
About the illustrator: Aindri is a narrative illustrator-animator creating educational and environmental communications for young people. Their work is featured in picture books, editorial comics, and animated shorts. Collaborators include community organizers, teachers, researchers, creatives, technologists and fellow strangers on the interwebz.
Price: tbc

31 Fantastic Adventures in Science: Women Scientists of India
Authors: Aashima Dogra and Nandita Jayaraj
About the book: Meet the superwomen in science!
Here’s a unique introduction to thirty-one brilliant women scientists in India, who are trailblazers across an array of subjects, be it the wonders of nature, bizarre animals, the freezing Antarctic desert, supercomputers, the tiniest particles or giant machines.
Publisher: Puffin Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the authors: Aashima Dograis a science writer who writes for children as well as adults but always about science. With Nandita, she started a website TheLifeofScience.com in 2016. She edits, writes and produces the content that appears on the website.
Nandita Jayaraj is a freelance science writer and storyteller who started her career at The Hindu, followed by a stint at Brainwave, a magazine where she met her science soulmate Aashima Dogra. Together they started TheLifeofScience.com where they create and share colourful science stories collected from laboratories all across the country.
Price: tbc

Kings and Queens of India: All About the Famous Rulers and Dynasties that Shaped the Country
Author: Anu Kumar
About the book: The incredible stories of the most powerful and ambitious rulers in Indian history. They ruled vast and influential kingdoms across our country. They laid down laws and systems of administration. They fought wars that had far-reaching impact, and negotiated peaceful times that nurtured the arts and the sciences. They made decisions that, whether right or wrong, shaped events and moulded our culture. They were the kings and queens who played lead roles in the spectacular drama of India’s past.
From Kanishka, Harshavardhan, Ranjit Singh, Akbar and Razia Sultan in the north to Narasimhavarman Pallava, Rajaraja Chola, Tipu Sultan, Marthanda Varma, Krishnadevaraya and Rani Mangammal in the south, and from Pulakesin II, Amoghavarsha, Tarabai and Shivaji in the west to Bimbisara, Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka, Devapala, Sukanphaa and the Bhaumakara queens in the east, this book tells the riveting stories of close to 50 important rulers whose actions left a mark on the history of India.
Publisher: Hachette India
Age group: 11+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Anu Kumar has studied history and management and, more recently, done a Master’s in Fine Arts (Writing Fiction) from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, USA. She writes for readers of all ages. Her first fictional works for children were three books featuring Atisa, a young detective who travels through history in a specially designed balloon. Her books for children include The Mahatma and the Monkeys, Chanakya: The Kingmaker and the Philosopher, Sarojini Naidu: The Nightingale and the Freedom Fighter, Vivekananda: The Monk and the Reformer, and Wonder Kids: 100 Children Who Grew Up to Be Champions of Change.
Price: Rs 399

Friendship Stories
Author: Deepa Agarwal
About the book: Best friends have been through it all—from bonding over strange pets and mysterious illnesses to learning to forgive and be loyal and loving.
Deepa Agarwal’s heart-warming collection of short stories is filled with adventure, secrets, pranks, and best of all, true friendship.
Publisher: Scholastic India
Age group: 8+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Author, poet and translator, Deepa Agarwal writes for both children and adults and has over fifty books published. Among various other awards, she has received the N.C.E.R.T. National Award for Children’s Literature in 1993 for her picture book Ashok’s New Friends, while her historical fiction Caravan to Tibetwas on the IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) Honour List 2008.
Price: Rs 199

N for Nourish: Make food your BFF
Author: Pooja Makhija
About the book: A collection of OMG facts about nutrition
Do you know why eating right is so important? Because the right diet influences your mood, your thoughts and even your ability to have fun. With the aid of innovative models and striking visuals, this book will make you look at yourself and what you eat in a new light.
Publisher: Puffin Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the author: Pooja Makhija is one of India’s leading experts on nutrition and has counselled over 15,000 clients. Pooja never fails to be amazed by the power of nutrition and has witnessed time and again how something as simple as understanding the importance of food can bring about huge, transformational changes in people’s lives. Pooja has recently launched her own wellbeing clinic, Nourish, and she works and lives in Mumbai.
Price: Rs 299

