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.
433 items in this section. Displaying page 9 of 44
Treehuggers
Children of the fragile forest gather around Where bird song seems to be the loudest sound A place called Summer, green as you could please A place where we all proudly hug the trees. Hug trees for the walnuts and sweet apples For the shade above small country chapels For giving squirrel and crow a place to live For the priceless gift of oxygen they give. Follow your feet across a woodland floor Beneath the tall and ancient sycamore...
The Stamp Album
Rajappa sensed a sudden drop in his popularity. For the past three days everyone had been crowding around Nagarajan. Rajappa tried to tell them that Nagarajan had become swollen headed, but no one paid any attention to him. For Nagarajan was generous in sharing the stamp album his uncle had sent from Singapore. The boys gathered around Nagarajan and devoured the album with their eyes till the school-bell rang for the morning class; they hovered round him at lunch-break and in the evening invaded his house....
Hamid Buys an Eid Present
Festival of Eid English translation of ‘Eidgah’ (Hindi) Written by Munshi Premchand Translated by Khushwant Singh Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi Translated by the veteran columnist and writer, Khushwant Singh, Festival of Eid retains the compelling essence of the original work. This well illustrated book tells the story of Eid, as it is celebrated in a small village, and stresses that festivals are actually about showing the love and concern that we feel for our near and dear ones....
Dream Palace
Clown, jester, poet…Tenali Rama, minister in the court of the ruler of Vijaynagar, Krishnadeva Rai (reign: 1509-30), was a multi-faceted personality. 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 are in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka today. Tenali Rama was also a great scholar of several languages that included Marathi, Tamil and Kannada....
Sadako’s Cranes
The atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima ten years ago. I lived a mile away from the city so nothing much happened to me, though the city and its people were burnt. The bomb didn’t do anything to me — so I thought for ten years. I love running. A few months ago, while I was practising for a relay event, I felt dizzy. I thought it was only because I was tired. Then a few weeks after that, I fell down in the field and couldn’t get up....
Do You Like Fruits?
Apples in the winter time Chikoos in the fall Mangoes in the summer time I like it best of all! Oranges and kinnows bright Sugar-cane so sweet Melons and the juicy grape All of them – a treat! Do You Like Fruits? [Illustration by Anup Singh]
Tenali Rama the Messenger
Clown, jester, poet…Tenali Rama, minister in the court of the ruler of Vijaynagar, Krishnadeva Rai (reign: 1509-30), was a multi-faceted personality. 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....
Koel
When wisps of white Sail across the sky When the breeze blows warm And the days grow long From somewhere in the distance You can hear my song Coo-ooo, Coo-ooo Coo-oooo When mangoes ripen In the dark green trees And hovering around Are busy buzzy bees Right over the wall You can hear my call Coo-o, Coo-oo, Cooo-ooo Koel [Illustration by Kusum Chamoli] When plump wild figs Go squish under your feet...
Haroo, the Croc
Here’s a lazy crocodile Snoozing on the bank He is quick at catching prey So do keep off his tank! His skin is rough, his teeth so sharp And he is moody too So don’t annoy or throw him stones And take care what you do! Haroo, the Croc [Illustration by Sudheer Nath]
The Rainbow
Out in the lush, green garden Binnu chased the multi-coloured butterflies which flitted from flower to flower. Plants take root easily during the monsoon and with plenty of water to nourish them, new sprouts appear. The Rainbow [Translated by:Mala Singh] Suddenly there was a flash of lightening. Soon, the sky was completely overcast and it begun to rain. Binnu and his mother sheltered in the verandah and watched the rain. The rain stopped after a while and the sun peeped out from behind the clouds....