We don’t ring out the old, we love re-reading our old and new books at kbc! Sharing some of the awesomeness our members keep sharing in the fb group!
The World Needs More Purple People (My Purple World)
Priyanka shared this brilliant review for 4 years+. Quoting her,
As New Year has set in, this is my wish and goal for 2022. I want to try to become a PURPLE PERSON. If I were to chose that ONE Book that could tell me how wonderful words are, in conveying what and how I want to convey to our children, in a way that is so beautiful, creative, respectful, adds a humor, encourages and celebrates you to be YOU, gets in the family dynamics together, most importantly values the importance and motivates you (it does me every time I read) to become – A PURPLE PERSON, it’s this Book. As they say, pictures speak a lot more than words, I can only say over and over again, how incredible and impactful picture books have become for us, they are not only meant for children spanning a particular age, they really can motivate us as adults to look within, to drive us in wanting to get in alignment with our real selves, in wanting to become a purple person.
Achira, has an interesting one to share! Quoting her:
Book Name: Butterfly fairy’s secret
Written by: Fran Evans
Every time we talk about fairies we think they are all ‘she’! But why so? Can’t a boy be a fairy? I have two boys- the elder one is in that phase where anything pink, girly is not for him. He chooses to ignore how much he loved peppa and played for hours with his cooking set. Well ..I am fine with it because that is what I can expect from an 8 year old! Luckily my younger man is totally open to the idea of being called doll, wearing pink, being called Lola, so I picked this book since I realised we hardly have any girly ones and well I needed one for myself
.This book has a secret of its own!!
Let me take you to this fairy hill where you will find fairies of all kinds. And it is the harvest season so they are all very busy collecting nuts and berries and woods and building up their stash for the winter. Among them is our little butterfly fairy who is only looking to spread her wings in the warm sunlight. And when the golden light falls on her, she decides to fly away. She meets a woolly caterpillar who is trying to build his caccoon and she is so affectionate and concerned that she starts helping him. This doesn’t go down well with the queen bee fairy who bars her from helping the caterpillar since they needed to save up all the food! Soon winter comes and the fairyland is covered with snow. Much to their dismay and horror the fairies realise someone is stealing their food. Everyone thinks it’s the caterpillar. Soon butterfly fairy and grasshopper fairy ( who is a boy) fly to find the caterpillar who has just come out as the most beautiful moth! He helps them to find the thief who was a mouse and all the fairies are overjoyed. Butterfly fairy’s love amd warmth towards the caterpillar made him return the favour. One act of kindness goes a long way – this is what the fairies learnt! A story where we found a “boy grasshopper fairy”, we found love and friendship and beautiful illustrations to explain the life cycle of a caterpillar makes this book very special!
Why I Love The Moon for 2- 5 years
Mr Wuffles! for 0-5 years – Tejaswi gifted this to Asha.
Open Very Carefully – A book with bite (an interactive book for 1-3 years)
Maisy Goes To The Hospital.
Maisy Books are excellent for first experiences.
Maisy takes a Bath can be used to show that the tap is shut while having a bath in the tub.
Peppa Pig Goes To Hospital (2 – 4 years)
Mr. Men Little Miss go to the Doctor (Mr. Men & Little Miss Everyday)
USBORNE Lift-the-Flap My Day for 3-5 years recommended by Achira for toddlers who need to understand a routine and the importance of time.
Duck in the Truck by Jez Alborough – Quoting Shailaja: “My little reader loves Jez Alborough’s Balloon and Duck in the truck too for their easy short sentences with one verb each. What can I say, she likes her verbs said right!” You can find all of Jez Alborough’s books here.
Jabari Jumps for 3-5 years. Recommended by Priyanka. “Here comes a book with a beautiful story, to boost up confidence and help unleash the courage that our children might need time and again. The narrative is simple, the Redwoods illustrations, beautiful and the message, powerful.”
Redwoods by Jason Chin for 4-8 years. Mona Sharma highly recommends this book.
