As you know, Westland Books and its imprints will be unavailable after March 31, 2022. We’ve curated a list of Westland books and its imprints that have been recommended by other members. Many Westland books are on limited time deals as well.
PICTURE BOOKS
Poonachi: Lost in the Forest by PERUMAL MURUGAN, illustrated by Priya Kuriyan for 3-8 years. Quoting Amardeep:
I’m glad that I finally bought the book because it is breathtaking. The illustrations itself leave you amazed, and were enough to inspire Neil to take out his red and black crayons and start doodling something! The story is short with simple text which makes it enjoyable for children, but it has so many layers to it, that it will be enjoyed by adults too. This is a story about a goat who gets upset with her cheating friends and runs away to the forest, which she finds both scary as well as magical. She realises she is free at last, but does she want to live alone forever? As adults, you will find yourself reflecting at life and at every major decision you took, at the balance you try to maintain between that much cherished freedom and sense of security! This is a must have book, for kids as well as adults.
Little Leader series for 4-8 years. Read Snehlata’s detailed review here. (asha has all 4 books in this series now!)
It’s an amazing universe : A story inspired by Stephen Hawking by Arthy Muthanna Singh and Mamta Nainy
Suni Goes to Space: A Story Inspired by Sunita Williams by Arthy Muthanna Singh and Mamta Nainy
Born to Bat: A Story Inspired by Mithali Raj by Arthy Muthanna Singh and Mamta Nainy
Braving the Bullet: A Story Inspired by Malala Yousufzei by Arthy Muthanna Singh and Mamta Nainy
Happy Birthday, World! by Ruskin Bond for 4-8 years
Mermaids In The Moonlight by acclaimed author and poet Sharanya Manivannan for 5 years+ (asha has been gifting this one)
Prince with a Paintbrush: The Story of Raja Ravi Varma by Shobha Tharoor (asha is a huge raja ravi varma fan so had to order this one and is drooling all over it now that it has arrived!) – 6 yrs+ for self reading otherwise 5yos will also enjoy!
ACTIVITY BOOKS
Pre-writing Skills Pencil Control (Red Panda Learning) for 3-5 years
The Ultimate Preschool Colouring Book for Kids – for 3 years+
Unicorn Best Friends Forever Activity Book: Over 75 Stickers Inside!; Prompts to Help Kids Think Creatively
The Ultimate Vehicles Colouring Book for Kids: 100 Original Hand-Drawn pictures, 10 categories, GK & Trivia – 5 years+
THE ULTIMATE INDIAN COLOURING BOOK FOR KIDS: 100 Original Hand-Drawn pictures, 10 categories, GK & Trivia – 5 years+
THE ULTIMATE NATURE COLOURING BOOK FOR KIDS: 100 Original Hand-Drawn pictures, 10 categories, GK & Trivia
My Super Smart Activity Book: Festivals and Celebrations by RobinAge (My Super Duper Activity Book) for 6-11 years (asha ordered this)
My Super Smart Activity Book: Animals by RobinAge (My Super Duper Activity Book) for 6-11 years
Birds in Your Backyard and Beyond by Arthy Muthanna Singh and Mamta Nainy – a bird watching guide with activity sheets for 5 years+
CHAPTER BOOKS
Tales from the Vedas and Upanishads
Thank God It’s Caturday!: A Collection of Cool Cat Stories by Lubaina Bandukwala for 6-12 years (asha just ordered this one and has got it)
India’s Space Adventure (Let’s Find Out) by Biman Basu for 7 years+
India’s Classical Music and Dance (Let’s Find Out!) for 7 years+
India: A History Through the Ages Book 1: The Harappan Civilisation and the Vedic Age: The Harappan Civilisation and the Vedic Ages (History’s Mysteries) by Amar Chitra Katha
India: A History Through the Ages – Book 2: The Iron Age (History’s Mysteries) by Amar Chitra Katha
The Tiger, The Bear and The Battle for Mahovann
Dasavatara by Piyusha Vir for 7 years+
My Wisdom Book: Everyday Shlokas, Mantras, Bhajans and More by Swami Mukundananda
The Crocodile who ate Butter Chicken and other stories by Khyrunnisa A. for 7-12 years (asha has this one)
Why is My Hair Curly? by Lakshmi Iyer Read review here. 7-12 years
Woof!: Adventures by the Sea by Aparna Karthikeyan for 9-14 years (asha ordered this one and has got it!)
What’s Up With Me?: Puberty, Periods, Pimples, People, Problems and More by Tisca Chopra for 8-13 years
The Nameless God by Savie Karnel for 9-16 years (asha ordered this one).
“Quoting Asha: It’s a MUST READ for every 9/10+ yo. Poignant, yet funny in parts. Intense yet cute. Writing for tweens is not easy but Savie has nailed it. Giving children a context on unpleasant events in the recent past is always a difficult task for parents and history teachers. Books like The Nameless God should be prescribed in the school syllabus.”
