The Invincible Weapon 
Our Nana was a Nutcase 
Bulbuli's Bamboo Lists
Picture books about loss and grief
As I always say, books are a great way to start difficult conversations with children. And what’s more difficult to explain to kid that death? I remember my first encounter with loss, my uncle had passed and my family went to Delhi for his last rites. I did not know why we were going but I remember when I got there and I smiled at everyone, no one smiled back. That’s when i knew something was wrong but I only understood the episode years later I think.
As adults we think we should keep your children from the unpleasant feelings but I think it’s best to prepare them. Answer their questions as best as we can because it is even more difficult for them to cope with something they don’t even understand.
So today, I have some picture book suggestions for you that deal with loss and grief:
The Heart and the Bottle
What happens when a little after losing her father, locks away her hurt so nothing and no one can hurt her again. This is such a poignant book, the kind that’ll leave you with goosebumps. Oliver Jeffers is one of my favorite picture book makers because he has a way of saying a lot more than the words on the page and that’s my favorite part about this book too, the story hidden in this book will win your heart.
Gone Grandmother
Nina’s Nani is gone. Forever. But where? She keeps asking her mother questions but her mother doesn’t know how to answer her questions. A sensitive story about how memories stay alive even when people fade away and how holding close these memories you can hold close the person.
Boo! When My sister Died
This is a story about a girl who loses her sister and life as she knows it changes. Noorie keeps yearning for her sister, keeps hoping she’ll come back. A beautiful story about accepting loss and learning how to move past it.
Ida, Always
Gus and Ida are best friends and they live in a zoo. They are always there for each other, they are all either of them has. But then Ida falls sick and pretty soon Gus is left alone. The best part about this book is it takes you through Ida’s sickness and all the feelings the two friends go through, the fears, the sadness. It teaches you to cherish every moment you have with the people you love, make sure every minute counts when your days are numbered.
This one takes you diving in a reef. Old Turtle dies and all the sea animals fondly recall how he helped them, impacted their life at some point or another. It’s a beautiful story about how even when you’re gone, your deeds live on and they are your legacy, your imprint on the world. The illustrations in this book are breathtaking, it’s like you’re experiencing aquatic life first hand.
Bookistaan’s favorite Fantasy worlds: fantasy series
Reading means a lot of things to a lot of people. For some it’s an adventure, for others it’s an escape and for yet another category it’s a chance to face the mirror.
If there’s one genre that does is all, it’s fantasy. The experience of losing yourself in another world, bumping into all sorts of characters, dragons included, is nothing short of surreal. A world unlike another and yet it has the power to make you see your own reality in better light.
So today we share with our favorite ever fantasy world. Please remember the list is mostly revealed of middle grade readers and young adults. Also the series does not contain any dystopian novels because that’s a genre in itself, lately. So, here goes:
Harry Potter
If you read only one fantasy series, read Harry Potter, the book that brought children’s writing to the forefront. Harry is 11 when he receives acceptance into The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and his life changes forever. He’s faced with his past, new challenges, new friend, a world full of magic and even an enemy. Rowling’s magical world is so imaginative, symbolic and immersive that it will have you addicted until you reach the entire series and you’ll still not be satisfied. I still at least one book in the series every year!
The Chronicles of Narnia
C. S. Lewis’ first in this series of seven was published in 1950. The first book The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe stars 4 brother and sisters who whilst hiding in a cupboard stumble upon the magical land of Narnia. The main characters change in the subsequent books but the world remains the same and the books span the entire history of the realm. Full of magic, conflict and acts of bravery, the series is hard to put down and harder to forget.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
This magical world takes inspiration from Greek mythology, which in itself was a winner for me. It’s a world of Gods and demigods where one misfit is trying to find his place. But Percy Jackson is more than meet the eye and it looks like fate has great adventures in store for him. Percy faces one nail-biting task after another to prove his worth in this series of Five books. The books are set in a school for demigods and Greek Gods make special guest appearances throughout the plot!
Artemis Fowl
Artemis Fowl is a hero unlike any other. He is a criminal mastermind. Yep, you read that right! The series starts with Fowl kidnapping a fairy for ransom, so that he can extort gold from the fairy people and restore his family’s wealth. Our little villain grows into many shades in this series with eight books and has won the hearts of readers worldwide with his evil plots.