Mouse Attack: The Amazing Adventures of Arvee the Mouse
Author: Magnolia
About the book: Arvee, a clever and scholarly mouse, is horrified to find that he must leave his laboratory to live as a house pet. His new home, Paradise Villa, is charming and comfortable but boring. And lonely.
All that changes when Arvee meets bright, feisty Ellie and the rest of her family of house mice. They tell him about Pasha, a huge, fearsome rat who, along with his thugs, has taken over Paradise Villa, harassing and enslaving the mice. A small, brave band of rebels is ready to fight back. But how?
Arvee brings his thinking skills to the struggle, pulling in the help of other house creatures. But Pasha has very different plans for him. And Alphonso the cat is not too far behind either.
Will Arvee succeed in helping Ellie, her family and all the other mice under attack?
Publisher: Hachette India
Age group: 11+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: ‘Magnolia’ is the pen-name of writer and artist Manjula Padmanabhan. She grew up in Europe and South East Asia. Her comic strip, ‘Sukiyaki’, appears weekly in Business Line, Chennai. Aside from books for grown-ups, she has published a number of books for children as author–illustrator. She lives in the US with no cats, plants or children.
Price: Rs 399

Mouse Invaders: The Exciting Escapades of Arvee the Mouse
Author: Magnolia
About the book: Arvee is back at Paradise Villa after his round-the-world travels! But his friend Ellie and her family are in deep trouble in their garden home. The Shrew Police are in control, with their hateful rules and bullying ways. And what’s worse – baby mice have been regularly vanishing from their homes.
Worst of all is the slithering terror that haunts Lantana ouse Enclave. Something huge, black and . . . smelly.
Desperate to help his friends, Arvee plunges into the fray. But the unexpected arrival of Cutie Pie, a glamorous mouse from his home laboratory, overturns his plans. In the fight between the tiny and the mighty, even a small slip can be very risky.
Will Arvee be able to save his buddies, or has he nibbled off more than he can possibly chew?
Publisher: Hachette India
Age group: 11+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: ‘Magnolia’ is the pen-name of writer and artist Manjula Padmanabhan. She grew up in Europe and South East Asia. Her comic strip, ‘Sukiyaki’, appears weekly in Business Line, Chennai. Aside from books for grown-ups, she has published a number of books for children as author–illustrator. She lives in the US with no cats, plants or children.
Price: Rs 399

The Girl Who Ironed Her Hair and Other Stories
Author: Lalita Iyer
Illustrator: Sheena Deviah
About the book: Adventurous Lalli and her quirky brother Shivi get into all kinds of madcap escapades—taming crazy curly hair to fart competitions and stealing roses.
With a dash of mischief, a pinch of daring and a whole lot of fun, these delightful short stories will have you laughing till you drop!
Publisher: Scholastic India
Age group: 8+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Lalita Iyer is a journalist who prefers writing books. She writes for little people and big people and the little people in big people. Some of her books include: I’m Pregnant, Not Terminally Ill, You Idiot!, The Boy Who Swallowed a Nail and Other Stories, The Whole Shebang and Sridevi: Queen of Hearts. The Boy Who Swallowed a Nail and Other Storieswas shortlisted for the Neev Book Award. She is a Sangam House fellow and is being raised by two boys, one of whom is feline.
About the illustrator: Sheena Deviah is a Bangalore-based self-taught illustrator. She is interested in illustration, tattoos and hand lettering. Illustration is a means through which she expresses her ideas and thoughts.
Price: Rs 195

Kali’s Retribution
Series: The Kalki Chronicles
Author: Abhinav
About the book: Successful in deciphering Krishna’s puzzles and retrieving the Kaustubha locket, Anirudh finally accepts his destiny as Kalki–the tenth avatar of Vishnu. However, with the ever-perilous world moving too fast for him to keep up with, he is taken under the wing of an esoteric society created for his protection.
As ancient allies watch over him from the Himalayas, Anirudh moves to find the greatest weapon in the universe hidden in the fabled submerged palace of Dwarka. However, the Demon of Time, Kalarakshasa, yearns to possess it as well. In an ultimate showdown, the cloaked sorcerer faces the last avatar of Vishnu on the battlefield.
Will it be long before Kali, the Lord of Evil, takes up the reins of the mortal world? And will the darkness brought upon by the Kali yuga soon eclipse the earth?
Publisher: Puffin Books
Age group: 10+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Abhinav is a Mumbai-based software developer. His debut book The Sage’s Secret is the first instalment in the Kalki Chronicles.
Price: Rs 299

A list of what is new in children’s books from Indian publishers in September 2019.
The information in this list is what is provided to us by the publishers. Details may be updated.

