Children's book relating to India

Dai

I was wondering if anyone was able to recommend any books for my daughter about India. Anything really, traditional Indian children's stories, books about Indian culture and religion aimed at children, modern Indian children's book- with an obviously Indian theme.

She is almost 7 years old and is a very good reader, but the themes obviously need to be suitable. We won't be travelling to India until she is 9 so even titles of books aimed at older children would be appreciated, especially as I will also be wanting books for her to read when we are there, either that I can buy in the UK before leaving or even better that will be easily available in bookshops there.

Golghar

@Dai
If you ever get down to London go to a shop called Indian Book Shelf*. It is a short walk from Warren Street tube station towards Fitzroy Square. They have a large stock of children's books in English from India.

*55, Warren Street,
London W1T 5NW
Ph.: 020 7380 0622
E-mail: starbooksuk@aol.com
www.starbooksuk.com

I just found their web-site (see above). You can browse their stock and order directly.

aarosh

May be this can help you http://www.amarchitrakatha.com/

Gori Girl

Here's a list of elementary books on India that I got from... somewhere on the web. If anyone knows the source, actually, I'd like to know too.

Children’s Books Set in India

Picture Books

A Gift for Gita. By Rachna Gilmore. Illus. by Alice Priestley. 2002. Tilbury, paper, $7.95 (9780884482390). Gr. 2-3
After Gita's family immigrates to the U.S., Gita's father receives a job offer back in India. Gilmore's simple words and Priestley's softly colored pencil art show each family member's response to the news and the underlying pull between countries, all portrayed from a child's viewpoint.

Chachaji's Cup. By Uma Krishnaswami. Illus. by Soumya Sitaraman. 2003. Children's Book Press, $16.95 (9780892391783). K-Gr. 3
In his comfortable home in the U.S., an Indian boy, Neel, listens to his great-uncle tells stories about Hindu deities and his family's flight from their home in 1947, after India and Pakistan divided. The richly colored paintings evoke the joy and melancholy of the family story.

Mama's Saris. By Pooja Makhijani. Illus. by Elena Gomez. 2007. Little, Brown Young Readers, $ 16.99 (9780316011051). K-Gr. 3
An East Indian American daughter pleads with her mother to be allowed to wear one of her mother's colorful saris in honor of her seventh birthday.

Monsoon. By Uma Krishnaswami. Illus. by Jamel Akib. 2003. Farrar, $16 (9780374350154). PreS-Gr. 2
In a parched Indian city, a girl and her family wait for the end-of-summer rains. The girl's poetic language captures both her longing and her relief when the monsoon finally arrives, all depicted in Akib's sun-baked art. A final note provides details about the nature, geography, and dangers of monsoon rains.

My Dadima Wears a Sari. By Kashmira Sheth. Illus. by Yoshiko Jaeggi. 2007. Peachtree, $16.95 (9781561453924). PreS-Gr. 2
As Rupa and her sister admire their grandmother's sari collection, they listen to the special history behind each piece of cloth. Jaeggi's delicate watercolors extend the story's intergenerational tenderness in scenes of the loving family unfurling the luxurious lengths of fabric together. *

My Mother's Sari. By Sandhya Rao. Illus. by Nina Sabnani. 2006. North-South Books, $14.95
(978-0735821019). K-Gr.3
A young girl describes all the things she does with her mother's sari. Includes simple instructions on how to wear a sari. **

Excuse Me, Is This India? By Anushka Ravishankar. Illus. by Anita Leutwiler. 2004.Tara Books, $14.95
(978-8186211564). K-Gr. 3
A young girl has an amazing dream about the sights and sounds of India After Her aunt Anna returns from a trip there, bringing her a special quilt.

Selvakumar Knew Better. By Virginia Kroll. Illus. by Xiaojun Li. 2006. Shens, $17.95 (9781885008299). K-Gr. 3
Based on a true account of a family dog that saved a child in southern India during the 2004 tsunami, this picture book brings the disaster close through an amazing rescue story. The words and realistic illustrations are neither sentimental nor sensational, and a lengthy author's note provides more information about the region's tragedy.

Chapter Books


Blue Jasmine. By Kashmira Sheth. 2004. Hyperion Book CH, $15.99 (9780786818556). Gr. 5-8
When twelve-year-old Seema moves to Iowa City with her parents and younger sister, she leaves friends and family
behind in her native India but gradually begins to feel at home in her new country.

Climbing the Stairs. By Padma Venkatraman.2008. Putnams Juvenile, $16.99 (9780399247460 ). Gr.5-8
In India, in 1941, when her father becomes brain-damaged in a non-violent Protest march, fifteen-year-old Vidya and her
family are forced to move in with her father's extended family and become accustomed to a totally different way of life.

The Conch Bearer. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. 2003. Roaring Brook Press, $16.95 (9780761319351). Gr.5-8
Twelve-year-old Anand is entrusted with a conch shell that possesses mystical powers and sets out on a journey to return the shell to its rightful home many hundreds of miles away.

Homeless Bird. By Gloria Whelan. 2000. HarperCollins, $15.95 (9780060284541). Gr.5-8
Thirteen-year-old Koly enters into an ill-fated arranged marriage and must either suffer a destiny dictated by India's customs or find the courage to oppose tradition.

Keeping Corner. By Kashmira Sheth. 2007. Hyperion Books, $15.99 (9780786838592).Young Adult
In India in the 1940s, thirteen-year-old Leela's happy, spoiled childhood ends when her husband since age nine, whom she barely knows, dies, leaving her a widow whose only hope of happiness could come from Mahatma Gandhi’s social and political reforms.

Looking for Bapu. By Anjali Banerjee. 2006. Wendy Lamb Books, $15.95 (9780385746571). Gr.3-6
When his beloved grandfather dies, eight-year-old Anu feels that his spirit is near and will stop at nothing to bring him back, including trying to become a Hindu holy man.

Tusk and Stone. By Malcolm J. Bosse. 1991. Front Street. Boyds Mills Press, $15.95 (9781886910010).Gr.5-8
After dacoits attack his caravan and he loses his identity as a Brahmin, Arjun resigns himself to his new life, becomes an elephant driver, and searches for his kidnapped sister.

Younguncle Comes to Town. By Vandana Singh. 2006. Viking Juvenile, $16.99 (9780670060511). Gr.3-6
In a small town in northern India, three siblings await their father's youngest brother, Younguncle, who is said to be somewhat eccentric.

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Haylo

What a fantastic collection of books!

Out of curiosity I googled a few of the ISBN numbers, the ones I looked for all came up as Amazon hits. For anything that's out of print, or for cheaper copies of newer books, I have had great success with the Advanced Book Exchange (ABE) which is a site on which second hand booksellers can list their entire stock.

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Golghar

Possibly www.poojamakhijani.com/picture_books.html?

OceanTragic

There's a list on here of the books my girls read, although some were for my (at the time) 11 year old and some were for her younger sister.

http://www.winchcombe.org/India2009/...-I)-Books.aspx

skidmark

For traditional childrens stories try the Panchtantra.

Here is a link to the an online version should anybody be curious.
panchatantra.org

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capt_mahajan

Look up the website of Tulika books- they publish children's novels too.

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