The Quiet Magic of Children’s Literature

To paraphrase Keats, “A thing of simplicity is a joy forever/ Its loveliness increases/ It will never pass into nothingness.”

Reading and understanding children’s books as a 40-something woman is my superpower. The ingenuity of illustrations and the candour of thought, wrapped up in unpretentious language, I believe, have all the makings of a true art form. A book written with a child in mind has the power to lay strong foundations while simultaneously rousing emotions – and that is all the excitement I need from a book. 

Over the years, some books have burrowed deep and made a place for themselves in my mind, and I frequently find myself reaching for them every time I am asked to recommend books for children. This is by no means a complete or exhaustive list, what with new books being published daily. But it is a list to help you get started on creating your own personal Indian children’s bookshelf. 

I always start my list with Nani’s Walk to the Park, written and illustrated by Deepa Balsavar. Little Venki wants to go to the park, and he asks his Nani to take him. But Nani has a few errands to run first. Venki begins to look at the neighbourhood through Nani’s eyes, and a boring walk becomes a thrilling adventure! 

Thatha at School by Richa Jha and illustrated by Gautham Benegal is a story every child will relate to. Oviyam loves her Thatha, but when school announces Grandparents’ Day, she is nervous! Her Thatha dresses in traditional wear and loves wearing a veshti. Will her friends make fun of her? 

Priya Kuriyan’s Ammachi’s Glasses is a modern-day classic! In this story, Ammachi has lost her glasses, and her family watches in horror as she muddles her way through the day, refusing any help from the family. They finally find her glasses in the most unexpected place, but not before Priya Kuriyan takes the reader on a rip-roaring adventure while giving us a deep, intimate look into the life of a Malayali Christian family. 

When Ali Became Bajrangbali, by Devashish Makhija and illustrated by Priya Kuriyan, is a tongue-in-cheek look at a common occurrence in urban areas – the cutting down of giant trees to make way for development. This story takes a look at all those who lose their home and a monkey’s clever way of manipulating humans to save his home! 

The Monster Who Couldn’t Climb A Tree, by Tanya Majmudar and illustrated by Rajiv Eipe, is a tender and beautiful book about Avi, a little boy, grappling with big emotions. Every time he gets angry, Avi feels a red monster taking over his body. He runs to climb a neighbourhood Borsali tree because he knows the monster cannot follow him there, and he will stop being tormented by those big emotions. But what happens when the neighbour decides to cut the tree down? This is a must-read for children and parents, and a book that will help with many meaningful conversations. 

Dugga, written and illustrated by Rajiv Eipe, is a masterclass in empathy towards animals. We meet Dugga, a stray dog, living his best life on the streets. He takes fear and disgust in his stride and lives his happy dog life, chasing flies and running after trains. One day, Dugga is in a life-changing accident. A kind stranger nurses him back to health as he slowly adjusts to his new life. From looking at the world from a dog’s perspective through his many idiosyncrasies to effectively using colours as a barometer for Dugga’s well-being, this is a book that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. 

Who Clicked That Pic?, written by Nandita Da Cunha and illustrated by Priya Kuriyan, is a book inspired by India’s first woman photojournalist, Homai Vyarawalla. I love this book because of the escalating dramatic tension created by both the words and the images. In the story, Pari Mistry has ten pictures left in her camera reel, and she must get the perfect picture of the Ganesh procession for the front page of the newspaper. The book keeps the reader engaged and on the edge of their seat! 

Moin and the Monster, written by Anushka Ravishankar and illustrated by Anita Balachandran, is hilarious and will lend itself to reading over and over again. Moin finds a monster hiding under his bed, and not just any monster, one that sings silly songs and loves eating bananas! Moin needs to keep this secret from his family, but will he be able to? This book is a classic and must be read as a rite of passage! 

A Cloud Called Bhura by Bijal Vachharajani is a young reader’s first introduction to climate fiction. Through this verisimilar fiction, the author highlights that it is now time for children to bond together and facilitate change. Hilarious, gritty, and relatable, this is a must-read. 

Dreamer Series, written and illustrated by Lavanya Karthik, is a set of ten microbiographies about inspiring Indians. Each book traces an event from the protagonist’s childhood that sets them on the path to achieve great things. The illustrative styles of each book are inspired by art forms from the Indian state of the featured Dreamer. A wonderful series designed to pique the interest of children. 

StORI or Stories of Rural India by various authors is a set of books featuring stories of disenfranchised communities and the challenges they face daily. Told from the perspective of child protagonists, young urban readers will get a glimpse into worlds far removed from their own and understand struggles they only read about in newspapers. 

Limiting my recommendations to just those above was not an easy task. There are so many brilliant, amazing books that I have not included here. What unites these exemplary books is that they offer a glimpse into the wonderful world of Indian children’s literature through their honest and simple storytelling. They allow young readers gentle ways of understanding the world through curiosity, humour, empathy, and wonder. Choosing to celebrate neighbourhoods, grandparents, siblings, animals, friendships, grief, and laughter roots these books in a world Indian children understand and connect with. I love these books for their timelessness and their comfort – something my children and I reach for often. Years later, these stories still linger, reminding us that the simplest stories are often the most endearing, and in that lies the quiet magic of children’s literature.