Multicultural children’s literature from across the world – stories, poems, folktales and books in English for kids, and stories in Hindi and poems in Hindi too. Original literature in English for kids from around the globe and book reviews and recommended reading lists for children.
432 items in this section. Displaying page 15 of 44
The Song of the Bee
Buzz! buzz! buzz! This is the song of the bee. His legs are yellow; A jolly, good fellow, And yet a great worker is he. In days that are sunny He’s getting his honey, In days that are cloudy He’s making his wax: On pinks and on lilies, And gay daffodillies, And columbine blossoms, He levies a tax! The Song of the Bee [Illustration by Aneesh Jaisinghani] Buzz! buzz! buzz! The sweet-smelling clover,...
Upside Down
I lived in a funny town Where everything was upside down! The birds walked and the humans flew Where the trees were totally blue! Upside Down [Illustrations by Amarjeet Malik] Trees talked and laughed a lot They stole each other’s fruit and fought The bear was gentle, kind and sweet He never ever ate raw meat! Fishes went to school in a pool Where a frog principal ruled! Upside Down [Illustrations by Amarjeet Malik] Water was blue and the sky flew...
Bunty Rabbit Runs a Race Again
Bunty rabbit hopped home angrily. “What happened?” asked Mama Rabbit. “No school today?” “Why did great-great-great-great-great grandfather lose the race against the tortoise?” shouted Bunty tearfully. “Everyone laughed at me when Ma’am Owl told us the story.” “Great-great-great-great-great grandfather rabbit was a proud rabbit,” said Mother Rabbit sternly. “He was always boasting and never even thought once that someone could outsmart him. That day, the tortoise did.” Bunty Rabbit Runs a Race Again “Slow and steady won the race!...
The Mouse who Lived in the Lion's Cave
The king of the jungle, the lion, lived in a big dark cave at the foot of the hill. He was a good king, and used to hunt only when he was hungry. Every night, he would go out to hunt and bring back one animal to his cave. After eating to his heart’s content, he would go to sleep. In his cave, a little mouse had made her house too. She would wait for the king to fall asleep, and then come out to eat, the leftovers....
Greed Never Pays
Bhim the elephant and Hanoo the langur lived in the Brindavan Jungle. They were the best of friends. Their friendship had, however, started as a need-based one. You may well wonder what would an elephant and a langur need from each other! Let me explain. Bhim who lived alone had grown quite old. He was extremely fond of fresh fruits. However, most of the time he was unable to get them. He was beaten by the more agile, younger and nimbler animals like Jeera the giraffe, Hiran the deer, Ghoda the horse and even Gadha the ass....
How the First House was Built
A long time ago, humans were only as tall as hens and rabbits. These tiny “humans”, if you can call them that, lived under trees. Living in trees was not very nice. During rains they got wet. In summers they sweated madly, and in winter they almost froze into ice. Life was tough. How the First House was Built [Illustrations by Sudheer Nath] So they started living in burrows, just the way rabbits do....
The Last of the Big Ones
The red-and-silver Dragonfly happily flitted across the pool: “Zim, Zim, Zim, Over the water I skim. Now dart in, Now dart out, Dash across And turn about.” The Last of the Big Ones [By Uma Anand] “Oh, bother,” croaked a hoarse voice as with a plop, a large Bullfrog settled himself on a lily pad. “A little less darting and dashing might be better all round. It’s hot and dusty enough without your hovering above my head....
Double Vision
It was hard to say when Neeti got double vision. It wasn’t there one minute and the very next it was. Suddenly, the road turned terribly crowded. People were jostling each other, pushing to get ahead. She rubbed her eyes, shook her head violently. But that instant crowd didn’t disappear – it rushed on at her. Then…she realised what had happened. All of a sudden, everyone had multiplied into two, sprouted a twin – like a shadow walking next to them....
The Angry King
In the mountains of southern Luzon, there is a land of tobacco-growers. Many, many years ago, this land was ruled by a king named Hari Ka Buskid. He was a wise king, and during his reign the people of his kingdom were rich and prosperous. The king did not scorn to go among the tobacco-growers and advise them on the best methods of tending their crops. It was not surprising, therefore, that this kingdom was known to have the best and largest crop in the land....
The Horse's Revenge
Once upon a time a horse and a buffalo lived in a beautiful meadow up in the mountains. There was plenty of grass to eat and water to drink, and the two had become good friends. But one year, there was no rain. The meadow stream dried up and the grass turned brown. Soon the horse and buffalo found themselves fighting over the scarce water and grass. One day, their daily fight became violent. The buffalo jabbed the horse with her sharp horns....