Books for Younger Readers

The Enchanted Prince
Author and illustrator: Ishan
About the book: In a magical land, far, far away …
When the cursed prince Chandrasen is gifted three magical beans that can turn him into a normal human boy, little did he know that they would take him on a thrilling journey to the moon!
Read about his encounters with fantastical creatures and talking animals in this exciting tale filled with enchantment and adventure.
Publisher: Scholastic India
Age group: 6+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Ishan is an artist-storyteller who has illustrated and authored a number of children’s books. An art graduate from Lucknow College of Arts and Crafts, he began his career illustrating comics. Ishan is fascinated with Indian mythology and fantasy. His work is influenced by ancient Indian traditional art and paintings. He resides in New Delhi and is passionate about illustrating his creativity digitally.
Price: Rs 295

Paint Like Franz Marc
Author: Geeta Dharmarajan
Illustrator: Franz Marc
About the book:Like to paint?
Have paper?
Paints?
See Franz’s paintings in this book. Now, just imagine and paint away!
Publisher: Katha
Age group: 8+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Geeta Dharmarajan loves writing for children. She received the Padma Shri in 2012 for her work in literature and education. She was also the joint winner of the 2018 Business Standard award for Social Entrepreneur of the Year.
About the illustrator: Franz Marc was a painter. He was born in Germany. He loved colours. When he was 20 years old, Marc began to study art at a college where he had excellent teachers. But, he continued to learn every day by seeing the paintings of painters in museums. He would copy many paintings, to learn different styles. He also attended a lot of meetings where painters got together. He died when he was 36 years old, in World War 1.
Price: Rs 175

Books for Middle Readers

A Treasury of Tales from the Kathasaritasagara
Retold by: Jayashree Bhatt
About the book: Fantastic Fables and Where to Read Them.
Pssst… come here. A little closer. Yes, yes, right here. Now, what sort of story are you looking for? One with action and adventure, wily villains and valiant warriors? Or something that will make you laugh till your stomach hurts? Or perhaps you’d prefer a tale with some good old- fashioned magic?
Well, whatever it is, you’ll find it all here — in this delightful trove of stories picked from one of India’s oldest classics, Somadeva’s Kathasaritasagara (The Ocean of the Streams of Story), dusted and polished for a new generation of readers.
Go on, step in, but be careful — the shape-shifters aren’t quite what they seem (obviously), the tricksters are always looking for someone to fool, and don’t be shocked if you meet a talking animal. Oh, and one last thing — make sure you ace the vetala’s quiz. Or else…
Publisher: Hachette
Age group: 11+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Jayashree Bhat discovered her love for mythology and folklore in her childhood, during the long, rainy days in Manipal, where she grew up. In her spare time, she reads, daydreams and travels with her husband.
Price: Rs 299

Hachette Children’s Yearbook and Infopedia 2020
About the book: 11th UPDATED EDITION! KNOW MORE THAN EVER BEFORE!
* If you want a fact-finder…
* If you’re looking to expand your GK…
* If you wish you had a ready reckoner of must-know information…
* If you need to know what in the world is going on… This book is indispensable for you! The Hachette Children’s Yearbook & Infopedia brings you news, general knowledge, current affairs, fascinating facts and loads more about your favourite focus points in every annual bestselling edition. With well-researched and updated content and data, this book is the essential companion for every smart student who wants to stay ahead.
Pick it up and start to explore – for reference, homework and so much more! Plus facts and stats on India and every country in the world!
Publisher: Hachette
Age group: 11+
Category: Reference (English)
Price: Rs 299

Books for Young Adults

Nadya: A Graphic Novel
Author and illustrator: Debasmita Dasgupta
About the book: Thirteen-year-old Nadya lives a happy, carefree life nurtured by the love of her parents and the home they have built together. But, one day, things start to fall apart, and eventually, her parents decide to separate. Nadya is heartbroken and distraught. Follow Nadya’s journey as she grapples with the pain of loss and separation, before finally coming to terms and finding hope.
Publisher: Scholastic India
Age group: 13+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the author: Debasmita Dasgupta is a Singapore-based internationally published
picture-book illustrator and graphic novel artist with over a decade of experience in the field of art-for-change. She specializes in creating cause-based illustrations, be it about promoting girl child rights, ending violence against women or sharing inspiring stories of change makers. Her work has been showcased across many countries in the world.
Price: Rs 495

Natasha Sharma is the author of the HistoryMystery series and of many other books. Recently, she did a session at the Children’s Museum at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalya, Mumbai. This is the story of that session.

I am an over-prepared, carry-a-back-up-for-the-back-up kind of person. Take a look into the book bag that accompanies me to author readings and you’ll know. So, when a little bit of chaos and going with the flow turned out to be rather magical, I was utterly surprised and delighted (though I’m not letting go of my back-up-for-the-back-up… ever).

Last weekend, I was tremendously excited to have a chance to interact with a public space in a different context – a session at the Children’s Museum at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalya in Mumbai. Especially since the exhibits contained a copy of a Mughal painting showing Shah Jahan in court. When I saw the huge gaggle of kids there, bright and sparkly with parents in tow on a Saturday morning, I was thankful and realised perhaps that others in the city feel the same way!

