Here is a boy who likes his school a lot, but is sure that his school does not like him back. His classmates bully him. His teachers shout at him. But there is a pond full of fish — where he discovers that he’s not alone. READING LEVEL: 04, for older children who can read with confidence. Written by Jairaj Singh Illustrated by Bhargavi Rudraraju

I can’t buy a ticket, but I need to get on this train… Chandrasekhar waits for a job and dreams of being back home with a classmate he’s in love with. Aruna had lost a slipper, and it was her only pair. Balu wishes he could trade his jackhammer for a poetry book. Sadia and her son are sleeping beside their handmade dolls, wondering what the future holds. Anjanamma makes up a story to soothe the relentless sting of mosquitoes. Nagaraju sightlessly navigates the chaos of a train station and puts out a plea to the universe. Subuhi Jiwani traces six uncertain journeys from Andhra Pradesh to Kochi, where migrants were in search of work, survival, and belonging.

Mr Moochvaala and his mechanical monsters are going to cut down Bargad chawl, and its residents are worried. They are in danger of losing their homes – their nooks and crannies, shelters and perches in the big banyan tree. It is left to Ali the monkey to find a way out. He swings, jumps and leaps into action, and comes up with a monkey trick that gives a new twist to the phrase ‘playing god' in this hilarious and heartwarming story with wonderfully animated pictures!

Thom! It lands on Kuttan’s toes. Dheem! He kicks and up it goes. The pages of this book resound with the rhythm of dance as Abu's big red ball bounces in tune with the delightful illustrations. CBSE recommended

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.

Something has scared Bapu in the bathroom. Can Diya save him?

Mati pesters her grandmother and father for her own plot of land. When she does get it, she works hard. And then she hears that a company wants to make a coal mine in their village – the enormous black pit that will eat up all their lands, like it has in the next village… As always, Rinchin powers her questions through irresistible storytelling. The little girl’s anxiety about losing her land to “a monster machine” cuts close to the heart as it takes head-on an issue that is ravaging tribal Chhattisgarh, where this story is set, and every other place where there is ‘development’ at a cost.

A word can have different meanings in different contexts. Have you come across any interesting meanings of khana in your day-to-day life? Well, Rashi has some interesting observations to share. Prabhat's exploration is cleverly worded. Allen Shaw has beautifully illustrated every stop along Rashi's journey. Appeared in Parag Honour List 2020. Age group 6-8 years

Farmer Falgu’s trips never go smoothly. In this third book of the series, he is on his way to the annual kite-flying festival with his daughter, Eila. But…. Whoosh! She loses her kite to the strong wind. Will our ingenious Farmer Falgu come up with a solution to make his daughter happy

The old snake is punished – the frogs will now ride on him. The frogs jump for joy – but they had better watch out! This unusual bilingual retelling of a Panchatantra favourite swings sympathy in favour of the snake. Stunning pictures are based on wooden folk toys from Channapatna in Karnataka, a craft style that came centuries ago from Persia.

Awaited

Once there was an old woman and an old man who wanted to adopt a cat. But when the old man steps out to find the perfect cat, he stumbles upon a sweet surprise that could change their lives forever. Katha brings you Millions of Cats, a 90 year-old, award-winning story from American literature. Wrapped in the Indian flavours of delightful illustrations, this little bundle of magic will take you for a ride to places far and wide.

A young child can often be overwhelmed by the range of complex emotions they feel, often during the course of a single day. Sometime angry, sometimes sad, mostly excited, often glad, so nervous and scared, however ready to dare! A girl and her lion friend are the stars of this book about feelings. After experiencing a range of emotions, the two friends learn that the best way to deal with them is to FIRST take a deep, deep breath! Magical illustrations, simple text and a universal theme, makes this book perfect to read aloud to toddlers (2+ years) and an excellent addition to your picture book collection. You and your child will cherish it forever.

Often referred to as the ?Birbal of Bengal’, Gopal was a barber by caste. Intelligent and sharp-witted, with a sense of humour, Gopal earned the title of court jester in the court of Maharaja Krishna Chandra of Krishnanagar. A collection of humorous stories. It is a good book to read for 11+ years.

There’s only one thing Damayanti likes more than snacking: being a detective. With her Trusty Never Dusty 3-in-1 Dabba by her side, Damayanti is on the case again. Where could Appa’s handkerchief, Paati’s hairpin and her left sock have gone? READING LEVEL: 02 for children who recognize familiar words and can read new words with help. Written by Niveditha Subramaniam Illustrated by Niveditha Subramaniam

Monkeys jump! Monkeys grab! People run – what a mess! The city of Varanasi has a BIG monkey problem, and no one knows what to do. Then Dum-dum-a-dum-dum! The damroo man comes up with a clever idea. He has a special trick...and a special treat. For the monkeys and for you too!

Big brothers are mean. Big brothers spell trouble. And Big Brothers are not to be trusted, especially if they turn your world upside down. That�s what the protagonist discovers one morning upon waking up. The book�s parallel worlds with their upside-downness and downside-upness weave a fantastic, troubled, creased co-existence, both exasperating and reassuring. Nothing is what it seems like. Read it as a quirky story of squabbling siblings or of something more global, more sinister; each page leaves us peeling multiple layers, especially in a world turned upside down by the pandemic. Ken Spillman adroitly plays around with words and situations both believable and unbelievable, while Silvana Giraldo spins a splendidly broken-but-beautiful world to bring alive a somewhat Orwellian dystopia into this picture book.

How do you feel when Nani comes to visit? How do you feel when you spoil a library book? Read this book and see how you feel today.

Awaited

Secret Wild Vet Kalyani is a book inspired by N Kalyani, Tamil Nadu’s first woman veterinarian who graduated from Madras Veterinary College in 1952, challenging gender norms within the profession. Through a cheerful poem set in the Nilgiri hills, the author and Katha’s Founder President Geeta Dharmarajan imagines her Irular protagonist as a kind of superwoman who helps rescue animals, birds and reptiles in danger. Filled with everything from guns to ropes and jungle antics, this adventure story truly comes alive with the help of lively illustrations by designer Boski Jain. According to the book, the DNA analysis (2018) of a skeleton from the Indus Valley Civilisation found in Rakhigarhi showed greater affinity with the Irula people than any other ethnic group in India. “A study by Yelmen et al (2019) found that the Irula were the closest likely proxy for the indigenous “AASI”, or Ancient Ancestral South Indian, one of the presumed founders and autochthonous original populations,” informs the book.