5 New-Age Children's Books By Contemporary Indian Authors That Should Be On The Top Of Every Parents' List

These days parents keep complaining about how little their children read outside of the mundane syllabus that they are entrusted with from schools and this a matter that must be looked into for sure. With the advent of technology the newer generations are slowly moving away from the simple joys of life and reading for sure is one of them. Hence, to keep children interested in reading we must find them books that are not only relatable but are incredibly informative too.

Here is a list of books that you as a parent can definitely get your kids to read-

1. The People of the Indus by Nikhil GulatiOften touted as one of the least understood civilizations to exist, there is much to learn about the Harappans even now. Nikhil Gulati’s graphic narrative backed by Jonathan Mark Kenoyer’s over thirty-five years of research in the area makes history accessible to both the young and old.It uncovers little-known facts about the civilization-their architectural expertise and suave city planning, their ability to function as a society without kings and their skilled seamanship that took them across oceans to conduct international trade.There are many mysteries that surround the Indus Valley, including our inability to decipher the Indus script even now. The book also attempts to critically analyze the long-debated Aryan Invasion (theory) that lead to the fall of the civilization and thus makes for an interesting read.
2. Read and Colour Series by Devdutt PattanaikAn all-in-one storybook, picture and colouring book, Devdutt Pattanaik’s Read and Colour series are the perfect introduction to Indian gods for a new generation of readers.The book is can be introduced as a read-aloud, which helps the child engage with the stories through its illustrations and helps them imbibe the message of the stories with the colouring activity. The bite-sized stories aim to introduce the children to the qualities the gods represent besides just sharing anecdotes of their lives. For example, Hanuman: Anjani’s Mighty Son introduces young readers to the qualities of courage, loyalty, selflessness and humility through the range of stories it shares.
3. Outlandish World Series by CG Salamander and Rajiv EipeA middle-grade fantasy series, the Outlandish World Series introduces us to Maithili, an outcast to the world of humans, and her motley gang of friends. Inspired by South Indian mythology the award-winning writer and illustrator duo, CG Salamander and Rajiv Eipe have written two books in this gripping series — Maithili and the Minotaur: Web of Woe and Forest of Forgotten Fears. The first book introduces us to the world where Maithili now resides — the outskirts of a magical wilderness. As she makes new friends in the realm of monsters, she must also learn to be careful as some monsters are just like humans: mean, nasty and out for blood. In the second adventure, Maithili, Minotaur and their friends go on a field trip into the forest which soon turns into nefarious. Blissfully unaware and underprepared, one wrong turn sends them spiralling into the depths of their worst fears. Filled with unknown creatures-some friendly, some scary, the series is perfect for readers of Hilda and Arthur and the Golden Rope.
4. Hook BooksThere are very few if any, Indian books which are the perfect transition between picture books and early chapter books. This series is exactly that.Hook books retain the basic characteristics of a picture like very small amounts of text, full coloured illustrations on each spread, simple words and an interplay between the illustrations and text to make it an integral part of the reading process. At the same time, any book the series is the regular size of a chapter book vis-à-vis the large format picture books. The language and grammar structures are more advanced, and a simple language exercise at the back of each book makes the child more aware of the use of language in the book. Hook Books also have non-metro settings with fairly strongly localized settings so that children read stories in very diverse settings, which is only appropriate in a country with as many diverse peoples as India. So for example, in Kitten Trouble, while it is never mentioned, the setting is Vadodhara, and the illustrator has taken pains to make sure that every detail in clothes, food and houses, are accurate. While there are books set in Mumbai and Hyderabad, there are also books set in rural Kerala, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Himachal and so on.
5. Smartypants SeriesIndian parents are often very invested in teaching their children science, maths and geography at a very early age. However, there was a lack of age-appropriate books to explain concepts simply and in a child-friendly way so that children would not be overwhelmed by complex ideas. Smartypants Series crisply explains the central tenets of a concept so that children would easily understand them. Humour, clear illustrations and a wayward cat attract children to the books so that science would not be something intimidating when they learn it in school.Celebrated author Anushka Ravishankar, who loves science, maths and humour, was the perfect person to write these books. Illustrator Pia Alize Hazarika, who can do diagrams, whimsy and humour with equal ease, was the perfect illustration partner. The other thing that these two have in common is a love of cats–and of course, Smartypants, the cat, is what unites the books.The act of the concepts being explained to an admittedly intelligent cat makes learning seem like play for the child.

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