Once I was done with giving the children a sense of why I, as a writer, was there at the museum – History Mystery series, historical fiction yet full of facts, where and how I research, exhibits at museums forming a large part of it and more such, I seemed to have gained some credibility. (Questionable credibility, once I yelled Haayaaa Hooyaaa Heeyaaa like Ashoka’s Tremendous Ten from my book. My own teenagers weren’t there so I felt at liberty to go ahead and embarrass myself.)

We then broke into two groups of thirteen and fourteen children after an agonizing number of recounts and the kids got on with the work of giving themselves a detective name in keeping with the series pattern: Alliterative – Adjective Number. We ended up with the Thrilling Thirteen and the Fiery Fourteen.

That’s the moment when it went from planned to joyfully going-with-the-flow. I set the two groups off in the room to start being detectives and to identify an exhibit linked to my books that we could get information from. I’d thought this would be fairly straight forward but they suggested a Buddha statue might indicate Ashoka, the Bastar dancers sculpture – could they be Ashoka’s ten bodyguards, a sword on display might be for Razia and finally of course, the Mughal painting. I’ve got a couple of ideas for more sessions from them!

Here’s when things began to get really exciting. They were now to discover all that they could from one painting – large image on the projector, print outs in hand. Ten minutes in, a bunch of 9-year-olds had made their way back to the original exhibit which had sharper details, to ferret out anything else that they might have missed. It was such a joy to see them ponder over what they were seeing and take leaps of imagination to another time and place. Fifteen minutes in, when I suggested we begin discussing what they’d spotted, it was met with cries of ‘five more minutes’ from heads bent in concentration. I just sat by the side, grinning from ear-to-ear.

It’s when they began sharing what they’d found that I was well and truly gob-smacked. There were the more direct bits of information: clothes, styles of dressings, the fabric looking like cotton or silk, embroideries and decorations, turbans, a rich empire going by the jewels on everyone including the horses and elephants, the use of animals, weapons, symbols of kingship and more such. We spoke of likely professions just based on what they saw from goldsmiths, blacksmiths, weavers, animal handlers, courtiers and soldiers.

From there, it built on to the more nuanced aspects. One child had noticed that the people standing on the ground were wearing shoes while the ones on carpets stood barefoot. They picked up on the particular gesture while greeting the emperor. His benevolent look. The way the animal handler seemed to be treating the horse with gentleness. My favourite bit was them racking their brains over why the artist had shown Shah Jahan with a halo around his head, similar to a halo behind Buddha, Guru Nanak, Jesus and other spiritual figures. They made the visual connection and that led to a discussion on divine rule or efforts by monarchs around the world to assert their divine right to rule. We then went on to talk about the throne in the image and Shah Jahan’s peacock throne that my story, Shah Jahan and the Ruby Robber revolves around. And the inevitable question, ‘Where is the Kohinoor diamond and the Timur ruby? If the ruby has the names of the Mughal kings inscribed on it, why isn’t it back with us?’

Always good to leave them with some questions to ponder over.

To celebrate seven years of publishing

New author, with talent brimming?
Manuscripts in need of trimming?
A fab poem, but dodgy rhyme?
An idea that’s before it’s time?

Nothing is too strange for us!
We’re the joyful platypus!

Stories of worlds near or far—
Of falling stone or shooting star
Tales of joy or tales of woe,
They all have a place to go—

They come to us, in trains or buses,
We’re the joyful platypuses!

Typos we have missed a few,
Grammar sometimes goes askew.
From time to time, the cash is short—
‘Money, huh!’ we jointly snort.

Through strife and struggle, hear us cry
We’re the joyful platypii!

A list of what is new in children’s books from Indian publishers in November 2019.
The information in this list is what is provided to us by the publishers. Details may be updated.

Books for Younger Readers

Not My Long Blue Skirt
Author: Nandini Nayar
Illustrator: Darshika Varma
About the book: In a magical land, far, far away …
Princess Uma’s room is crammed with all sorts of things: board games and paper
kites, colourful balls and outgrown clothing. So her mother, the Queen, gives away some of these clothes to the neighbouring children . . . including Uma’s favourite long blue skirt! Can Princess Uma learn the value in sharing and the importance of letting go?
Publisher: Ms Moochie Books
Age group: 6+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Nandini Nayar is an award-winning writer and has written twenty-two picture books. Her book What Shall I Make? is a firm favourite with children and educators and is a staple at reading- and activity-based events. Apoorva’s Fat Diary and The Girl in the Mirror are some of her other books.
About the illustrator: Darshika Varma is a passionate reader and an artist, who believes books are her gateway to the fantasy land of her vivid imagination. She is inspired by the colours of nature, the environment, and all things ancient.
Price: Rs 175