Ayesha, a kbc child member, has shared her review in the fb group: Quoting her: “The Nameless God is about two friends, Noor and Bachchu, who feel ignored by their gods. They decide to create their own god who will listen to them and grant their wishes. At first, their new god seems to work, performing miracles for them. But their happiness doesn’t last long as they get caught in communal riots after the Babri Masjid is destroyed. The book talks about friendship, faith, and how religious and social differences affect people.
Savie Karnel’s “The Nameless God” is a thought-provoking story. It’s easy to read and great for young readers. Noor and Bachchu are well-developed characters, and their friendship is touching. The book shows how children can see beyond religious differences, unlike many adults. However, the story also deals with serious issues like communal violence.
I am in grade 6. In civics we have a chapter named “understanding Diversity” along with another named “Prejudice and Discrimination”. This book is a great read as it offers valuable lessons on friendship, understanding, and the importance of looking beyond religious and social boundaries, everything which connected me with my chapters and society. It’s a powerful story that encourages acceptance towards all religions. Personally, this book made me believe that countries and continents are just lines drawn by us and also the fact that “God is everywhere”.”
NEW RELEASE JULY 2024: Lakshmi Panda: The Story of Netaji’s Youngest Spy by Savie Karnel for 10 years+
Gravepyres School For The Recently Deceased for 10 years+ . Read Archana’s brilliant review here. (asha ordered this)
GROWN UP READS
Why I Stopped Wearing My Socks by Alok Kejriwal (asha has this!)
The Cave: An Internet Entrepreneur’s Spiritual Journey by Alok Kejriwal (asha has this!)
Valmiki’s Women by Anand Neelakantan
7 Secrets of the Goddess by Devdutt Pattanaik
Priya Iyer-Vyas has shared her list of recommended reads:
1. Qabar by K.R. Meera and Nisha Susan,
2. Incantations Over Water by Sharanya Mannivannan,
3. The Women Who Forgot to Invent Facebook and Other Stories by Nisha Susan,
4. Whole Numbers and Half-Truths by Rukmini S.,
5. Principles of Prediction by Anushka Jasraj,
6. Undaunted by Bhaavna Arora,
7. Amma by Perumal Murugan,
8. My Husband and Other Animals by Janaki Lenin,
9. Eating Wasps by Anita Nair
10. Tongue in Cheek by Khyrunnisa A., (asha ordered this one!)
If you are getting yourself/friends/neighbours a Westland/Context/Tranquebar title, please pick any of the above + the following:
1. Nine Rupees An Hour by Aparna Karthikeyan (What a beautifully researched piece!),
2. His Father’s Disease: Stories by Aruni Kashyap,
3. Venkatesa Suprabhtam: The Story of India’s Most Popular Prayer by Venkatesh Parthasarthy (an interesting exploration of the hymn),
4. The Three Khans by Kaveree Bamzai (for those who eat, sleep, breathe Bollywood).
Westland also has an imprint called Eka that brings us lesser mortals some immortal pieces of work originally written in Indian languages. Here’s a list of unmissables from Eka:
1. Krishnayan by Kaajal Vaidya Oza and translated by Subha Pande (simply breathtaking in its descriptions!),
2. Duryodhan by Kaka Vidhate and translated by Vikrant Pande (it wouldn’t hurt to think about what Duryodhan must have felt),
3. Yugandhar by Shivaji Sawant.
WESTLAND NON-FICTION (quite a few are on limited time deals)
Price of the Modi Years by Aakar Patel
Asylum: The Battle for Mental Healthcare in India by Daman Singh
Lady Doctors: The Untold Stories of India’s First Women in Medicine
Some more recommended by book lovers over twitter from all the adult imprints!
Milk Teeth by Amrita Mahale
Bombay Balchao by Jane Borges
The Silent Coup: A History of India’s Deep State
Radiant Fugitives: A Novel by Nawaaz Ahmed
Queeristan: LGBTQ Inclusion in the Indian Workplace: LGBT Inclusion at the Indian Workplace
Leopard Diaries: The Rosette in India
Midnight’s Borders: A People’s History of Modern India by Suchitra Vijayan
Icons of Grace: Twenty-one Lives that Defined Indian Spirituality
Kabir, Kabir: The life and work of the early modern poet-philosopher – Bhavneet has ordered this one.
[Note from Team Kids Book Café: For your convenience, affiliate links (MARKED IN PINK) to some of the book titles & images have been added to enable you to buy the books from AMAZON, should you wish to! A very small amount of money comes to kidsbookcafe.com when you purchase a book via the amazon affiliate link provided (at absolutely no extra cost to you!). Do let us know if you need information about other children’s books by writing to asha@kidsbookcafe.com.]
