As soon as the summer break began, Gargi began asking about KBC Book Bingo. Since the announcement of the book bingo, she had been quite excited. Our weekends were devoted to going through book racks and selecting the ideal book for each prompt. There were numerous talks and disagreements, but when you have a 6-year-old child with a strong will, her decision is final. The following are the 30 books that Gargi chose and read to complete her book bingo.
- A book with pirates : The Troll written by Julia Donaldson illustrated by David Roberts
Julia Donaldson books are loved by children across all age groups. At 6, Gargi has started loving the author’s work with a bit more elaborate storylines. The Troll has alternating timelines, there is a grumpy Troll leading his life under the bridge, waiting to catch a goat for his dinner and there is a pirate crew living on the ship, looking for the treasure. The trolls journey from bridge to bridge to find goat and pirate crews journey from island to island to find treasure lead them to find each other in a very interesting way. Do they find what they were seeking for? Do they end up disappointed? Or do the find something much better? - A book with siblings : Five Minutes’ Peace written and illustrated by Jill Murphy
It’s a story about Mrs Large and her three kids. All Mrs. Large wants is some peace and privacy to enjoy her morning tea while the siblings are eating, or rather playing with their food. All three of her children want to join her as she takes a hot bath and settles down to drink her hot tea. For all primary caregivers who can’t even enjoy a hot cup of tea without being interrupted by small humans, this story will strike a chord. “Mumma, earlier it was just me saying Mumma Mumma Mumma,” says Gargi, “but now me and Mia are both going to follow you.” Gargi loves how the siblings follow one another. - A book with grandparents :Thatha’s Pumpkin written by Lalita Iyer illustrated by Proiti Roy
Tia’s Thatha (grandpa) comes home with the big pumpkin which he has grown on his farm. If you are a gardener, you can understand Thatha’s happiness and pleasure at having grown it all by himself. Since it is large enough, Paati and Tia, who have a great village sense of sharing, decide to share a wedge each with neighbors and friends instead of using it whole to prepare pumpkin halva. Growing up in a small Goan village, we frequently witnessed how, the pumpkin was sliced into wedges and we children were required to deliver them to each home, much like Tia did. This story teaches a very important lesson of sharing and caring for the community. Our little in-house gardener Gargi loves how Tia salvages the situation when no pumpkin is left for Thatha to make his Pumkin Halva. - A book by your favourite Indian author : Aai and I written by Mamta Nainy illustarted by Sanket Pethkar
Our favorite book is this one. Aadya is excitedly awaiting her mother’s discharge from the hospital with her dog Nimki by her side. But when her mother does show up, Aadya is taken aback to discover how different she looks. Aadya had loved the notion that she was her mother’s mirror image, but now that she and her mother have drastically different appearances, she is devastated and attempts to think of ways to make them look more alike. It’s a heartwarming story about the love between a mother and daughter and how a serious illness is bringing the family closer together. Additionally, this book imparts a crucial lesson on acceptance. Gargi likes all of Mamta Nainy’s books, which we have been reading a lot of lately. This one really hits home because, like Aadya and her mother, Gargi and I have a striking resemblance, and, like Aadya, Gargi was really upset when I had my hair cut very short. The illustrations are incredibly endearing; Sanket Pethkar has painted Adhya’s eyes to beautifully capture her feelings, and one can actually see her emotions there.
