Moyna lives in a little tribal village. She cannot go to school because she has to tend goats, collect firewood, fetch water… But she is so full of questions that the postmaster calls her the ‘why-why girl'! In this inspiring and delightful story, her first picture book, acclaimed Jnanpith award-winning writer Mahasweta Devi tells us how she meets Moyna (and her mongoose) and helps her find answers to all the why-whys – in books, that Moyna herself learns to read. Some of the translations have been done by well-known writers: Malayalam by Paul Zacharia, Tamil by Ambai, and Kannada by Girish Karnad. CBSE recommended

Did you know that hermit crabs play a kind of musical chairs on the beach, swapping the shells on their backs? Or that an oyster cleans up about 200 litres of water a day? With his naturalist’s mind, photographer’s eye and stunning photos, Yuvan Aves zooms onto the sands or pans out to the ocean to give us little details as well as the larger picture of India’s coastline. Walking with Kadalamma and her fisherman grandfather, the seashore becomes a dynamic space, teeming with life. Fascinating snippets underline how beaches maintain a crucial land-sea balance. Quick alerts point to dangers of climate change and why we need to care for our coast.

There is a BIG monster that only Montu can see, that shows up whenever he’s angry or sad, and makes him even more angry, even more sad. One day, when he hurts his leg and is stuck at home, he starts to draw. He draws the window, the tree outside and… the monster! But as he keeps drawing, the monster gets smaller and smaller. What’s happening? Pictures and text gently tell this story of a boy who learns to deal with his inner demons, illustrating how art can heal.

Our rooster came when he was small With bristly crest and comb and all… We watched him strut, we watched him grow, And waited – waited – for him to crow. But this young rooster simply refuses to. Until one momentous day in his life – when he lays an egg, and the kuk-roo-kooos burst out of him! Lilting verse rides us jauntily along, bringing us to a sudden head on with this most unusual situation. Or is it so strange, after all? And does it matter? A cleverly spun allegorical tale with joyous pictures that is about facing, and embracing, possible gender realities.

Paati goes on and on and on… crushing, grinding and chewing betel leaves and betel nuts. Thaatha can’t bear it any more! He asks Thambu Teacher for help, and he tells Thaatha what to do – but the noise only gets noisier! With cacophony, rhythm and repetition, this cumulative tale is inspired by the author’s mother’s fondness for chewing betel leaves. Perfect for storytelling, it is sure to have adults and children eagerly echo its infectious beats. Hilarious illustrations capture action and expression in this din-filled delight of a picture book that calls out to be read aloud!

Paati goes on and on and on… crushing, grinding and chewing betel leaves and betel nuts. Thaatha can’t bear it any more! He asks Thambu Teacher for help, and he tells Thaatha what to do – but the noise only gets noisier! With cacophony, rhythm and repetition, this cumulative tale is inspired by the author’s mother’s fondness for chewing betel leaves. Perfect for storytelling, it is sure to have adults and children eagerly echo its infectious beats. Hilarious illustrations capture action and expression in this din-filled delight of a picture book that calls out to be read aloud!

Paati goes on and on and on… crushing, grinding and chewing betel leaves and betel nuts. Thaatha can’t bear it any more! He asks Thambu Teacher for help, and he tells Thaatha what to do – but the noise only gets noisier! With cacophony, rhythm and repetition, this cumulative tale is inspired by the author’s mother’s fondness for chewing betel leaves. Perfect for storytelling, it is sure to have adults and children eagerly echo its infectious beats. Hilarious illustrations capture action and expression in this din-filled delight of a picture book that calls out to be read aloud!

Paati goes on and on and on… crushing, grinding and chewing betel leaves and betel nuts. Thaatha can’t bear it any more! He asks Thambu Teacher for help, and he tells Thaatha what to do – but the noise only gets noisier! With cacophony, rhythm and repetition, this cumulative tale is inspired by the author’s mother’s fondness for chewing betel leaves. Perfect for storytelling, it is sure to have adults and children eagerly echo its infectious beats. Hilarious illustrations capture action and expression in this din-filled delight of a picture book that calls out to be read aloud!

It’s late at night. Tipu is fast asleep when his two black puppies, Layla and Jugnoo, bound into his room. Down comes his star-filled quilt – and it becomes a cosmic playground for the three of them. Anything is possible, even flying to the moon! With illustrations that reflect the blending of reality and fantasy, this is a story about the sheer joy of imagination, and the wonder of play.