Fairyland
Finally a series with a heroine! In the first book of five, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making, we meet eleven year old September who is spirited away from her ordinary, uneventful life to Fairyland. Here is meets witches and gnomes and all sorts of odd characters and is trusted with a very important task. It’s a delicious story about growing up and finding courage and compassion.
Fablehaven
This fantasy series of five books by Brandon Mull follow a brother and sister duo who are visiting their grandparents while their parent are on a holiday. To their surprise they come to find that their grandparents are guardians of Fablehaven, a sanctuary for ALL sorts of magical creatures. Think fairies, centaurs, ogres, goblins, trolls, dragons etc, all in one place. Is that a geeks dream come true or what!
The Raven Cycle
The Series follows Blue, who’s lived her life among her clairvoyant family. Her entire life she’s been told that when she kisses her true love, he’s going to die. The prophecy has never been a problem for Blue, that is until she meet the Raven Boys, a group of four boys from a local private school, and finds herself on a quest with them.
Counting Picture books
Picture books are a great way to make learning fun! They are a great way to engage your child into learning anything.
So today I have a list of counting picture books, stories that make math fun. All you have to do is make it a into a reading game:
Let’s Go by Anther Mohan
This is such a popular book with toddlers. A fun counting book that’ll take you on a tour through the colorful, eventful streets of India. Every page is an engaging counting game.The illustrations are wonderfully detailed and capture the diversity of our country quite precisely. It’s the kind of book that you just have to read more than once (even though that can be said about most picture books).
One Dark Cloud by Sobha Viswanath
This beauty of a counting book is for the rainy days. Sobha Viswanath brings alive monsoon in this brilliant picture book. The paper college illustrations are simply enthralling and feel like home. This book is major nostalgia if you read it any other time of the year, other than monsoons, so I suggest you read if with your child anytime just to create that anticipation for the heavenly showers.
One, Two, Tree by Anushka Ravishankar
Come along and count the improbable number of animals of this ever-expanding tree. With Anushka Ravishankar’s signature rhymes, this book is delightfully celebrates trees and living together. The illustrations are done in Gond tribal tradition known for its deep affection of trees and create an earthy, soothing atmosphere.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
This classic is a part of a lot lists, let me warn you. The hungry caterpillar eats everyday until its big enough to metamorph. The book take the readers through the days of the week and numbers till five.
10 Apples up on Top by Dr Seuss
You can’t go wrong with Dr Seuss. Different characters in this book compete to balance 10 apples on their head. The rhymes and repetition make the storytelling that much more engaging and each page is a counting prompt for your child. It’s a great book for beginner readers as well or even beginner listeners.
Fairy tale retellings for Middle Grade readers
Fairy tales are an inevitable part of growing up. Whether you’ve been exposed to books or movies, I’m sure you’re quite familiar with them.
I, for one, love fairy tales, always have. But did you know, fairy tales weren’t always as dreamy as we know them today. The original stories of Grimm and Anderson were quite gory, in fact they were not meant for children at all. They talked about transgression and its horrid consequences and even rape. These stories were Disneyfied into what we know today which was a drastic improvement but somewhere down the line in their chase for happily-ever-afters, these stories forgot to be politically just. Why must the man always save the day? Why should a girl have to wait for a man to come and rescue her?
I started thinking these questions when i grew up and I took the feminist stance. This is when I started dejecting the whole damsel-in-distress ploy that just showed women as incapacitated, perpetually dependent beings. That’s when I started looking for fairy tales retellings that are magical, or at least hopeful, but not unfair to half the population of the world. Stories need to change with time and so I thought I’d share my findings with you.
This list is mostly for middle grade readers, I’ll be doing a YA version soon:
Girls to the Rescue by Sowmya Rajendran
Sowmya Rajendran little book of fairytales is surprising and funny and super entertaining. In her version of fairy tales; Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood and the Princess decide to take charge of their situation and not follow convention/script. They are on a mission to be examples of strength and independence, to be better inspiration today that they have been all these years.
You can read Bookistaan’s full review here
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
In this retelling of Cinderella, Ella has been ‘blessed’ with the gift of obedience which unsurprisingly feels like a curse to her because it means she can never defy her wicked stepmother and stepsisters. So she sets out on an adventure to find her Godmother to take back the ‘blessing’. The story runs close to the original but the twists will make you laugh. The ending isn’t perfect but Ella is a likable character who believes in fighting for herself and fighting for the people she cares about.
