Revisit the magical world of fun and adventure! (Designed by Gargi Singh)It’s every parent’s dream to inculcate good reading habits in a child. Simply because books are the wisest of counsellors and play a huge part in shaping a child’s mindset at an early age. The wise words of George R R Martin sums up what most of us feel – “A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.”
And what better day for your child to brush up on reading than April 2, that is celebrated as International Children’s Book Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, best remembered for his fairy tales The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling.
We have curated a list of books by Indian authors that both you and your child can enjoy. Revisit the magical world of fun and adventure!
Ruskin Bond’s Collection
Ruskin Bond’s prolific ability to churn out stories for kids makes him one of India’s most-loved authors. Known for his literary collections like, ‘The Room on the Roof’ and ‘Mr Oliver’s Diary’, his work is deeply influenced by his life in the Himalayan hill stations and also explores Anglo-Indian experiences and the changing political, social and cultural aspects of India, post-colonisation and post-independence.
Satyajit Ray’s Feluda
Written by Satyajit Ray, Feluda made its first appearance in a Bengali children’s magazine called Sandesh in 1965. It is a popular thriller-suspense which two kids Feluda and his cousin Tapesh Ranjan Mitra try and solve.
Anushka Ravishankar’s Tiger on a Tree
Anushka Ravishankar tried her hand in writing for the first time when she had sent her first few stories to Tinkle, a comic book. When two of these stories won a contest organised by the magazine, the publisher of Tinkle offered her a job, but Ravishankar could only freelance due to personal reasons. However, after a few years, she started working with Tara Books, a children’s publishing house, were she authored Tiger on a Tree, a book of nonsense verse that was translated to Japanese, Korean and French.
R. K. Narayanan’s Malgudi Days
Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami, was an Indian writer known for his works set in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi. He was a leading author of early Indian literature in English and used to highlight the social context and everyday life of common Indian life. Malgudi Days and The Man-Eater of Malgudi are few of his noteworthy books that also got turned into TV series and various theatre plays.
Ashok Rajagopalan’s Gajapati Kulapati
Ashok Rajagopalan writes and draws for children’s books. His evocative, comic illustrations fill the pages of many Tulika books. His book Gajapati Kulapati is a must-read. Sunu-Sunu Snail: A Storm in the Garden, Thakitta Tharikitta Bouncing Ball and Chhotu and the Big Wind are a few of his popular books.