Merry the Elephant’s Dance Class
Author: Deepti Ganesh
Illustrator: Pia Alize Hazarika
About the book: . . . 5, 6, 7, 8! Merry the Elephant loves to dance. But there’s just one teeny-tiny problem: she can’t remember any of the steps! She keeps bumping into her friends and hurting them accidentally. Can Rino the Rhino help Merry remember the dance routine?
Publisher: Ms Moochie Books
Age group: 3+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: After a misguided attempt at Computer Science, Deepti followed her love of reading and became a storyteller and editor. She is also a professional ballerina, who divides her time between creating stories for kids and teaching them how to do the perfect grand-jete.
About the illustrator: Pia Alize Hazarika is cat in human form. She draws, takes many naps, eats all the fish, glares at pigeons living outside her window, and is primarily interested in comics & visual narrative. She runs ‘PIG Studio,’ an illustration-driven space, based out of Mumbai.
Price: Rs 150

Kayu’s World is Round
Author: Lavanya Kapahi
Illustrator: Aditee Deore
About the book:The wheels of a cycle, a merry-go-round, a spinning top… Kayu lives in his own quiet world filled only with circles and the patterns they make. One day, he sees a cricket ball spin and curve and jump before it strikes the bat… and he is onto something! A magical bowling spell! Inspired by a child with autism, the story makes the worlds of different children intersect. In doing so, it sensitively evokes the coming together of their strengths.
Publisher: Tulika Books
Age group: 4+
Category: Picture book (Multiple languages)
About the author: Lavanya Kapahi is the founder of TheMeStory. Passionate about stories, books and technology, she combines them to create personalised storybooks for children. She believes stories empower them to live in a world of diversity. As mother, writer and entrepreneur, she juggles her interests and responsibilities with enthusiasm.
About the illustrator: A mechanical engineer by training, Aditee Deore likes to tell stories, visually. She is studying for a Masters in Animation Film Design at NID, Ahmedabad. Her interest in film making, comics and illustration, shows in this book that she worked on during an internship. Home is Dhule, Maharashtra.
Price: Rs 175 for English; Rs 150 for other languages

Gular Flower
Author: Rinchin
Illustrator: Vipul Verma
About the book: The gular flower is very, very beautiful, everyone says, and Renchu is desperate to see it. But is it red and big, pink and small, or white and shining like a star? Does it bloom during full moon in the month of Magh or of Kartik? There are many stories, all different, and only the really lucky get to see it. As she goes about her day picking waste, Renchu can think of only one thing – will she too see it sometime?
Publisher: Tulika Books
Age group: 6+
Category: Picture book (Multiple languages)
About the author: Rinchin lives in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, working with people’s movements. She loves stories, and feels that everyone should have some to read that reflect the worlds around them. With Tulika she has published several picture books, including Sabri’s Colours, The Trickster Bird and the award-winning I Will Save My Land. She has also contributed short stories for various anthologies.
About the illustrator: Vipul Verma worked on this book during an internship while studying at NID Kurukshetra. He likes to illustrate ordinary things, play the guitar, and go for long rides.
Price: Rs 175 for English; Rs 150 for other languages

What Did The Monster Child Eat Today?
Author: Sampurna Chattarji
Illustrator: Vibha Surya
About the book:
My breakfast was revolting
– it was simply divine.
My lunch was repulsive,
I liked it just fine.
My dinner was ghastly
– it was pure gourmet .
You’ll never believe
the things I ate today!
Sampurna Chattarji’s clever use of hyperbole and Vibha Surya’s quirky illustrations bring a child’s monstrous imagination to life, and will leave you shuddering and chuckling.
Publisher: Karadi Tales
Age group: 4+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Sampurna Chattarji is a poet, novelist, translator, and children’s author who has written over 15 books. Her poetry has been translated into multiple languages like Arabic, Welsh, and Gujarati. Her body lives in Thane and her heart in Mumbai.
About the illustrator: Vibha Surya is an aspiring illustrator who graduated from Stella Maris College. A quiet person since her childhood, art has always been her language and her first love. She loves to sketch, observe, collect random things, eat, and draw the food she eats.
Price: Rs 350

Star Struck
Author: Lavanya Karthik
Illustrator: Lavanya Karthik, Abhilasha Dewan
Art direction: Pooja Dhingra
About the book: Are you a true blue lion who loves being in charge? A dreamy-eyed fish who lives in an alternate universe? Or a strong-willed bull who’s tardy, but determined? Go on this zodiac adventure to discover what the stars say about your personality traits.
Lavanya Karthik takes readers on a delightful journey through the twelve astrological signs in this book written in verse. With sparkling illustrations by Abhilasha Dewan and Lavanya Karthik, this book celebrates the glorious galaxy of human nature.
Publisher: Karadi Tales
Age group: 7+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Lavanya Karthik lives in Mumbai, where she writes and illustrates children’s books and takes a lot of naps. When she was a little kid, all she wanted to do was make up stories and draw pictures. Now that she’s a slightly bigger kid, that is pretty
much all she does.
About the illustrator: Abhilasha Dewan found her passion in animation spreading over several forms of media. She endeavours to create stories with universal appeal structured around inventive design.
About the art director: Pooja Dhingra is a conceptualizer and graphic designer who prefers to work from a moving train or a snow-capped peak than from an office cubicle.
Price: Rs 499

