If you are keen on raising a reader, but your child doesn’t like reading yet, don’t worry! Here is a curated, ready-to-use list of Indian children’s books that will ensure your child will begin to enjoy reading.
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Many times, children are given books to read that don’t grab their attention. Add to that, the pressure of having to finish a book they started, completely puts them off reading. That’s why I love this list! These books are short, funny, and so relatable that children will keep reading till the end. Find books in this list that are primarily
*Fast- paced, funny, illustrated books
*Graphic novels with hybrid formats
*Short chapters, gripping stories
These short chapter books by Duckbill are perfectly designed to ‘hook’ early readers! These books can be read independently by children six and above, and the protagonist of every story is a child just like them. The stories are all set away from urban cities, in small towns and villages around India, but the challenges the protagonists face are very relatable. Each one of these books is bright, colourful, and illustrated by India’s foremost illustrators. With more than 30 Hook Books to choose from, you will surely be spoilt for choice! This is a series, my kids have grown up reading, and I continue to gift these adorable books every chance I get! Buy here
Done with reading Hook Books, graduate to Hole Books! Designed for readers seven and upwards, Hole Books literally come with a hole on the top right corner of the book! Hole Books, like Hook Books, are set in different parts of India, with a child as the protagonist. The characters are funny, endearing, adventurous, rebellious and everything little children are. The stories deal with themes and challenges that are relatable and interesting. The illustrations in Hook Books are in black and white, emphasising the story. I cannot stress how much we love and enjoy reading Hook Books. Definitely, get this set of Hole Books for your readers and watch as they devour book after book! Buy here.
Ninja Nani: Welcome to the Naniverse
Join Deepu and his superhero Nani as they fight bumbling burglars, mad Mummies, and zombies in this crazy, hilarious series! Perfect for kids 8+, this series turns everything you know about superheroes on its head and gives you a four-book series that’s unputdownable! Author and illustrator Lavanya Karthik pulls out all the stops to create characters and situations that will have even the most reluctant reader glued to this book! Buy here
Egghead Detective Agency Vol 1 and Egghead Detective Agency Vol. 2
Nothing hooks a reader more than a good mystery, and if your child is in a reading slump, The Egghead Detective Agency is sure to rouse them out of it! This is a perfect way to introduce your middle-grade reader to mysteries. Join Tam, Ant, and Egghead as they solve mysteries in and around their neighbourhood! Buy here – Vol 1 and Vol 2
In the Woof of Time
At the Quack of Dawn
Two smart mysteries with children investigating that will remind you of Secret Seven and Famous Five books with an Indian twist! Hard to put down once you start, Monika Bhatkhande writes a thrilling series that is sure to hook even the most reluctant of readers. Buy here
A collection of five books written and illustrated by some of the best authors and illustrators in the Indian kidlit world! Laugh your way through five hilarious books as children tackle everything from crazy family holidays to climate change. Solve a mystery with a dog or tackle class bullies head-on! This is a book series that will keep your child occupied all summer long. Buy here.
Dance, Nani, Dance
16 stories of grandmothers and grandfathers, written by some of India’s finest children’s authors, is enough to keep any child hooked! Summers are synonymous with visiting grandparents, and this book is perfect to carry along! Read along or read aloud to them! This book is truly magical, and it is impossible to pick one favourite story from the book. Buy here.
If the last book your child read was a fairytale, then it is time to pick up where they left off. When Fairyland Lost Its Magic is a smart way to talk to children about climate change and its effects by using their favourite fairy tale characters. What happens when there are no trees for the Wolf to hide behind, or Rapunzel not able to dry her long hair out the window? It is time for the young ones to take action! This is a riveting book for young readers 8+ and one that they must definitely read! Buy here.
If your child is curious about things around them and asks you a dozen questions a day, then this is the book for them. Arranged alphabetically, your child can turn to any page and find information about a product and how it made its way to India. Items range from aeroplane to fork, to ketchup and pencil! This is a book that will keep them engaged for hours, and the best part is that they can read it from anywhere! Buy here.
Nothing reels in Gen Z more than when someone is speaking in a language they understand! In How to Win an Election, author Menaka Raman dives deep into Gen Z’s mind and writes a book they will love! Perfect for children 10+, this book looks at what it takes to win a school election and what popularity has to do with it. Add in themes of friendship, insecurity, and tons of social media — you have a cracker of a book! Buy here.
This is a collection that includes stories, comics, and non-fiction! If you have a child interested in the environment, then this is a book that will surely keep them engaged. Some of the most well-known Indian authors and illustrators come together to create a book that gently encourages readers to look at the world around them and think about nature differently. Infinitely engaging and an unputdownable read! Buy here