There’s a lot of buzz in our facebook group – lots of contests and of course #kbcSecretSanta2021 is on so everyone is busy ordering books for each other (it’s for parents this time). Feel free to check out our post on Grown Up Reads that are popular in the group as well as our curated post on everyone’s favourite Christmas Reads!
But for now, we’re listing down what everyone is reading and recommending this month!
Babies and Toddlers
My First Words: 15 Mini Board Books Box Set by Penguin for 0-1.5 years . Bhavneet is super excited to review this set which she feels makes a great first bookset gift.
It’s a Little Baby by Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb LIFT THE FLAP BOARD BOOK for 0-2 years. Bhavya Mohan highly recommends it and shared the sweetest #kbcreadaloud which shows how engaged and attached her toddler with the book!
Hello, Red Fox (The World of Eric Carle)
Quoting Tejaswi:
First, the illustrations are absolutely beautiful like any of his other books and big, especially if you buy the Hardcover book. Second, It teaches about colors.. Let me first explain how the book works. That’s right, It isn’t any ordinary picture book. This book contains huge pictures of a green fox, yellow butterfly, blue cat, red snake, purple bird, orange fish and black dog with white spots.. Ohh, but wait, for frog’s birthday, he has invited his friends – red fox, purple butterfly, orange cat, green snake, yellow bird, blue fish and white dog with black spots… While mama frog is confuses as to others have appeared instead of his friends, little frog mentions how they are his friends and mama frog only has to stare at them long enough to see them. That’s what we have to do. Stare at the green fox long enough and boom, he is a red fox.!! And so on…Such a magical book to spot all of frog’s friends and at the same time to teach colors to kids. There is something else I absolutely loved about this book.. You have to stare at every picture at least for 10 seconds. Only then you can view the actual colors of the animal and it works like wonders without any doubt. But it teaches how to be patient if you want the results right. This book also shows how powerful an illustration is if you stare at it long enough. Which made me re-think about all the books I have bought just for a good illustration and now I know they are truly magical as this book.! All in all, it definitely is a must have book and a fun book for pre-schoolers.
NEW RELEASE: There’s a Ghost in this House: by Oliver Jeffers for 3 years+ Nimisha Daharwal has this book and it looks exciting!
Mad About Trucks and Diggers! by Giles Andreae recommended by Nivetha who says, “Has big pictures and small description about each of the truck. Anything with wheels is a hit with my lil one. Kids who love vehicles will surely love this book.”
Sally Sutton books for kids who love all things about construction!
Edie by Sophie Henn Quoting Amar:
I’m ‘growned’ up now mumma, I can cook. This is the scene every morning in our house. My 4 year old insists on making his breakfast, and he insists on climbing on the counter to cook because chefs have to see what they are cooking! I’m sure this happens in every house, because every toddler thinks they are ‘growned’ up and want to do exactly what adults do. They think they are helping!Sophy Henns Edie is a delightful book exactly on this. Edie loves pretending to be an adult, and helping. What ensues is exactly what happens in our houses everyday- hilarious mess all over the house. A delightful story in which she realises that while being helpful is good, she needs to learn exactly how helpful to be!
The Hippopandamouse for 3-6 years Amar and Asha both have this book. It’s precious because it reminds us NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE PERFECT teaches kids to be inclusive no matter how different/imperfect someone is. Acceptance in friendship is truly unconditional!
Gilbert the Great Shipra’s reco for a query on not feeling sad about losing old friends and looking forward to making new friends. In her words:
A heart warming tale of friendship, love and loss . This story teaches us how to come over the pain that we experience when our friends move away from us.
Making Friends is an Art by Julia Cook, K.D.Smith Illustrations: Bridget A.Barnes. Quoting Priyanka:
I came across a wonderful book that talks just about that- knowing, acknowledging, honoring who you are, because once you are in this journey of self-realization, you also tend to attract like- minded people, where you develop the first seeds of friendship. There is nothing better than crayons interacting and expressing themselves in a beautiful story. BROWN is a very happy color, hanging out with his friends in other colors. He knows that each of the color has their talents, each is unique and special. But this wasn’t the case always. He was unsure of his talent and went to each of his other color friends to know what his talent might have been. All he was answered to was ‘Making Friends is an Art. You will figure out’. He was unhappy, not convinced and finally went to the one color that is the most famous, that has more friends than anyone- RED. ‘Red’ explains him how incredible he is and she so wished she could be anyway like him. She helps him uncover his true potential and his talents. Her words ‘Be Yourself’ ingrains in his heart and he realizes something so vital – ‘ALL COLORS WHEN MIXED, MAKE BROWN’. He not only realizes his true worth but does practice being BROWN as well. After Nirvana and I read this beautiful book, Nirvana grabbed her colors to find out of what happens when we mix all colors.