The Mountains of Mumbai
Author: Labanya Ghosh
Illustrator: Pallavi Jain
About the book: Doma has come all the way from Ladakh to visit her friend Veda in Mumbai. While Doma loves the sights and sounds of the big city, she longs for the mountains of Ladakh. Imagine her surprise when Veda reveals that there are mountains in Mumbai too!
Author Labanya Ghosh takes you on an unforgettable tour of Mumbai, and illustrator Pallavi Jain’s watercolours bring alive this beloved, bustling coastal city.
Publisher: Karadi Tales
Age group: 4+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Since Labanya Ghosh cannot draw so much as a line, she paints
with words instead. She lives in Mumbai, where she writes copy for ads and teaches school children by way of work. For fun, she embroiders, reads, and hangs out with Loco, her cocker spaniel.
About the illustrator: Pallavi Jain is a Chartered Accountant whose penchant for art, and imagination made her switch to Graphic Design. Having completed her masters from NID, Ahmedabad, she believes children inspire change for a better tomorrow. She
loves exploring and experimenting with different media to create a magical world of her own.
Price: Rs 599

The Art of Tying A Pug
Author: Natasha Sharma
Illustrator: Priya Kuriyan
About the book: This book is exactly about the thing it says on the cover.
If you have ever tried to tie a pug, or thought of tying a pug, or wondered if a pug even needs to be tied, this book is for you. If you have not, this book is still for you, because Natasha Sharma’s hilarious instructions and Priya Kuriyan’s mad illustrations will have you raring to learn The Art of Tying a Pug!
Publisher: Karadi Tales
Age group: 4+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Natasha Sharma is an award-winning children’s book author. Writing across age groups, from picture books to historical fiction for children, she is extremely pleased to have found her way to the world of children’s literature with its sleepless nights of plotting and joyful moments of crazy character creation.
About the illustrator: Priya Kuriyan is a children’s book illustrator, comic book artist, and an animator. A graduate of the National Institute of Design, she has directed educational films for the Sesame Street show (India) and the Children’s Film Society of
India (CFSI), and illustrated numerous children’s books for various Indian publishers.
Price: Rs 225

Darkless
Author: Tanu Shree Singh
Illustrator: Sandhya Prabhat
About the book:On a night when the moon shone and the little specks of light danced on the ceiling, Ani lay awake. ‘It’s dark,’ he said. Everything has turned dark in Ani’s life. Dobby, Nani, friends – he has them all by his side. But he pulls away from them. Will Ani ever find his way out of the dark?
Publisher: Puffin India
Age group: 5+
Category: Picture book (English)
About the author: Tanu Shree Singh is an Assistant Professor in Psychology. She completed her studies in Positive Psychology, a relatively new and promising branch of psychology devoted to cultivating contented, happy, fulfilling lives. She extensively writes on issues related to parenting and has been published in leading online dailies and communities. She is the author of Keep Calm and Mommy On, DK Indian Icons: CV Raman and has contributed to the anthologies Flipped and I’d Rather Read.
Price: Rs 250

Books for Middle Readers

The Bhyabachyaka and Other Wild Poems
Author: Sampurna Chattarji and Eurig Salisbury
Illustrator: Saswata and Susruta Mukherjee
About the book: The Bhyabachyaka, the Llamysten, Dibyn-Dobyn and the Cyffrablaidd—all kinds of curious creatures come together in this collection of quirky nonsense poems that are sometimes creepy, sometimes strange, but always funny and highly entertaining.
Publisher: Scholastic India
Age group: 10+
Category: Poetry (English)
About the authors: Eurig Salisbury is a poet and novelist who lives in Aberystwyth, a great little town on the coast right in the middle of Wales. He works at the Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies in Aber University, but both his and his wife Rhiannon’s real work is looking after their four-year-old son Llew. He occasionally has enough spare time to drink coffee, eat omelettes and sleep.
Sampurna Chattarji was born in Dessie, Ethiopia. Her family returned to India when she was just eight months old, and settled in Darjeeling, where she had the most fabulous childhood. She studied English Literature in Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, and after graduation became a copywriter at HTA (now JWT), an ad agency, where she worked for seven years. In 1999, she gave up advertising to write full time.
About the illustrator: Saswata and Susruta Mukherjee, twin brothers from Kolkata, are illustrators and filmmakers who love creating art out of things they see around them and things they don’t.
Price: Rs 295

