The White Lotus
by Aditi Krishnakumar Publisher: Duckbill Books ‘I can hardly imagine it, but everything will be different tomorrow. I’ve looked forward to it for years. I’ll truly be Sundaram’s wife, together in body as in spirit . . .’ But that tomorrow never comes, and at just fourteen, Aru is left a widow. Worse, the village […]
Fitting Indian
by Jyoti Chand; illustrated by Tara Anand Publisher: HarperAlley All Nitasha’s parents want is for her to be the perfect Indian daughter—something she is decidedly not. Everything she does seems to disappoint them, especially her mom. They just don’t get that she’ll never be like her doctor older brother. To make matters worse, she’s never […]
HJBRL (Based on the Novella by Sukumar Ray)
by Charbak Dipta Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books A timeless example of nonsense literature, HJBRL (first published in Bengali as HaJaBaRaLa) showcases the genius of Sukumar Ray. A world where handkerchiefs become cats, and a crow does accounting, nothing is as it seems. Featuring a wild array of characters that inexplicably come and go and give […]
Ancient Indians
by Tony Joseph; adapted for children by Devika Cariapa; illustrated by Rajiv Eipe Publisher: Juggernaut Books A high-speed adventure across deep time – full of beasts, battles and the biggest origin story of all. Once upon a time, India had no people at all, at least not people as we know them today. Just giant […]
The Thief of Taxila: A Silk Road Mystery
by Veena Muthuraman Publisher: Talking Cub Books In the bustling bylanes of ancient Taxila, where scholars debate philosophy and traders exchange silk for gold, danger lurks in the shadows. Xuan, a reluctant scribe from distant China, finds himself entangled in dangerous intrigue. The sacred relics of the Great Buddha and a priceless royal amulet have […]
Birds on the Brain
by Uma Krishnaswami Publisher: Duckbill Books Reeni is wild about birds! So when she and her best friend, Yasmin, have to do a survey for a school project, asking their neighbours what they know about birds is an obvious choice. They are shocked to learn that no one—not one single person!—has heard about Bird Count […]
Baloo’s Big Win: How Palwankar Baloo Broke the Caste Barrier in Cricket 🏆
by Mamta Nainy; illustrated by Saumya Oberoi Publisher: Puffin ‘Does anyone really win when not everyone gets to play?’ Right from his childhood, Baloo loved cricket. But he lived at a time when the rules of the game weren’t fair. Despite being a great bowler, he wasn’t allowed on the team because he was from […]
Art is a Voice
by Kripa Publisher: Art1st “Can art be a tool for dissent? If art is used by the powerful for exploitation, can it also be used for protest and resistance?” Artist and illustrator Kripa couples eleven verses with vivid illustrations, interspersed with the works of eleven contemporary Indian artists. Art is a Voice introduces readers to […]
When the Sun Sets
by Ogin Nayam Publisher: Pratham Books The Sun has set. But what does she do after a long day? Let’s find out, because the Sun has invited us to her home.
Zen
By Shabnam Minwalla Publisher: Duckbill Books Modern Mumbai – independent-minded Zen contemplates college, conflicted by feelings for the perplexing Yash. 1939 – Zen’s great-grandmother Zainab writes a diary detailing her life and events in the wider world. An absorbing page turner with well-developed characters from several generations giving insights into politics and religion past and […]