Over 100 of our titles in English and Hindi are part of the list compiled by the Central Board of Secondary Education, for recommended reading in schools. Selected by an expert panel, these books for Classes I-XII are regularly requisitioned for schools across the country.
Karimuga is a pleasant rakshasa. He is a beautiful rakshasa too. But that makes all other rakshasas jealous of him. Karimuga can't bear to see them unhappy... A story that inverts ideas of beauty with a light touch, while the pictures add to the fun.
A sweet, simple story with luscious pictures that evoke delicious flavours of hot days, warm friendships and the smell of mango in the air. 2013: Highly Commended, South Asia Books Awards, USA
One morning, a mother and child go in search of the sun. Will they find it? The simple story is based on a traditional painting by a master Warli artist, with illustrations extracted from the original spectacular canvas.
Little Paploo has many questions about the world and everything else… why this, why that, why not, why now. And then he makes an important discovery.
Friendship knows no partition or barbed wire fencing, and all children feel the loss of friends. A moving reading experience with strong visuals using the art of appliqué work common to India and Pakistan.
Mr Moochhvaala and his mechanical monsters are going to cut down Bargad chawl and the banyan tree, and its residents are worried. Now it's left to Ali, the monkey, to swing into action.
An owl drops a purple feather in a forest. A little girl picks it up and there begins a journey into magical lands...
A thrilling book based on a true story of an encounter with the endangered cat in the Western Ghats in India. Stunning pastels bring to life the majestic black panther.
This well-loved story draws from universal truths as it tells a lyrical tale of a small bird that changes the life of a cold and bare mountain.
A crisp adaptation of a delightful Turkish tale about Ismat and his Eid purchases. The illustrations capture the humour and cultural resonances of the story. 2010: Vermont Red Clover Award, USA
The quiet villages of Sundarban are terrorised by a monster — Dokkhin Rai! Until finally, Bon Bibi, protector of the forests, asks him a simple question: Why do you do this?
The monsoon has failed in Yellaiah's village. One day, Yella finds a kite. It is a wish-fulfilling kite, says Rajamma the fruit-seller. What will Yella wish for? A story of children's dreams and fears with pictures that evoke a rural landscape.
Bijoy is from a small village in Assam close to the Brahmaputra. His mother is a silk weaver. One day, Bijoy goes on his first visit to the golden silk village, Sualkuchi.
Mayor Piloo Paheliji loves to show off by asking riddles no one can answer. But someone is more than a match for him and confounds confusion by riddling him! A book that celebrates riddles with illustrations that capture all the fun.
The Ilkal fabrics shine yellow, red, orange, green. But blue? An intrepid little girl and her pigeon friend, Chandrakali, learn to make it. A story about dyes and how they are created.
Who should get more rottis — Ookamma or Ookaiah? The coming together of two stories, one real and one folk, gives the telling a tender yet amusing twist. Well known artist A.V. Ilango's strong, flowing lines recreate the earthy ambience of rural Andhra. 2018: Best Of Indian Children's Writing : Contemporary
An anthology of stories from Kashmir, evocatively illustrated. The people, the sights, the places and adventures all bring alive a region little represented in children's books.
Danger! There is a Word eater at large who snatches words and makes them disappear.
A runaway computer programme lands Aditi and her friends in big trouble. The rebellious little Mistress i takes the adventurers on a fascinating exploration of cyberworld.
Practical Siril seems to have fallen in love... with one of Jupiter's moons! With help from the Techno Sage he gets set to build a spaceship to zoom into space and correct the moon's orbit.
A collection of short stories focusing on communal harmony. Includes writers such as Zai Whitaker, Poile Sengupta, Githa Hariharan and Shama Futehally.
This timely collection retells stories from mythology and folklore to focus on the need to protect, conserve and value water. Together with interesting facts and a timeline from earliest times, this book makes a creative plea to readers of all ages to treat water, and, by extension, all life, with respect 2010: Excellence in Book Production, Federation...
Santosh craves the space for both parents in his life, and decides to do something about it. A short, quick-read novel that explores a delicate web of relationships with a refreshingly light and honest touch. 2010: Bal Sahitya Puraskar, Sahitya Akademi
Set centuries ago but with contemporary resonance, this captures the essence of the weaver-poet, Kabir, blending high drama and philosophy at a thriller-like pace.