The Spark That Changed Everything: Stories of the World’s Greatest Discoveries, Ideas and Inventions
Author: Veena Prasad
About the book:
*Before pen and paper were invented, people made their signatures on clay!
* Humans were using sewing needles, constructing canals and crafting complex musical instruments before they invented the wheel!
* China was the first country to use paper currency instead of coins, but it wasn’t such a great move at that time!
A lot of great ideas, ingenious inventions and lucky accidents have gone into shaping the world as we know it today.
What was the first brainwave, and who had it? And how did it set other trailblazing innovations in motion? The Spark That Changed Everything is a fascinating roller-coaster ride through the marvels of human imagination and enterprise.
Bursting with pictures, photographs andincredible facts, this science-meets-history book delves deep into the stories behind the ground-breaking ideas that humans have had through the ages, from cooking and computing to maths, astronomy and even toilets! What are you waiting for?
Take a trip to the past and see how we got here!
Publisher: Hachette India
Age group: 11+
Category: Non-fiction (English)
About the authors: Veena Prasad’s writing spans diverse genres and age groups, but what she enjoys best is combining science and history in fun ways for young readers. She also teaches English literature and creates crosswords for her weekly column in The Hindu Young World. Veena believes there is hope yet for the planet, if we all make sustainable life choices. On her part, she strives to minimize the trash she generates by refusing single use disposables and composting her organic waste, so her young readers are not burdened with the task of cleaning up the planet!
Price: Rs 299

Rama’s Ring
Author: Niranjana Sivaram and Sanjana Kapur
Illustrator: Durgesh Velhal, Rajib Das, Sanjay Valecha, Charbak Dipta and Sundarlal
About the book: When Rama’s ring falls down a crack in the floor, Hanuman makes himself tiny and leaps in after it. In the heart of the earth, he learns an eternal truth about Rama.

When Draupadi is humiliated by Dushasana in the Kaurava court, help comes from an unexpected quarter.

Over the centuries, the Ramayana and Mahabharata have been written in different Indian languages to enable them to reach a wider audience. Poets like Tulsidas, Kamban and Krittibas Ojha penned down their own versions of these stories in the common language of their regions. tribal communities also had their own versions in the form of songs and plays that their people could connect to.

In this special collection, Amar Chitra Katha brings together nine stories from alternate tellings of two great Indian epics. While some tales are based on Valmiki’s Ramayana and Vyasa’s Mahabharata, others are legends passed down from one generation to the next.
Publisher: Amar Chitra Katha
Age group: 9+
Category: Comic book/graphic novel (English)
Price: Rs 199

The Mad and Magical World of Sukumar Ray
Author: Sukumar Ray 
Translator: Sreejata Guha
About the book: A wooden doll has the power to protect her owner’s life, but only after she is fed. A school master offers his friend a lesson in anger management with hilarious results. A crafty tailor uses his talents to fool a mighty sultan.

In Sukumar Ray’s world magic and mayhem collide in delightful ways, and nonsense makes more sense than… well, sense! While Ray was best known for his humour writing, he also penned a large number of plays, essays, sketches, non-fiction pieces and short stories inspired by folklore from faraway lands in his brief lifetime.

This amazing collection showcases Sukumar Ray’s extraordinary range and proves that he could wield a tragic tale or retell a Russian fable with the same flair and ease with which he juggled puns and rhymes in a nonsense poem.
Publisher: Hachette
Age group: 11+
Category: Poetry and fiction (English)
Price: Rs 299

Strange and Mysterious Places the World Forgot
Author: Arthy Muthanna Singh & Mamta Nainy  
About the book: Have you heard of a lake where you can find hundreds of skeletons floating on the clear, blue waters? Would you believe it if we told you that there’s a gate that drips blood? Have you ever seen a tree as big as an entire forest… or a palace that has no pillars? How about a monastery that looks like a giant honeycomb from a distance?

Strap yourself in and get ready for a swashbuckling tour across India with the second book in this exciting new series, A Dozen and a Half Stories, and discover the secrets behind some of the most mysterious places that you didn’t even know existed.

From a fort where entry after sunset is forbidden to a one-of-a-kind crater created by a huge chip of the moon, from a church that drowns every monsoon and re-emerges during the summers, to pillars that sing Sa Re Ga Ma, these places will spook you, send shivers down the spine, make you gasp, and leave you with more questions than answers!
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Age group: 9+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the authors: Arthy Muthanna Singh is a children’s writer, freelance journalist, copywriter, editor and cartoonist. She has authored more than 35 books for children. She conducts creative writing workshops and lives in Gurugram. She has been helping her mother conduct the Ooty Literary Festival since 2016.
Mamta Nainy is a children’s writer and editor. She spent some years in advertising before an apple fell on her head while she was sitting under a mango tree and she had her Eureka moment. She has been writing for children since then. She has authored many books for children, including A Brush with Indian Art, which won The Hindu Young World-Goodbooks Award 2019.
Price: Rs 195