People who love nature must checkout Redwoods by Jason Chin. It is an amazing picture book with mysterious sequence of events happening to a boy who finds a book about redwoods on a bench. I liked the concept of different timeframe blending. The boy leaves the book on a bench after he finishes reading or I must say experiencing it. What a lovely message conveyed – let’s share the awesomeness with everyone.
The Whale Who Wanted More – Achira has this one and has shared the inside pages here in the fb group. Quoting her:
This book is about a whale, Humphrey who was always looking for something..for more. He had this unrelenting urge to find something but he was never happy, content or satisfied. He kept collecting all the treasures from the deepest corners of sea but still wanted more. What was he looking for? Was it something material or was he looking for something beyond this! Do we need a lot or just that little something to be happy? This book gave us the opportunity to talk about these things and we realised that all we need to be truly happy is a group hug!
AND TANGO MAKES THREE for 4 years+ . (or a bit earlier if the concept of families, boy-girl dynamics in every which way has been introduced). Quoting Priyanka:
When we got our hands on this one, I was totally moved and I think this is by far the story that has touched my heart this instantly and this deeply. The best bit- its a true story!
One of the most important virtues for me on a personal front is Inclusion. There is nothing more beautiful than loving, honoring and respecting people/ any being for that matter, for who they are. We live in this world which has been connected like never before and yet there are struggles that one faces to just feel that they indeed are connected- that they are just as honored as others. This book tells a story that so beautifully conveys the message of two same sex individuals that are in love and want to start a family of their own. The innocence of these two beings is unparalleled and the love that they express in wanting to parent is no different that what one sees in stereotypical families raised by heterosexual individuals.
Roy and Silo, two of the male chinstrap penguins that lived with other chinstrap penguin families are intrigued when they see girl penguins and boy penguins unite to have families of their own and make their respective homes. There so want to have a family of their own as well! So they carefully and very observantly do all that the other penguins do to make a home. They would have made the best parents to a young penguin, and yet, they dont have any egg to sit on. Would their wish be fulfilled? Would Roy and Silo be two Fathers to a beautiful penguin baby? Who would help them in getting an egg? What work would Roy and Silo put in to help the penguin baby come into the world? How does the family grow thereafter?
The Calm Book by Alex Allan for 5 years+
Footpath Flowers is an award winning wordless picture book that Divya gifted Asha.
Paula the Vet (Julia Donaldson Songbirds Phonics Books)
Many of the Mister Men and Little Miss books are at great deals!
Disney Pixar Awesome Adventures for 3-8 years
The Good Indian Child’s Guide to Eating Mangoes by Natasha Sharma for 3/4 years+. Amardeep who hates mangoes just loved this book. Excerpts from her review post in the kbc fb group where she has shared inside pages:
I loved loved loved reading this book! And, so did Neil. He couldn’t stop giggling through the book, and was literally drooling! It’s tough to describe the beauty of this book through words. The format the author has chosen, of how best to eat a mango in 7 very hilarious steps, is so unique. It takes you through steps of how to find the perfect mango, how to know which variety it is, and of course how to eat it (and whether to share it or not, and how to save your skin if you accidentally ate someone else’s mango!). Just reading the book, makes you feel like you are eating a mango, and makes the whole experience of pressing a squishy mango, having the juice all over your face come alive. If you, your child, your family members like mangoes, please get this book. It will make you roll on the floor in laughter, dream about the next mango season, and plan how best you can eat the first one you can lay your hands on!
Nat Geo Kids: So Cool: Frogs (So Cool/So Cute) for 3-7 years
Something’s Moving for 4-6 years from Karadi Tales
I’ve an Uncle Ivan for 3 years+
Hello Lighthouse for 3-6 years – Winner of the Caldecott Medal 2019.
What Jobs Could YOU Do?: Discover all kinds of exciting and important jobs in this fun-filled and aspirational picture book!
Engibear’s Dream for 5-7 years
Coral Woman: Dive into the Majestic World of Coral Reefs with Uma Mani! 4-8 years.
Achira has shared a lovely review with inside pages in the fb group here.