Far Far away by Tom McNeal
Jeremy can hear voices in his head but when he admits to him townspeople he is shunned. His life has been tough and lonely but now he has a ghost watching over him, the ghost of Jacob Grimm. Reminiscent of Hansel and Gretel, this is much an original take on fairy tales that run a little close to the Grimm style of storytelling. This book does not promise a happily-ever-after but does promise intrigue, a little darkness and a lot of twists.
Rapunzel’s Revenge by Dean Hale
In this modern retelling, Rapunzel is daring enough to escape her tower o her own. Now she’s on a mission to rescue her mother and seek revenge on her kidnapper. While on the adventure she teams up with none other than Jack (of the Beanstalk fame) and together they fight for justice.
Frogged by Vivian Vende Velde
A new spin on the old tale where the princess kisses the frog prince. In this retelling when Princess Imogene kisses the frog on his request, he does transform into a young boy, only the kiss changes her into a frog! To her horror the only way out of the magic is to pass on the kiss and the frogness to another unsuspecting victim. Imogene’s adventures as a frog are entertaining and this charming story will definitely leave you grinning.
Essential Reads: Classic chapter-books for middle graders
Today I have some classic middle grade recommendations for you that make great summer read projects, so if you’re a teacher making a summer reading list for her students or a student who wants to indulge in some timeless books, this list is for you:
Charlotte’s Web by EB White, 1952
A memorable story about friendship and loss, Charlotte’s web is about a little pig names Wilbur who is doomed to be slaughtered. Obviously he doesn’t want to die but it seems no one can help him, that is until he befriends a spider named Charlotte and she promises to come up with a plan to save him. This is such a heart touching story and it considered the greatest children’s book of all times. I swear this book is the reason I don’t hate spiders, in fact I see Charlotte in all of them. Yep, that’s the power of Literature.
Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum, 1990
I can’t tell you how much I love the Wizard of Oz. The story of Dorothy who is swept away to the magical kingdom of Oz along with her dog Toto by a cyclone. Again a story about unlikely friendships, crossing hurdles, the fight between good and evil but this one does it with a lot of humor. A Lion who lacks courage, a tin man on a quest for a heart and a scarecrow looking for a brain become Dorothy’s comrades on a journey that is full of hidden meaning and
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll, 1865
Alice falls down a rabbit hole only to find herself in another world. A world with peculiar creatures who talk more non sense than sense and who’ve decided that she is their savior. Thus starts Alice’s adventure. It’s a good thing she is a curious, brave character because she’s meant to defeat an evil queen to save the people of Wonderland.
This is how it all started, fantasy as genre. Before Hogwarts, Narnia, even Neverland, there was Wonderland.
Malgudi Days by RK Narayan, 1943
A collection of 32 short stories set in the fictional town of Malgudi in South India, this book will brings alive everything India. The stories focus on simple people living ordinary but charming lives. The book is so atmospheric you can taste the village life on your tongue, you can hear the sounds ring in your ears and the smell of earth and incense. Each story talks about taboos, beliefs and superstitions prevalent in the nineteenth century and Narayan’s signature enigmatic endings will leave you with a lot to think about.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, 1964
Dahl’s books are the definition of zany. This book starts with a contest, five golden tickets hidden in chocolate bars that will get five lucky buyers an invitation into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory. Charlie is one of the five and it’s a dream come true for him. He knows that something extraordinary is going to happen and what awaits him and the other children inside the factory is nothing short of magical.
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin, 1968
The story follows a young boy, Ged, who displays magical powers and joins a school of wizardry to become a mage. The book follows his journey as a trainee sorcerer, his struggles and his misfires one of which leads to the creation of his enemy. The book is followed by five others in the series, which is considered an important series in fantasy literature and which follows Ged as he grows up to tame his powers and become a wise, powerful wizard.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, 1962
Meg’s father, a time-traveling physicist has disappeared and then one night her home is visited by an unexpected visitor who tells them of the tesseract, a fifth dimension that allows travel through time and space. This is how Meg embarks on an adventure across the Universe along with her brother and her friend to find her father. The award winning book is perhaps the earliest venture into time travel and science fiction and it makes all geeks proud.
