The art of story-telling goes deep into the roots of Indian culture. Every child in India has listened to one or the other Indian folk tales from parents and grandparents. Children are hooked on listening to such classic stories. So why don’t we introduce them to the world of reading? Reading is no doubt one of the best habits that a person can develop. Instilling a reading habit into your children at an early stage will be fruitful for them in the future.
Reading storybooks will help the children to extend the boundaries of their imagination. It will introduce them to new concepts, morals and values. Reading will help the children have a good hold over their vocabulary and grammar, giving them an edge in languages. So here we are enlisting some of the best Indian storybooks for children to engage your young reader:
#1. Great Stories for Children – Ruskin Bond
Ruskin Bond’s work has been winning the readers’ hearts for over 50 years in various genres; he is dearly loved by readers of all ages. Ruskin Bond’s Great Stories for Children is one of the best-loved books. The book is compiled with 18 short stories inspired by his own life.
The kids will definitely love this storybook as it explores numerous themes like friendship, adventure, nature, animals and ghosts. Such themes make the book a perfect read for children. It will take the kids on a journey which they will cherish forever.
#2. Grandma’s Bag of Stories – Sudha Murty
Every kid likes to listen to stories from their grandmother, but when it comes to reading such stories of grandma, who else is better than Sudha Murty. Sudha Murty’s Grandma’s Bag of Stories is a mixture of both novels and short stories. In the book, the grandchildren visit their grandparents, where they befriend the neighbour’s children, and listening to the stories of their grandparents is their favourite activity.
The book has a total of 21 short stories which grandparents narrate to the seven children. The short stories subtly give moral lessons to the reader, differentiating what is right and wrong. Children will love this book, as it also has illustrations by Priya Kurian, making it more enjoyable for the kids.
#3. The Best of Akbar and Birbal – Rungeen Singh
The duo of Akbar and Birbal has always been talked about in history. It wouldn’t have been a memorable tale if not for the wit of Birbal and their friendship. The tales of Akbar and Birbal are widely acknowledged for the moral lessons of wisdom. Author Rungeen Singh brings us The Best of Akbar and Birbal, which compiles 39 fascinating tales of the duo.
The book will help the kids learn about practical solutions to various problems and challenges in life. The book also captures the social, political, cultural, and ritual life of the Mughal emperors.
#4. The Best of Panchatantra – Rungeen Singh
There are many classic storybooks from India, but there is nothing like the Panchatantra. The Panchatantra is a compilation of five volumes of ancient Indian folk tales. It is classic Hindu literature, which tells some stories with the help of animals as the central characters.
The Panchatantra stories help the kids to learn how to become good human beings and great leaders. The Best of Panchatantra by Rungeen Singh compiles 40 of the best tales from Panchatantra, making it a must-read for the kids.
#5. Adventures with Hanuman – Arshia Sattar
The children need to connect with mythology. Ramayana is one of the best mythological tales which children can explore, as they might feel an attachment with Hanuman. The epic of Ramayana is narrated with more engagement in the book Adventures with Hanuman by Arshia Suttar, which contains illustrations by Sunaina Coelho.
The book tells the epic of Ramayana from the perspective of a 12 years old boy Raghu. Raghu is lying on his bed and sees that the Hanuman on the poster in his room comes to life. With him, Raghu goes on the mission to save Lord Ram’s brother Lakshmana and rescue Sita. It is a fascinating book that makes the mythological tale easy to understand for children.
#6. Amar Chitra Katha
Amar Chitra Katha is the storehouse of stories that have every Indian mythological story in it. Amar Chitra Katha has published some of the best storybooks for kids, narrating Indian history, mythology, folklore, classics, fables, and biographies in a way to attract children.
Amar Chitra Katha has published more than 400 titles to date. Amar Chitra Katha is a delightful source for Indian mythology, folklore, epic, history, and fables for kids.
#7. Tara Khojak – Rabindranath Tagore
When it comes to reading books in India, parents should also encourage reading books in the vernacular and regional languages. So why not begin reading books in Hindi and other native languages with Rabindranath Tagore’s Tara Khojak (Hindi translation).
The book also contains illustrations by Harshvardhan Kadam. The book is about an argument between a brother and a sister, where the sister is keen on catching the moon while her brother argues about how huge the moon is. It is a playful read for the kids, which will help them to read books furthermore in Hindi and other regional Indian languages.
#8. Malgudi Days – R. K. Narayan
Another classical Indian storybook is the famous Malgudi Days by R. K. Narayan. The book is a collection of 32 fictional short stories set in the imaginary town Malgudi in the South of India. The book is engaging for children as it describes every facet of the life happening with the people living in Malgudi.
It describes every kind of person who lives in Malgudi. The stories written in the book describe events over 40 years in Malgudi. The book gives the true essence of Indian culture to the readers through its characters and stories.
Conclusion
All the books which are listed above are just the tip of the iceberg. India has a wealth of stories to tell through various authors and books, languages and genres. Once you dive in, you will end up adding many more titles to this list of the best Indian storybooks for children.
If you are still worried about your children’s English language skills and reading habits, you can also make them join Real School Of Montessori alongside reading books. The Real School’s Of Montessori practical approach to skill-based education prepares children for life. Join one of our masterclasses to experience how they engage in tutoring kids into becoming the next generation of innovators and problem solvers.
