உலகப் புகழ் பெற்றப் பிரபஞ்சவியலாளரான ஸ்டீபன் ஹாக்கிங், ‘கடவுள் என்ற;ஒருவர் இருக்கிறாரா? பிரபஞ்சம் எவ்வாறு தோன்றியது? அறிவார்ந்த வேறு உயிரினங்கள் பிரபஞ்சத்தில் இருக்கின்றனவா? காலப்;பயணம் சாத்தியம்தானா? விண்வெளியை நாம் காலனிப்படுத்த வேண்டுமா? செயற்கை நுண்ணறிவு நம்மை விஞ்சிவிடுமா?’ போன்ற, பிரபஞ்சம் தொடர்பான ஆழமான கேள்விகளுக்குத் தன்னுடைய அறிவார்ந்த கருத்துக்களை இந்நூலில் பதிவு செய்துள்ளார். பிரபஞ்சத்தைப் பற்றிய நம்முடைய புரிதலை விரிவுபடுத்தவும், அதன் மாபெரும் புதிர்கள் சிலவற்றை முடிச்சவிழ்க்கவும் ஹாக்கிங் தன்னுடைய வாழ்க்கையை அர்ப்பணித்தார். கருந்துளைகள், காலநேரம், பிரபஞ்சத்தின் துவக்கம் ஆகியவற்றைப் பற்றிய அவருடைய கோட்பாடுகள் விண்வெளிக்கு அப்பால் அவருடைய மனத்தைக் கூட்டிச் சென்றபோதிலும், பூமியின் பிரச்சனைகளுக்குத் தீர்வு காணுவதில் அறிவியல்;ஓர் இன்றியமையாத பங்காற்றுவதாக அவர் நம்பினார். அதனால், பருவநிலை மாற்றம், அணுவாயுதப் போர் குறித்த அச்சுறுத்தல், அதிக ஆற்றல் படைத்தச் செயற்கை நுண்ணறிவு போன்ற, மனிதகுலத்தைத் தற்போது அச்சுறுத்திக் கொண்டிருக்கும் அவசரமான விவகாரங்களை நோக்கி ஹாக்கிங் தன் கவனத்தைத் திருப்புகிறார். உலகின் மாபெரும் சிந்தனையாளர்களில் ஒருவராகத் திகழ்ந்த அவர் தன்னுடைய இந்த இறுதிப் புத்தகத்தில், மனிதகுலம் என்ற முறையில் நாம் எதிர்கொண்டுள்ள சவால்களையும், நாம் எதை நோக்கிப் போய்க் கொண்டிருக்கிறோம் என்பதையும் பற்றிய தன்னுடைய அக்கறையையும் கரிசனத்தையும் நம் அறிவுக்குத் தீனி போடுகின்ற விதத்திலும் தன்னுடைய இயல்பான நகைச்சுவையுணர்வோடும் நம்மோடு பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளுகிறார்.

The book tells the story of Lalu and his red kite in wondrous colours. The kite is Lalu’s love and he is ready to go to any length to keep the kite with him.

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.

When a herd of elephants creates trouble in the jungle, do the little rabbits run away in fear? No! From Aztec to Chinese, there are many versions of the story about the rabbit in the moon. The illustrations for this bilingual retelling are based on the pithora folk style of central India, which derives from cave art.

Ilham has a problem. Her Papa has given her a crisp fifty rupee note for her birthday, and she doesn’t know where to keep it absolutely safe. A pocket would be best, but her new frock doesn’t have one. So she runs to Salma Chachi the tailor to get a pocket stitched — but that leads to another problem. A charming little nugget of a story with the flavour of old Hyderabad captured warmly in the pictures!

Dhum Dhum Dhum… dhup dhup dhup… Dungi dances to a dhinchak beat in this foot-tapping story that will make young readers move and groove, clap and tap! Big sheep, small sheep, bored sheep, happy sheep… eye-catching visuals bring to life the dance and drama in a woolly world.

It’s Monday morning. Time for school. And his model of the earth…? Chintu Chitnis suddenly remembers he hasn’t made it! There’s a last-minute scramble to finish the project, with his little sister Pihu pitching in not very helpfully. And then, in school, Chintu finds an entire continent missing! Where did it go? Set in a Konkani household, this light and humorous story with playful pictures is a quick first introduction to the continents of the world.

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.

Muthu’s constant companion is a rooster called Goondi. But her grandfather tells her not to get too attached to Goondi, since he belongs to Selvi Paati. And the village head wants to buy him for his son’s wedding feast… Muthu can’t bear the thought! So, she makes her move and Thatha makes his, in this tender story about what a dear friend is worth. Pictures add richness and depth to this layered narrative set in an Irula fishing village in Tamil Nadu. Their varying tones and textures capture the setting, the people and the moments.

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.

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.

Lined up on a street are noisy motorbikes, honking cars, crowded buses, impatient autos... In their midst sits a queenly Maharani! At the heart of this funny little vignette is a cool-as-a-cucumber cow, an all too familiar character of an Indian streetscape. Nancy Raj’s full-of-life pictures bustle with detail and drama, capturing the bovine and the boisterous as everyone tries to unseat her highness. 2018: The Hindu Young World-Goodbooks Award – Best Picture Book 2018: Honor Book, South Asia Book Award

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

After a school trip to the zoo, Amma is surprised that Meera has seen no animals – not a monkey, a lion, or even a giraffe... But why did Meera see no animals there? Her lively mother forgets to ask! Zestful pictures capture the hilarious inversion of role play.

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.

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.

It’s a hot, hot day. Shouting people, thirsty puppies, honking cars – everyone is rushing to get away from the heat, except for one big cow… How will they all cool off? Crisp text, and furiously frantic illustrations, capture the chaos and cacophony of a scorching summer day.

Roll it, pat it, poke in eyes, stick on nose and ears — and a ball of chapati dough can turn into almost anything! The endearing illustrations follow the quirks of a child's imagination.

Playtime on the terrace takes a turn when a strong wind sweeps Chhotu off his feet and carries him up and away to the clouds and the birds! The light and lively illustrations whirl us to the sky and back.

Boodabim floats in the sky, he swims in the ocean and he simply glows in stripes! Who is he? A cloud? A fish? A tiger? Boodabim can be anything he wants to be! Minimal text and rollicking illustrations make this a most endearing book for little ones.