Bookistaan’s favorite Indian YA writers
YA is the fastest growing genre in publishing right now and it’s a genre that is liked by adults, if not more, as by teens. One reason is probably because most YA’s are such breezy reads, fast-paced page-turners for when you want to read something light but that also have a certain literary depth. This is certainly why it’s my favorite genre right now.
Today I have some Indian YA writer recommendations for you:
Asmara’s Summer by Andaleeb Wajid
This is the story of 17 year old Asmara, confident, popular and a little bit of a diva. But behind her perfect life is a secret, one that even her best friends are unaware of, one that she thinks could be the end of her life.
Much to her dismay she is thrown into this secret and despite her protests has to live it for a month. She has to live in Tannery Road – a conservative part of the city, a place she has avoided all her life – where her grandparents live. Of course she plans to spend it cooped up in one room, away from civilization and technology!
Read full review here.
The Gita for Children by Roopa Pai
Roopa Pai simplifies one of the most important Hindu religious text, making it approachable for children. Chapter by chapter she unravels concepts of the Gita, quoting plenty relatable examples for young readers. She broods over questions about duty, human expectations, relations and life with such ease and poise, candor and seriousness. I think this is a book everyone should read once in their lifetime to come a little closer to life, to come a little closer to themselves.
The House That Spoke by Zuni Chopra
Written by a 15 year old fantasy lover, The House That Spoke is about 14 year old Zoon, living in a heavenly house in Kashmir with her mother. She knows that her home is more that its beauty and right before her 15th birthday, she finds out the secret that her house has been guarding, a secret that unravels her heritage and her powers. But with these powers and the magic she also discovers an enemy that she must defeat to save her home, as well as her Kashmir. It’s a spellbinding Magic Realism about finding hope even in darkness.
Full review here
Our Nana was a Nutcase by Ranjit Lal
Gosling, Duckling and twins Dumpling and Dingaling was been raised by their nutty Nana, he is the only parent they have ever known while their parents have been AWOL since before they could walk, too busy with their careers. An ex Army Doctor, Nana is very unconventional (read eccentric) in his ways, he wakes his ‘patloon’ up with trumpets and a show, their day starts and ends with staring at the mountains (they live in the hills) and their weekend plans include trekking, camping and treasure hunts. Life at the Shadow House with Nana as commander in chief is never boring. A heart touching story about family love and growing up.
I can’t do this book justice in such few words so read full review here.
Queen of Ice by Devika Rangachari
Devika Rangachari’s novel Queen of Ice challenges this illusion. She brings alive one of the few Queens of Indian History, Queen Didda–ruler of Kashmir from 958 AD to 1003 AD–beautiful, discerning and lame. The book challenges the way we see women’s contribution to Indian history and is a must read is you are a history fanatic.
Here’s our full review.
Middle grade authors for fans of Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl is a quintessential middle school read!
The first book I read by the British author was Matilda. I was eleven and I remember it was the first time I found a book really funny. I did not know books could do that back then. I reread the book recently and it still proved itself effectively amusing and I kept wondering if I actually understood everything in the book at eleven.
But anyway, the reason I delved into the story is to emphasize what makes Dahl so special. It’s his ability to make his reader laugh and consequently make them fall in love with reading. His quirky, sometimes slightly unhinged characters, his sarcasm and the way he paints the world, real and yet so exaggerated that you can’t help but shake you your head at the intricacies of human nature, make for delightful, hard to put down reads that I can promise will go with you a long, long time after you’ve read them.
So if like me you are a lover of Dahl’s signature style, here are some other classic authors that you can explore next:
Eva Ibbotson
Ibbotson is one author who comes very close to Dahl’s style of writing. If you’re into stories about witches, ghosts, magic or anything supernatural, you should give her books a try. Her writing style is wrought with irony and if you learned a little about the kind of life she lived (she lived through the second World War and so had an unstable childhood) you’d know that the grotesque comes disguised as eccentric, imaginative and fantastical. It’s such an effective disguise though, things I realized when I revisited her stories as an adult, and her writing is humorous and enchanting.
