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 18 of 44
The Jungle Contest
“ROAR!” growled the lion. “Everyone is scared of me!” “HRMPHH!” trumpeted the elephant. “Everyone is scared of me!” “What about me?” purred the panther. “I, too, frighten everyone!” The Jungle Contest [Illustrations by Shiju George] “No one can run faster than me!” snarled the cheetah. “Everyone is scared of me!” “GROWL!” growled the tiger, baring his teeth. “I dare any one to cross my path! I’ll gobble them up!” “HA! HA! HA!...
Tenali Rama and the Jinx
Clown, jester, poet…Tenali Rama, minister in the court of the ruler of Vijaynagar, Krishnadeva Rai (reign: 1509-30), was a lot of things. Stories, about Tenali Rama and his practical jokes on everyone around him including distinguished fellow poets and the emperor himself, abound in south India. His fame spread beyond Vijaynagar (present-day Andhra Pradesh), to areas that come in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka today. Tenali Rama was also a great scholar of several languages that included Marathi, Tamil and Kannada....
Oh, Summer!
Summer can be killing but it can also be fun the trick is to stay cool despite the hot, hot sun. Oh, Summer! [Illustration by Shinod AP] Think of iced lemonade in a pitcher cold ice-creams and kulfis of the fruit salads mother makes with melons, bananas and berries. Summer is sultry hot days and sudden evening showers when the night air is sweetened with the fragrance of jasmine flowers. Summer’s the time to catch up with old friends...
Gappu – The Brave
In a busy town in south India was a zoo. In it lived a hippopotamus whose name was Gappu. Gappu was a kind and gentle creature who loved children. However the children always made fun of him and this made him very sad. “See how ugly that creature is.” “Yes, it has such a thick, oily skin and such a horrible face.” “Isn’t it slow, fat and stupid looking?” The kids would yell to each other making faces at poor Gappu....
Tiger King
Oh tiger, you’re so regal Majestic and tall With your bright and stripe-y coat You look the king of all! Oh tiger, you’re so handsome Your cubs are lovely too They say, the cat’s an aunt of yours- Do tell me, is this true? Tiger King [Illustration by Anup Singh] (C) Swapna Dutta
Golu Rabbit's Day Out
In the Kanha forest in India, lived a little bunny rabbit called Golu. He was called Golu because of his small round ball of a tail. Golu lived with his mother Molu in a deep burrow under the tall grass of the forest. The burrow had large rooms and many doorways and Golu loved to run from room to room hoppity-skip. Every morning Molu went out into the forest and nearby farms to hunt for carrots and radishes....
The Instructor
A young man wanted to learn the art of sword fighting. He went to the greatest instructor in the land and said, “Please give me admission and teach me sword fighting.” The instructor gladly accepted him a student and said, “Young man you can stay with me and learn this art.” In the days that followed the instructor gave him many odd chores to perform. The chores were sweeping the floors, cutting vegetables, cooking and the like....
Passing by My School Garden
How I wish I could step into this garden Just a temptation as I pass by I wanted to know what the flowers said And the gentle murmur of the wind in the sky. My heart swayed with happiness As I watched the upright poppies The wind whistled while kissing the trees And the jolly gardener watered them happily. Perhaps the leaves so green, were busy Preparing tasty dishes for the family! The sweet smelling fragrance of that lovely environment...
The Clever Lioness
There once lived a clever lioness in the champak forest. She had four healthy and really adorable cubs. They were very young and their eyes hadn’t still opened. They slept for most of the time and the only time they were awake was when their mother fed them. But if the mother was late even by a minute, they would wail so loudly so as to bring the whole cave down! In the same forest, there lived another lion....
Internet in the Jungle
Why are you looking so sad?” Ullu, the wise old owl, asked Kabbu, the white pigeon. “You too would look sad if you were going to lose your job,” snapped Kabbu. Kabbu was the head of the Postal Department of their jungle Olango, which was the biggest and most prosperous jungle around. Kabbu and his fleet of 21 pigeons carried letters, parcels, money orders, postal orders, etc., from Olango to the other jungles and back. Their fleet was considered the smartest, fastest and easily the most efficient in all of Jungledom....