I was so much in awe to read about Uma Mani- the homemaker, mother and wife who dared to dream at the age of 49! A dream that took her to the deepest corners of seas and oceans to explore a very important element of the sea- the coral reef! Both my boys have a fascination for coral reef and we have loved reading about the same in our Zayn n zoey book. So when we got this book we were very curious to read about the journey of this incredible woman.
She started as a painter painting the beautiful colours of the reef on her canvasses but when she was asked by someone if she has seen the reef herself she knew there is something missing in her paintings. She took that as a challenge and set the goal right there! She had to see the reef. For someone who didn’t know swimming, to learn that and then to learn deep sea diving is a feat in itself. But she didn’t stop there. She went and fulfilled her dream. She explored the depths of so many seas and fell in love with the life there. She is well known for working towards the protection of our seas, sea life and the coral reef in particular. She is the coral woman.
The book has beautiful illustrations and also drawings by kids who participated in a drawing workshop related to coral woman!
We loved every bit of this book. The message it conveys is so strong and beautiful. There is no age to dream, no age to try anything new, no age to learn and surely no age to go out in the world and make a difference! A very motivating and uplifting book that you will love completely.
Sadiq Wants to Stitch by Mamta Nainy for 5 years+ This is an acclaimed picture book on busting gender stereotypes that Asha has.
The Story Quilt by Harshikaa Udasi for 6 years+
111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl (CitizenKid) Sharadhi has shared a lovely review:
“111 Trees by Rina Singh and Marianne FerrerThe book tells a true story about a village where the birth of a boy was celebrated but girl was welcomed with silence and considered a burden. The struggles of one boy called Sundar Paliwal, who grows up and evolves his village to celebrate the birth of every girl child. Sundar dreams of a better life for all- for both boys and girls. He proposes a plan which both honors girls and heals the land – ” Every girl born in the village will be welcomed with the planting of 111 trees”. At first villagers reject, argue and don’t understand. But Sundar is determined and works towards his passion . It shows how one man can bring a tremendous impact in the community and make it a better place. The struggles of Sundar who stands against gender inequality and discrimination is inspiring . The sensitivity of the topics involved are beautifully illustrated.We had a huge discussions on many topics like, gender inequality, dowry, eco friendly environment, children rights, climate change. Great book to introduce Eco feminism and empowerment of girls.”
Captain Cat and the Great Pirate Race (Captain Cat Stories) for 6/7 years+.
Science Squad by DK for 5-8 years. Achira has ordered this one. She has also shared a review and inside pages in the kbc fb group.
“The book is a perfect introduction to STEAM- science, technology, engineering, arts and Mathematics! If you are looking to introduce all this to your childoo, this is just that book. Science is logic and logic is there in everything around us. That is what is beautifully explained in every page in this book. What I liked the most is the variety of topics this book covers in the simplest way. Whether it is the solar system, the water cycle, weather, forms of matter, food web, rain forest, senses or climate change this book has it all. Machines, measuring, floating or sinking, friction or human body, it has touched upon everything in a wonderful way. And the beauty is you get it all in one book, so when you are travelling you can just take this one science squad and you are sorted. Look around and any questions you have- science squad to your rescue.”
The Everything Kids’ Science Experiments Book: Boil Ice, Float Water, Measure Gravity-Challenge the World Around You! – Namrata and her boys recommend this one!
The Super Book of Science (72 pages)
100 Science Experiments (usborne)
LitJoys My Gulmohar Tree – Educational Story Book for Kids to Build a Love for Nature – Trees and Greens (Vegetables) (Ages 3 to 5 Yrs)
RHS The Magic and Mystery of Trees for 5 years+
KING FLASHYPANTS is a hilarious series for 6-8 years. Tejaswi gifted one of the books to Asha.
Steve Parish Kids Story Pack (40Titles) – Apoorva Sridhar was gifted this set. In her words:
Shourya (4.5yo) is obsessed with animals and so Grandma did some researching of her own and gifted us this set of 40 books containing short and simple to read fact filled fiction stories
These are a super duper hit with Shourya as they contain breathtaking photographs of Australian wildlife fusing in subtle moral stories which instill positivity in young minds.The font is large and appealing for emerging readers and just the pictures are an absolute delight for younger babies !!