Astrid Lindgren
I’m sure you’ve heard of Pippi Longstocking! The unpredictable, super strong, super opinionated girl with mismatched stockings who doesn’t want to grow up. Pippi lives to slaughter rules and has a decided disregard for authority and conventions. She lives a life of freedom and her unabashed outspokenness is inspiring. Her adventures are brave and chaotic and oh-so-funny and her rebellion charming. She’s a little girl who raises big questions about right and wrong, about society and individual. Astrid Lindgren’s writing is simple and uncomplicated and relatable and this isn’t her only children’s book but it’s her most popular one.
Edward Eager
A less popular author who deserves more notice, Edward Eager is the author of the Tales of magic series. The series follows four children who happen upon a seemingly ordinary coin which they soon realize is magical. They start wishing upon the coin but here’s the catch, the coin only grants half the wish. All sorts of mayhem ensues as they find themselves in awkward, complicated situations. Eager’s writing is confessional and mocking at the same time and will never cease to surprise you. It’s the kind of writing that keeps playing in your head after you’ve kept the book down, making you snort of the dinner table.
The Great Indian Graphic Novel
For those you are not familiar with the term, graphic novels are essentially comics, with images and text driving the story, but unlike comics they are not periodicals. So a graphic novel is usually a complete story, though sometimes they do have sequels.
There was a time when the only graphic books India produced were Amar Chitra Kathas. Don’t get me wrong, I loved ACKs growing up, I love that they made comics ‘educational’ so to say. But they are mostly about mythology and history and after about a dozen books I just wanted to read something that explored another world, maybe even the real world.
So graphic storytelling was pretty much missing from the publishing landscape, especially those aimed at young adults and adults. But that is not the case anymore which is why I’ve put together a little list of Graphic novels from India. I’m still new to the genre myself, but I find it so riveting and charming that I’m absolutely in love with them lately. Also if you’re into art like me, you’ll be just as charmed. Plus I think they hold a certain appeal even for the non-readers.
So, here goes:
Sita’s Ramayana by Samhita Arni and Moyna Chitrakar
Starting with mythology because they are just such an important part of growing up in our country. But the reason I love this one is because it made me question a lot of things about these stories that my grandma told me. It’s a feminist take on Ramayana and tells the age old tale through Sita’s POV. The narrative is so innocent that it’ll have a thinking but without pointing fingers. Mythology has been all about men and their glory but this book puts the women in the centre.
The book has been illustrated in the Patua art form and the pictures are earthy and extremely eloquent.
This Side That Side curated by Vishwajyoti Ghosh
This is an anthology of stories from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh about the consequences of the partition. This book brings together 48 writers and artists, presenting a mix of stories from various places that successfully evoke pain, pity and empathy. The book will transport you to refugee camps, show you the difficulty of cross border travel, and confronts you to the feeling of displacement, homelessness.
It’s a painful subject and I think a graphic medium makes it slightly more bearable. The book raises questions of identity and belongingness instead of focusing on violence and that for me at least was a winner.
Pao
Another anthology, this time just a coming together of various writers and artists to bring to you the allure of graphic storytelling. These are stories about aliens writing Sci-fi, a boy who doesn’t understand that his mother is gone, a spinster aunt holding her family hostage for ice cream. The diverse topics and styles paint a beautiful picture of our diverse landscape. Oscillating between quirky, poignant, contemplative and dazzling the stories will leave you with a lot of food for thought.
Drawing the Line: Indian Women Fight Back
Yet another anthology! They seen to be quite the trend. This one brings together experiences of women in India. The book can be divided into 14 stand alone stories that cover a myriad of topics such as sexual violence, the pressures of beauty standards, patriarchy in the workplace etc. The stories are all printed in black and white but explore different art forms for storytelling as is common in anthologies.
Books for your child’s first year
I know what you are thinking, your baby hardly stays awake and hasn’t even developed complete vision and here I am telling you to read books to him/her. And there’s the whole argument that they have to spend the next twenty or so years studying, so what does the first two years matter?
Well, they do. The first two years are the most crucial years in a child’s cognitive development, their brain is new and growing and needs as much nourishment as the rest of their body. And it’s a great time to develop habits. As I always say reading is a habit that needs to be nourished, it’s not something your child will just wake up with one day. Also reading is NOT studying. I know a lot of people consider it a chore and that’s exactly why you need to introduce your child to books early, so they don’t see it as work but a fun part of the day.