We at Kids Book Café are Pickle Yolk Books’ Community & Affiliate Partners! So should you wish to buy this book, please feel free to use our Special Promo Code KBC50 to avail a discount of Rs. 50 on any book you purchase from the Pickle Yolk Books Shop (on their website). - A book by Mark Sperring : Dino-Baby written by Mark Sperring Illustrated by Sam Llyod
Mark Sperring, an author, was recently introduced to us thanks to this book bingo prompt. I picked Dino Baby since it is the perfect book for a family with a new baby. The older dino is being taught the guidelines that must be observed when around the new baby by the dino parents, who recently had a kid. The older dino sibling is warned to be quiet in the morning so as not to wake the new baby and not to play rough or snatch toys and share. The parents also encourage the elder dino to teach the young one new skills like stomping and roaring. Gargi’s world has changed significantly since Mia arrived, and at nap time and bedtime I sometime do become Mumma Dino. Gargi found it to be rather confusing and perplexing. This book offers a more humorous perspective on every day situations with a newborn around. - Any Indian language book : Champu in the Randchikud written by Harsha Sadguru Shetye Illustrated by Siya Atul Pandit
Champu in the Ranchiukud is the first Konkani book we got for Gargi. It is a collection of short stories that are set in present times. Children can easily relate to the main characters and plots of each story. The stories are brief and easy to comprehend. Gargi likes this Konkani book a lot since its our mother tongue. - A book set outdoors or in nature : Vatsala Loves Snakes written by Arthy Muthanna Singh and Mamta Nainy illustrated by Divya George
Vatsala loves snakes, but no one understands her love for them, especially her best friend Neeraj. She had the opportunity to observe several snakes while on the school trip to Sanjay Gandhi National Park, where she also gets to meet the herpetologist Ananya. Will her closest pal Neeraj enjoy the snakes as well? Will her mother comprehend Vatsala’s attraction to them? The book is filled with exquisite illustrations of snakes by Divya Gearge. This book will aid in learning about the numerous snakes that live nearby. Since she carefully watches of snake rescue videos, Gargi has developed a strong interest in snakes. Another interesting tidbit about the book is that the little gardener identified a snake plant which shows its presence on cover and inside. - A book about bugs: Creepy Crawlies Written by Ruth Thomson Illustrated by Dom Mansell
There are numerous large, exquisite drawings of different insects and bugs throughout this book. There are specifics about each of them, including information on their classification, eating habits, life cycles, and other fascinating facts. Gargi wants to catch and keep a bug safely at home for observation as per the instructions in the book. - A book set in winter : Betty and the Yeti written and illustrated by Ella Burfoot
This book was given to Gargi by her Secret Santa last year. Betty discovers a jingly jangly hat, a scarf, and a huge coat as she is heading outside in the snow on her red sledge. She inquires whether the clothing belong to the arctic hare, whale, or polar bear. All of them deny, does Betty finds out whom the clothes belongs to? It’s a beautiful story of a new friendship. - A biography : Prince with the Paintbrush, the Story of Raja Ravi Varma written by Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan illustrated by Rayika Sen
Our elders used to tell us tales about the Rajas and famous warriors as we were growing up. I don’t know much about Kerala’s history that I could impart to Gargi. I couldn’t help but buy this book for her when I saw it. Only this Raja stands apart from the other warriors in a significant way. This is biography of Raja Ravi Verma, India renowned painter, who is also known as the father of Modern Art. The illustrations on every page gives glimpses of Kerala culture. There are picture of famous Raja Rvi Verma paintings spread across the book. - A book set in another country : Carmela Full of Wishes Written by Matt De La Pena illustrated by Christian Robinson
Carmela is very happy since it is her birthday and her wish of accompanying her brother to do their daily chores has already come true. As she is following her brother she comes across a dandelion. She intends to make a wish, which may be anything from her mother sleeping in a luxurious bed to her father having his paperwork corrected and joining them. Carmela is a girl from an immigrant family in the US. The narrative provides a glimpse into immigrant life in the US. Gargi can relate to the dreamy girl with so many wishes, She also wants to grow dandelions in our garden so she can also have unlimitted wishes. - A book about someone making the best out of a sticky situation : The Manic Panic written by Richa Jha illustrated by Mithila Anant
What will happen if wi-fi goes down one day? It’s becomes a pretty bad situation isn’t it? All work stalls, am I right? When we don’t have access to the internet, we grown ups do become really anxious. In this story, the adults are going through the same issue. While the parents of the kid were at a loss for what to do, the smart girl and her adventurous grandmother plans to have fun without the internet. Taking advantage of the difficult circumstances, the girl decides to make most of her family’s unplugged family time. Does she succeed in her plan? While there is a lot of discussion in the home regarding children’s screen time, it is time for us adults to give some rest to our screens too.