Amma, Take Me to Shirdi
Author: Bhakti Mathur
About the book: Join Amma and her boys as they travel to Shirdi, home to one of India’s  most celebrated saints-Sai Baba. Hear the story of one of the most loved and revered mystics. Walk around the neem tree that gave him shelter. Relish a few moments in Dwarka Mai, the dilapidated mosque that became his home. Visit Dhuni Mai, the ever-burning fire Sai Baba had lit, and receive his blessings. Hear stories of the countless miracles he performed as you pay respects at the Shri Samadhi Temple, where he rests. Feel Sai Baba’s all-pervasive presence, blessings and grace as you soak in the spirit of this sanctum. Listen to his teachings of Shraddha and Saburi and his beliefs of ‘Allah Malik’ and ‘Sabka Malik Ek’. Let Amma take you on a journey to witness the life of this unique saint who taught by example, compassion and kindness and who, for a century, has been drawing millions of adoring devotees every year.
Told through interesting stories with captivating illustrations, this book brings alive an important place of worship in an engaging and non-preachy way
Publisher: Puffin India
Age group: 9+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the authors: Bhakti Mathur took to writing in 2010 when she created the popular Amma, Tell Me series of children’s picture books about Indian festivals and mythology. After a long stint as a banker, she now juggles her time between her writing, her passion for yoga and long-distance running, and her family
Price: Rs 350

The Golden Eagle: Feather Tales
Author: Deepak Dalal
About the book: “We will tell you a story” said Dovey.
“We will tell you the story you wanted to hear.”
The Rose Garden has always been famous for its marvellous tales of adventure, survival and travel recounted there. One evening, Shikar the squirrel’s favourite doves – Lovey and Dovey – narrate a feather-raising story on his behest. A story about a villainous stork, his cackling cronies and a magnificent golden eagle. But this is no ordinary story. This one will deeply affect Shikar, altering his notions of himself, his past and his origins. Return to the ledges of the fountain in the Rose Garden to read about the enthralling capers of your favourite feathered friends and bird-squirrel as they swap stories of daring and wonder.
Publisher: Puffin India
Age group: 8+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the authors: Deepak Dalal gave up a career in chemical engineering to write stories for children. He lives in Pune with his wife, two daughters, and several dogs and cats. He enjoys wildlife, nature and the outdoors. All his stories have a strong conservation theme. His earlier books in the Vikram Aditya adventure series are set in India’s wilderness destinations. This is his fourth book in the Feather Tales series.
Price: Rs 250

Discover India
Author: Sonia Mehta
About the books: Mishki and Pushka are can’t wait to get going. Daadu Dolma is taking them on a safari to see some of India’s famed wildlife. They’re about see rare animals like the Gangetic dolphin, meet endangered species like the Bengal tigers and one-horned rhinoceros, watch some amazing reptiles slither around and spot colourful birds like the fire-tailed myzornis and the Himalayan monal in Discover India: Wildlife of India!
Mishki and Pushka have learned a lot about India. And now they’re ready to solve the puzzles, riddles and activities that Daadu Dolma has created specially for them. Join them and take on the challenge of completing activities on India’s history, its kings and queens, its festivals and monuments, its art and culture in India Activity Book.
Age group: 8+
Category: Non-fiction
Publisher: Puffin India
About the author: Sonia Mehta is a children’s writer who believes that firing up a child’s imagination means introducing them to a world of adventure. She has been writing for children for over two decades. Her body of work is wide-ranging-she has created one of India’s first dedicated children’s newspaper sections; conceptualized the Cadbury Bournvita Quiz Contest for TV; and has written books, songs, poems and stories for leading publishers in India, several African nations, the USA and the UK.
Price: Rs 199

Books for Young Adults

Across the Line
Author: Nayanika Mahtani
About the book: When thirteen-year-old Jai accidentally discovers an old diary hidden in his home, little does he know that it is going to lead to an unravelling of dark secrets from the past–unspoken truths that Jai’s grandmother has taken a lifetime to forget.
Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, fifteen-year-old Inaya gets selected for an international cricket tournament. But now she needs to overcome a bigger hurdle–getting her family’s permission to go. As Jai and Inaya’s unlikely paths cross, another story unfolds. A story that started in 1947, with the drawing of a line. A story that shifts the truth in their lives.
Publisher: Puffin India
Age group: 13+
Category: Fiction (English)
About the authors: Nayanika Mahtani is the author of Ambushed and The Gory Story of Genghis Khan (a.k.a. Don’t Mess with the Mongols). She lives in London with her family and their two goldfish named Sushi and Fishfinger.
Price: Rs 250