As for the first school of thought, I get it. You may feel like an idiot reading to a baby who is hardly conscious of his/her surrounding but just do it because any form or communication is great for your child. Yes they can’t process it yet but the more you talk, the more they’d want to respond. So make it a part of their bed time routine right from the start and it will stay with them through life.
Hello Animals by Smriti Prasadam Halla
A high contrast, black-and-white book is an essential new born read since new borns don’t see colors for the first few months. The black and white contrasts help them focus and is great for brain development.
Dear Zoo By Rod Campbell
This Pop-up Classic is a delightful way to introduce your child to animals and their sounds. There’s a lot of scope for enactment and children just love it when the animals pop out, never ceases to surprise them.
Where is Baby’s Belly Button by Karen Katz
This is lovely lift-the-flap, pee-a-boo book. Honestly I love all of Karen Katz’s books, they are funny, engaging and simple but beautiful but I’m choosing this one because it has fewer words and it plays out wonderfully like a game.
Ladybird Touch and Feel books
Once your baby starts sitting they want to explore their surroundings. Also there are developing their senses or rather learning how to use their senses. Touch and Feel books are great stimulators, encouraging babies to feel different textures with their hand.
There are a lot of options in this series to choose from.
Pajama Time by Sandra Boynton
A bedtime story is a great way to wrap up the day and unwind with your child and that’s exactly what the book does. The book has a musical quality to it so you can make a song of it and sing and dance for your child.
Akkad Bakkad, illustrated by Shreya Sen
Tulsa launched these baby board books last year I believe and I just had to include them on the list because I haven’t seen any Indian houses doing board books. This is a counting book based on the all time favorite Indian rhyme. I really liked it because, again, you can sing it out and count along and put on a show for your child.
Essential reads: classic picture books
I’ve always believed picture books are ART on your bookshelf. And it’s art you can afford.
Storytelling has been a part of every tradition for centuries but visual storytelling can only be traced back to about a century and a half, whereas picture books such as we know them today only came into being in the nineteenth century. It is almost a century old medium and yet we have had our qualms accepting it.
Before I delve into classic picture books, let me explain what classics are. Classics are usually books that transcend time. Books that have stood their stance even through the changes of time, books that are relevant irrespective of the changes society has undergone.
Now, here are some classic picture books that ought to be an essential part of every childhood:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, first published in 1969
This timeless, widely loved picture book is about a caterpillar who eats his into becoming a butterfly. The book has so much to do, the reader can count, learn the days of the week and learn about metamorphoses.
Recommended age: 1 year and above
Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, first published in 1963
Max dons his wolf suit and makes so much mischief one night that his mother send him to his room without supper. Once in his room, he find himself in a growing jungle and embarks on a journey to the land of the wild. Once there, Max soon becomes king of the wild. Will he ever want to come back home?
Recommended age: 3 years and above
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, first published in 1947
A bunny bids his room and his surroundings good night. A soothing, poetic bed time story that never gets old.
Recommended age: 2 years and above
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crocket Johnson, first published in 1955
This book is such genius. It’s about a boy named Harold and his purple crayon that he uses to find his way out of a problem. Of course he first creates the problems with the aforementioned crayon. It is a beautiful book about the power of pen and the magic that imagination can weave.
Recommended age: 3 years and above
A Teddy Bear in a toy shop is missing a button, which is why no one would buy him. Once the store closes he sets out on a adventure to complete himself. An eye opening, heart warming story about home.
Recommended age: 2 year and above
The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr, first published in 1968
Sophie and her Mummy are having tea one fine evening. Just then the door bell rings. It’s a Tiger! And he wants to join them for tea!
Recommended age: 2 years and above
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, first published in 1964
The book is about the relationship between a boy and an apple tree that he frequents as a child. How the tree nurtures the boy through every stage of life, always giving, always loving.
Recommended age: 3 years and above
What Do People Do All Day? by Richard Scarry, first published in 1968
Welcome to Busy town! In his signature style, Richard Scarry introduces the reader to the many residents of Busy Town and their occupations. It’s a busy book, a lot going on but very interesting nonetheless.
Recommended age: 4 years and above
The Book Thief 
Meet the Mischievous Marmaladies 
Girls to the Rescue 
Of growing up and growing old 
Wisha Wozzariter