We at Kids Book Café are Pickle Yolk Books’ Community & Affiliate Partners! So should you wish to buy this book, please feel free to use our Special Promo Code KBC50 to avail a discount of Rs. 50 on any book you purchase from the Pickle Yolk Books Shop (on their website). - A book with a bird on the cover : The Cocky who cried Dingo written by Yvonne Morrison illustrated by Heath Mckenzie
This is the tale of the sly Cockatoo that got bored easily. He therefore devises a strategy to trick everyone by claiming that the Dingo has attacked him, which caused all of the other parrots to awaken and discover he had been lying all along. What impact do these lies have? Does the Cockatoo understand the dangers of generating false alarms? This book imparts a crucial lesson on maintaining trust in friendships. Gargi was delighted to observe a variety of parrot species, including lorikeets, corellas, galahs, rosellas, and cockatoos. - A non-fiction book : Darwin’s Tree of Life written by Michael Bright illustrated by Margaux Carpentier
Gargi is a science nerd at heart. Every day, a thousand questions are asked. Some of them were answered by this book. The enormous diversity of life on earth is explained by Darwin’s Tree of Life. Starting at the beginning of life, this book demonstrates the sequence in which plants and animals evolved, the various branches of “The Tree of Life,” and the numerous, astonishingly diverse ways in which plants and animals have altered over time. The illustrations are extremely vibrant, lovely, and eye-catching. Little readers will have little trouble understanding the narrative, but there are many fascinating facts throughout the book. - An inspiring book : Looking for Inspiration written by Mamta Nainy illustrated by Kalyani Ganapathy
One day Ravindranath Tagore, wakes up realizing he has lost his Inspiration. He finds it difficult to come up with anything to write and chooses to search for ideas in his lush garden, adjacent to a peaceful stream, on his terrace, and in his library. The author, Mamta Nainy has created the ideal resource to assist little minds in discovering their next source of inspiration. Every page of Kalyani Ganapathy’s gorgeous artwork is magical. Looking for Inspiration, has inspired Gargi to glance around and be charmed by the beauty of the surroundings. - A book that helped address an issue : Your Body Rocks written by Emily Lourren Dick illustrated by Ayan Mansoori
It’s quite natural for 6 year olds to be curious about their private parts. It’s time to have candid conversations about their body parts, safe vs. unsafe touch, consent, anatomy, reproduction, and gender. This book has age-appropriate information. A vibrant, sympathetic, and inclusive book. It also explains what intersex is to children and introduces them to the idea of gender fluidity. - A book published by Parragon Publishing : Frozen published by Parragon
Like many kids, Gargi is fan of Elsa and Anna, now that she has got small sister she is planning for elaborate pretend play session wherein she will be Elsa and Mia will be Anna. Princess Elsa and Anna’s story is told in the Disney’s Frozen. Anna is unaware of Elsa’s magical ability to create snow, which Elsa possesses. They both grow up to be distant in order to protect Anna from the power of her sister. The terrible exposure of Elsa’s skills to the populace of her realm causes Elsa to flee to a mountain. In order to locate her estranged sister, Princess Anna joins forces with an iceman, his reindeer, and a snowman. - A book with a human-animal duo : A walk with Thambi written by Lavanya Karthik illustrated by Proiti Roy
It’s a story about a boy and his dog as they walk through the busy lanes of village, market, calm near the river, having fun with the friends, While doing so they forget the instructions given by their Mom. Prioty Roy has done amazing work in the illustrations. Gargi enjoys how the duo is enjoying their walk. - A book with a vegetable’s name in the title : Vee Loved Garlic written by Richa Jha illustarted by Kunal Kundu
Vee ate Garlic once and falls in love with it. But because of the fact that she is a vampire, her entire family warns her against eating garlic. From fear to punishment, they do everything they can to prevent her from consuming garlic. Will Vee succumb to the pressure from her family? or will she persuade her family that consuming it won’t hurt them? Vee reminds me of my 6-year-old, headstrong daughter.
We at Kids Book Café are Pickle Yolk Books’ Community & Affiliate Partners! So should you wish to buy this book, please feel free to use our Special Promo Code KBC50 to avail a discount of Rs. 50 on any book you purchase from the Pickle Yolk Books Shop (on their website). - A book with the letter Z in the title : Zayn and Zoey Visit the Chocolate Factory
As a part of the natural to processed series, Zayn and Zoey take us on a journey to learn how Chocolate is made in the Chocolate Factory and explain the whole process with the help of detailed illustrations. Zayn and Zoey are traveling to Brazil to see Aunt Ana. Both siblings were shocked to learn that chocolate is created from cocoa plant seeds when Aunt Ana explained this to them. So, Aunt Ana decides to take them to the neighborhood factory to show them how it is made. Like all kids Gargi loves chocolate and was very curious to learn how it was made.
