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 29 of 44
SuperZero
You’ve heard of superheroes, of course. Batman, Superman, He-man. Then there are supergirls – Catgirl, Batgirl, who knows, even Ratgirl. There are superanimals like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. All these heroes can perform amazing tricks. They’re really good at everything and good looking besides. Although, I personally don’t think that men with little pointed ears on top of their heads are very good looking. But then, you always see the girls going batty over Batman....
Wonder in the Sand
Adventures in the Desert Written by Cheryl Rao Illustrations by Ashish Sengupta Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi Two children from Mumbai spend a year in a small army township in the middle of the Rajasthan desert. Missing the urban sights and sounds, it takes them a while to get used to living in a place where the only excitement is a roll in the dunes. But adventure is just a sandstorm away and all too soon their stay is over....
The Gracious Gift
Once there was a King who was generous and kind. He was interested in the welfare of all his subjects and it was his greatest wish that all should live in peace and happiness and none should have any cause to grumble. So he wandered about the country incognito to learn the true condition of his people. One day, when he was in disguise, he saw a strange sight. A farmer was vigorously ploughing his field but instead of a pair of oxen, he had yoked a woman to the plough....
Excerpts from Ek-kori’s Dream
Ek-kori’s Dream By Mahasveta Devi; Translated by Lila Majumdar; Illustrations by Judhajit Sengupta, Published by National Book Trust, India There was no other way but to take cover as early as possible. The village school would open as soon as it was light and Aunt would certainly send him to school today. The mango tree was outside the house, a huge fajli mango tree. Ekkori’s grandmother used to plant good mango saplings year after year, but Grandfather uprooted them all....
A Free Bird
A Free Bird [Illustrations by Kusum Chamoli] Everybody in his family called him ‘shy baby’ — not ‘cry baby’ to be sure, but shy baby. Young Somu was shy, but not just a little shy. Somu was very, very shy. When guests came to his house for tea or dinner and asked him his name, Somu would dig his chin into his neck and close his eyes and after a few minutes he would run out of the room....
No Monkey Business
Bandar, Bandariya and Baby Bandar were ready for their show. Come Sunday morning and their tamasha would begin in a congested and busy Bombay suburb witnessed by an excited group of children. Raju, the Bandarwala, would announce his arrival with the familiar drumbeat and sound of ghungroos. Sometimes he even brought along a sleepy black bear. Each week it was the same routine. Dressed in dotted pyjamas with a shiny red sleeveless jacket and a Wee Willy Winkey cap edged with tiny bells, Bandar cartwheeled and somersaulted backwards and forwards....
The Weepy Wempati!....
Once upon a time there lived a little Wempati. She was a very sweet little thing who loved her mummy, papa, sister, baby brother, pet dog and favourite doll very much. She was a very happy Wempati. When Wempati was four years old, Papa Wempati and Mama Wempati had a serious talk. “It’s time that little Wempati went to school” they said. That sounded like fun to little Wempati. The Weepy Wempati!…. [Illustrations by Priya Nagarajan] Her sister went to school and always went with yummy things packed in her lunch box and came back with delicious paint stains on her hands and clothes....
Manohar Learns a Lesson
Hey look! Langdu has come in a colour dress today. Must be his birthday,” Manohar sniggered. “Happy Birthday, langdu!” Manohar’s gang chorused and Varun’s face turned red with embarrassment. He had hoped that at least on his birthday Manohar and his friends would spare him. Varun and Manohar were class five students of Digvijay Public School. Varun had fallen down the staircase when he was a toddler and had twisted his ankle. As a result of this injury he had developed a permanent limp....
The Mango Charm
A wandering youth once met Bholu, an illiterate villager, who knew how to perform a miracle. Everyday Bholu would go into the forest, stand under a mango tree and utter a charm. The tree would immediately become heavy with fruit. The next moment the mangoes would ripen and then they would fall to the ground. Bholu would collect them, eat some and distribute the rest among his neighbours who were poor. Keshav the youth fell at Bholu’s feet, even though the latter belonged to a lower caste, and begged him to teach him the charm....
The Donkey monkeys Around
Gopu the donkey was happily going munch munch on an extremely green patch of grass right in the heart of the meadow. So intent was Gopu on eating, that he did not hear anyone approaching until he looked up and gave an involuntary shiver. For standing right in front of him, was Shikari, the wolf. Gopu began to limp and make a lot of ooh aah noises while doing so. Shikari watched him in silence for a while and then asked what was wrong....