The People of the Indus 🏆

Authors: Nikhil Gulati with Jonathan Mark Kenoyer Illustrator: Nikhil Gulati Publisher: Penguin Random House Who were the people of the Indus? Why didn’t they build pyramids like the Egyptians? And ultimately what happened to them? Supported by extensive research from a leading Indus archaeologist, this graphic novel seeks answers to precisely these questions. It is […]

The Ghost of Malabar

Author: Soumya Ayer Illustrator: Isha Nagar Publisher: HarperCollins India A spooky tale… set in Fort Kochi, once a seaside town with a long colonial history! Twelve-year-old Edwin blames his father, a wayward fisherman for everything rotten in his life. But when he encounters Velu his life is catapulted from rotten to outright chaotic. Velu is […]

The Train to Tanjore

Author: Devika Rangachari Publisher: Duckbill Tanjore, 1942 There are few excitements in Thambi’s quiet life. There is the new hotel, disapproved of by elders, which lures him with the aroma of sambar with onions. There are visits to the library to read the newspaper, and once in a while, a new movie at the Rajaram […]

When Blackbirds Fly

Author: Hannah Lalhlanpuii Publisher: Duckbill Life is sweet growing up in Aizawl, with his family and friends, and all the narrator wants is a peaceful life. But the independence movement in Mizoram means that regardless of what he wants, he is drawn inexorably into a world where everyone has to choose where they stand … […]

The Sweet Shop Wars 🏆

Author: Chatura Rao Illustrator: Rajiv Eipe Publisher: Duckbill Best Sweets has opened next to Firoza’s dadu’s sweet shop and is taking away all the customers. How can Firoza make her dadu’s shop better than Best? The Hook Book series of short simple stories for beginning readers come with fun stories set in different parts of […]

Misfit Madhu 🏆

Author: Divya Anand Illustrator: Vedushi Sinha Publisher: Puffin Madhu is a shy middle-grade developer who spends her holidays creating her dream app, ‘School Santhe’. Soon, the app goes viral…and so does she! And why not? After all, an app where everyone at school can trade stuff is the app they’ve all been waiting for! Madhu […]

Roshan’s Road to Music

Author: Mamta Nainy Illustrator: Priyanka Tampi Publisher: Puffin   A unique biography that explores and celebrates the life of a musician as a passionate little girl. Right from her childhood, Annapurna Devi, born as Roshanara Khan, had an ear for music. She found rhythm and melody in the most mundane sounds. She listened with wonder […]

The Monster Who Could not Climb a Tree

Author: Tanya Majmudar Illustrator: Rajiv Eipe Publisher: Kalpavriksh Avi has a secret, a terrible one. He has to face a monster that no one knows about. Who is this monster that troubles Avi? How does he fight it?

We are the Dancing Forest

Author: Raj Shekhar Illustrator: Venkat Shyam Translator: Devashish Makhija Publisher: Tulika Publishers Inspired by an adivasi song from Telangana, this taps right into the instincts of children – fun with words and rhythm, and a yet unspoilt ability to be aware of the connectedness of the natural world. Venkat Shyam’s Gond folk style arises from […]

The Enchanted Cottage

Author: Ruskin Bond Illustrator: Sucharita Sengupta Suri Publisher: HarperCollins India   Odd things were happening to me in my little cottage near the forest … There was no terrifying dream that night, or the following night, but the cottage did have an almost tangible atmosphere about it — a feeling for the past, or rather, […]