ONLY KBC MEMBERS HAVE A SPECIAL COUPON CODE KBC15 which will give you 15% OFF when you order directly from the ZAYN AND ZOEY website. Simply click this link that takes you to the Zayn and Zoey shop on their website. - A second hand book : Stuck written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
We have many pre-loved books which are lovingly passed down by friends and family. Out of these Stuck is our current favorite. Stuck is fun-filled tale of little boy whose kite gets stuck in a tree, he’s determined to get it out. But in bargain there whole load of this that get stuck on the same tree. Oliver Jeffer’s comical book guarantees enjoyment and laughter. Gargi chuckles as more objects are added to the tree. - A book with stars on the cover: Ten Minutes to bed Baby Unicorn written by Rhiannon Fielding illustrated by Chris Chatterton
Another book of Unicorn for a Girl who often gets lost in her imaginary magical world. Twinkle the Unicorn is walking through her magical land. Ten minutes remain before bedtime. She discovers her younger brother Fizz in these ten minutes after he lands from the Rainbow. It’s wonderful to read about how they go together through the enchanted kingdom to the bedroom. The illustrations are lovely and striking. - A book about books : My very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World written by Malcolm Mitchell illustrated by Michael Robertson
My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World is a story about little boy Henley. After being instructed by his teacher to bring a favorite book to class to share with the class, he is searching for his favorite book. He panicked when he couldn’t find his favorite book in the bookstore or library. Everyone assumed he detested reading, but it was simply that some books had difficult-to-understand words or that the plot seemed to go on forever. Finally, after a heart-to-heart discussion with his mother, he does find where his most favourite book is. “This is my favorite in the whole wide world” is the phrase Gargi often uses. So the title made me pick this book without second thought and i am glad i did it. Gargi enjoyed the book quest and the final discovery. - A book with a villain: The Singing Mermaid Written by Julia Donaldson illustrated by Lydia Monks
Julia Donaldson has been an all time favourite author. So her book is must have in our listicle. We also enjoy reading books about magical creatures. The evil circus owner Sam Sly tempts the singing mermaid to leave her home at Silversands and join the circus. He makes grand promises to her but in reality makes her stay in a tank. The mermaid dreams of going back to the sea. Will she be able to defeat this villain and get away from him? The artwork by Lydia Monks is absolutely lovely, and the glitter pages give the enchanting story even more charm. - A book that has a royal character: Goodnight Princess written by Michelle Robinson illustrated by Nick East
We don’t typically read before bedtime, but we do have a lot of bedtime books, and this one is one of them. The young princess is saying goodnight to all of her possessions as she prepares to go to bed, including her reckless, crown, slippers, and gown. This book’s rhymes make it simple to read and the illustrations are pleasing to the eyes. Gargi frequently pretends to be a princess when she plays, and she frequently chooses this book to read during such plays. - A book that focuses on cooking or baking: Tomatoes for Neela written by Padma Laxmi illustrated by Juana Martinez -Neal
Neela enjoys preparing meals with her Amma. They go tomato shopping so they can make the sauce. Neela gains a lot of knowledge about tomatoes throughout this market run. Everything Gargi and I adore is in this book. The wonderful mother-daughter relationship, their interactions, and how they strengthen their relationship by cooking together. This one was love at first sight. - The most engaging Activity Book: Draw with Rob Monster Madness by Rob Biddulph
Gargi loves free hand drawing and keeps on drawing on every bit of paper she finds. This book is jam-packed with monster-related activities and step-by-step instructions for creating your own monster. Rob Biddulph illustrations are the finest. Gargi thoroughly enjoyed doing activities from this book. - A book you gift often : The Unboy Boy written by Richa Jha illustrated by Gautam Benegal
When it comes to gifting we usually pick books by Richa Jha because of the unique and endearing storylines. I gifted this book to day dreaming boy just like Gagan who found beauty in everything around. In this book Gagan is teased by his peers and his grandfather for being an un-boy boy, not conforming to stereotypical boyish behaviors. But Gagan never stops dreaming and enjoying the little cute things. He does get sad and questions himself occasionally as a result of peer pressure, but his mother always reassures him that it’s acceptable to be exactly who he is. Illustrations in this books come as a surprise. Gautam Benegal did a great job creating the really unusual and improbable illustrations for the children’s book. When I first saw the images, I was a little surprised, but Gargi didn’t find them terrifying at all; instead, she really liked them.
We at Kids Book Café are Pickle Yolk Books’ Community & Affiliate Partners! So should you wish to buy this book, please feel free to use our Special Promo Code KBC50 to avail a discount of Rs. 50 on any book you purchase from the Pickle Yolk Books Shop (on their website). - An early chapter book you enjoyed: Unicorn Diaries Bo and the Merbaby written by Rebecca Elliott
Unicorn Diaries gives insight of Bo’s Glitterterric life. This is the first early chapter book we introduced to Gargi. Gargi, who is fascinated by unicorns, adores this book. Bo and the Merbaby is the part of the Unicorn Diaries boxset. This is the tale of Bo Tinseltail and the Merbaby who cannot sing. Will Bo be able to help Merbaby? Will Merbaby be able to finally swim? You must go on the interesting magical journey with them to find the answers. - A book you got from kbc recommendations: The Who’s Whonicorn of Unicorns written by Kes Gray illustrated by Garry Parsons
How many Unicorn books are too many? For us the answer is infinity. We are always surrounded by Unicorn books and keep on adding more to our collection. The moment this book was recommended on KBC the next moment it went in our cart. It’s a book that makes Gargi laugh at each word. There are unicorns with funniest names ever and you can create your own unicorn name too. This one is absolute fun read.
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