The Giant of Jum – this book is another must must must have for everyone!
Hike by Pete Oswald – gifted by Amardeep to Achira!
Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin
Greta and the Giants: inspired by Greta Thunberg’s stand to save the world. Written by: Zoe Tucker Illustrated by: Zoe Persico Quoting Achira
This book is inspired by a little girl called Greta Thunberg who stood up to save the world from climate change and was also nominated for the Nobel peace prize. The story is about Greta who lived in a beautiful forest. But soon the giants started ruining the forests by cutting down the trees and building houses in their place. Then houses grew into towns which grew into cities. The factories, cars, planes and all the pollution totally killed the flora and fauna of the forests! Great stood up against this threat of climate change. Her passion soon made other people join in her mission and together they told the giants how their greedy actions were killing the plants and animals. Their concerns were heard and the giants felt really guilty. They slowed down and together they got the forest back in its best form. These giants are us- the humans who are going after all materialistic things at the cost of our Mother Nature. We need to STOP! That is all..or else our world is what will fall! ( lines from a poem Divit recited on saving the nature in school). A little girl could bring that change. It made me stop and realise that it is very important for our little ones to understand how pollution and man made things are affecting the ecological balance. I really loved the way this message is conveyed in this book.
THE USBORNE FIRST THOUSAND WORDS (a series available for many languages like French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and English amongst other languages). They even have sticker activity books. Quoting Gauri who has FIRST THOUSAND WORDS for German. “My kiddo has taken to learning German and the only material we had was YouTube videos and an app. This book has labelled pictures. Also a central picture where you can play a game of seek and find. There is also a word list in the end Kiddo is absolutely in love with this book.”
OSWAAL BOOKS for academic exams, question banks to help with exams, previously solved papers etc
Scary Stories for 7 Year Olds (Macmillan Children’s Books Story Collections for 6-7 years.
The Haunted Library series for 6-8 years (chapter books)
The Adventures of Pug for 6-9 years recommended by Shipra
Incredible Journeys: Discovery, Adventure, Danger, Endurance. Khushboo K. recommends this for 7 yrs+. Quoting her: “What an incredible book this truly is, with gorgeous illustrations and unbiased history of travellers”.
Watch Out! No Bullying – 4/5 years+
Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon for 4-8 years
Speak Up, Molly Lou Melon for 4-8 years
My Secret Bully by Trudy Ludwig (the author of The Invisible Boy)
Manya learns to roar by Shruthi Rao for 6-10 years
The Adventures of Mooli and the Bully On Wheels for 7-10 years
Susie will not speak (hOle book) by Shruthi Rao for 6-8 years
Simply Nanju by Zainab Sulaiman for 10-12 years
Indigo’s Star (Casson Family) (272 pages) – on school issues – bullying being one of the main issues. Casson Family is an award winning series.
Gullivers Travels : Illustrated abridged Classics (Om Illustrated Classics) . Om Illustrated Classics are very popular in the group!
Gulliver’s Travels (Award Essential Classics) Hardcover
Usborne The Unworry Book Achira gifted this book to Asha and her 14yo Aarini. Aarini can not stop raving about this workbook/activity book with very helpful tips. While the publishers say it’s for 9-12 years, younger kids can benefit as well.
UPDATE DEC 2022: Achira gifted Aarini another book in this awesome series Usborne THE UNHURRY BOOK.
When Stars are Scattered Quoting Meena:
If your kids (9 years above) are not ready to read war related story books, best way to introduce them with graphic novels..My daughter an avid reader but reluctant to explore this genre now slowly and steadily reading and liking it too
Books on Planes for a 10yo:
Our World in Pictures: Cars, Trains, Ships and Planes: A Visual Encyclopedia to Every Vehicle by DK for 9-12 years
The Big Book of Planes: Discover the Biggest, Fastest and Best Flying Machines for 7-9 years
Stephen Biesty’s More Incredible Cross-sections for 7-11 years
Stephen Biesty’s Flying Machines (Stephen Biesty Series) – this is a lift the flap book that 8 yos have also enjoyed according to the reviews
There are lots of books on the wright brothers – the inventors.
Flight (DK Eyewitness)
Fold and Fly Paper Planes
Finding Muchness: How to Add More Life to Life by NYT bestseller Kobi Yamada. This book is for all ages. Asma gifted it to Asha who is extremely moved by the awesomeness of this book that she believes everyone must have in their collection. All of Kobi Yamada’s books are stunning and very inspiring.
ROSS WELFORD BOOKS are intriguing for 9 years+. Many of our kbc tweens are totally into Ross Welford!
What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible
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