A flock of flamingos flies south in search of food and drink. What they find in the water causes a hullabaloo… They get draped and decked in unspooled tape, rubber tyres, shoes, plastic bags, syringe-needles, even rear-view mirrors! Unaware of their doom, they break into a dance in a confused trance. Priya Kuriyan brings the irony alive through stunning visuals. Real objects imaginatively placed together with her drawings create a lifelike three-dimensional effect. Along with Devashish Makhija’s brilliant verse soaked in satire, they paint a telling picture – of the violence unthinking humans inflict on the natural world through hazardous waste.

Small noses catch small colds. Big noses catch big colds. Gajapati Kulapati the elephant has a big nose and catches a great, big, mighty cold! And what happens when he sneezes – Aaaaachoooo….? With repetitive sounds and words that roll rhythmically through the pages, this bestselling series about the adorable elephant puts the zing back into storytelling and reading aloud. Bright, zestful pictures and dynamic visual text echo the lilt, making these big, happy books of fun.

Paati goes on and on and on… crushing, grinding and chewing betel leaves and betel nuts. Thaatha can’t bear it any more! He asks Thambu Teacher for help, and he tells Thaatha what to do – but the noise only gets noisier! With cacophony, rhythm and repetition, this cumulative tale is inspired by the author’s mother’s fondness for chewing betel leaves. Perfect for storytelling, it is sure to have adults and children eagerly echo its infectious beats. Hilarious illustrations capture action and expression in this din-filled delight of a picture book that calls out to be read aloud!

A little chokli, a stray puppy, wanders into a muddy rain puddle one day and loves the icky, sticky, scratchy feeling. From then on, he can’t stop himself from getting messy and enjoying a sumptuous scratch! What he enjoys even more is telling tall tales about himself! With happy, whimsical illustrations, this small book about a big-talking dog celebrates smart and spunky choklis everywhere.

Yak yak yak... the tortoise loves to talk – and learns the hard way that keeping his mouth shut is sometimes very necessary! The clipped narrative style pares the original fable from the Panchatantra down to its essence with dramatic effect in this bilingual retelling. It is offset by decorative, detailed illustrations in the style of kalamkari textiles from Andhra Pradesh.

It’s the day of the local market in Malli’s village. Cotton candy, peanut balls, stick ice, rose soda – there’s so much for Malli and her friends to try! But some of them don’t have enough money. Then, Malli has an idea… Friendship and sharing are at the heart of this third book in the Malli series, with pictures that take you around a village in Tamil Nadu and into the bustle of a market filled with treats.

It’s the day of the local market in Malli’s village. Cotton candy, peanut balls, stick ice, rose soda – there’s so much for Malli and her friends to try! But some of them don’t have enough money. Then, Malli has an idea… Friendship and sharing are at the heart of this third book in the Malli series, with pictures that take you around a village in Tamil Nadu and into the bustle of a market filled with treats.

Malli's uncle and his family from the city have come to her village. She wants to take some gifts for them but has only one rupee. However, as she sets off on her way, her little basket slowly fills up… This story is about the joy of simple surprises. The exuberant illustrations carry the feel of rural Tamil Nadu with bright colours and strong lines.

It’s the day of the local market in Malli’s village. Cotton candy, peanut balls, stick ice, rose soda – there’s so much for Malli and her friends to try! But some of them don’t have enough money. Then, Malli has an idea… Friendship and sharing are at the heart of this third book in the Malli series, with pictures that take you around a village in Tamil Nadu and into the bustle of a market filled with treats.

It’s the day of the local market in Malli’s village. Cotton candy, peanut balls, stick ice, rose soda – there’s so much for Malli and her friends to try! But some of them don’t have enough money. Then, Malli has an idea… Friendship and sharing are at the heart of this third book in the Malli series, with pictures that take you around a village in Tamil Nadu and into the bustle of a market filled with treats.

It’s the day of the local market in Malli’s village. Cotton candy, peanut balls, stick ice, rose soda – there’s so much for Malli and her friends to try! But some of them don’t have enough money. Then, Malli has an idea… Friendship and sharing are at the heart of this third book in the Malli series, with pictures that take you around a village in Tamil Nadu and into the bustle of a market filled with treats.