GOOD NIGHT STORIES FOR REBEL GIRLS
A Short, Illustrated History of… Medicine (says 9-12 years but this is an illustrated book of 48 pages)
WHERE’S WALLY BOOKS BY MARTIN HANDFORD – perfect to pour over for hours and hours playing iSpy. 4 years+ for even adults will love these books!
Bookworms & Jellybellies by Ranjini Rao & Ruchira Ramanujam. Khushboo recommends this for 6 years+
We have loved this book and have tried many recepies esp when my 8 year old wants to have something “fancy”. He washed and cut the fruits and helped me churn the fruits after they were frozen, the toddler also helped us in eating the fruits while cutting and chopping. I would highly recommend this books for 6+ kids who love to help out in the kitchen and want fancy food.
Sacajawea (The Jacabee Readers: the Adventures of Dooley, Abby and Baldy) for 6-8 years
Bin Weevils Choose Your Own Path 2: The Mysterious Silence of Scribbles . Bin Weevils Choose Your Own Path is another series for 7 years+
Fiend of the Seven Sewers: 4 This is a series called NOTHING TO SEE HERE HOTEL for 7 years+
Imagine You Were There… Walking on the Moon for 7-9 years
Willy Maykit in Space for 8-12 years
Billionaire Boy by David Walliams for 9 years+ . Achira recommends this one.
How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog by Chad Orzel
Tales of the Greek Heroes (Puffin Classics) for 8-12 years
ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY BOOKS
Little Green Books by Alison Inches – The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle: A Story About Recycling is popular
My big book of earth by Geeta Dharmarajan (Katha)
My big book of global warming by Geeta Dharmarajan (Katha)
Stuff: Curious Everyday STUFF That Helps Our Planet for 5-8 years (56 pages)
A CLIMATE IN CHAOS for 5 years+ (32 pages). Tulika has this book and has shared inside pages in the fb group. Quoting her:
A climate in chaos is a brilliant non-fiction picture book with large illustrations to capture young readers’ attention. It introduces children to key concepts of climate, weather, ecosystems, greenhouse gases, global warming, and why it’s dangerous for us. It importantly also draws attention to how they can help to protect the planet.
The book’s final section offers five suggestions for children as to how they can help reduce climate change.
A fantastic book to educate the young readers about climate change and prepare them to make the necessary adjustments for future.
FOR OLDER KIDS
Naturalist Ruddy: Adventurer. Sleuth. Mongoose. (A brand new comic book from the creator of Green Humour) – 112 pages
A Tigress Called Machhli: and Other True Animal Stories from India
Salim Ali the book of Indian Birds
Books on Disabilities
I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND (down’s syndrome) for 5 years+. This book will tug you to bits. It’s so well made. But if your childoo is sensitive please be careful to navigate the conversation so your child doesn’t feel bad. It shows reality – that we aren’t sensitive to differently abled children/grown ups.
WHEN ADIL SPEAKS WORDS DANCE (hearing disability) for 5 years+. Asha has this book and highly recommends it.
LOOKING AFTER LOUIS (autism) for 5 years+ Asha has this book and highly recommends this.
Comic Book- Not That Different by Archana Mohan for 8 years+ (28 pages) – this is a book + activity book for children “to understand their neurodiverse friends better”.
INDIA CENTRIC BOOK – Turning the Pot, Tilling the Land : Dignity of Labour in Our Times for 10 years+
Gratitude Journal for Kids: Feel Grateful No Matter What. Achira has this one for her son.
CocoMoco Kids Travel Scrapbook Travel Journal for Kids
Creative Writing Journals for kids
USBOURNE CREATIVE WRITING JOURNAL comes highly recommended. There are quite a few more here on amazon – simply scroll down.
The Usborne Write Your Own Story Book
Usborne My First Story Writing Book
ROALD DAHL CREATIVE WRITING BOOKS (on themes based on his various books!). Shaili’s kids have these.
BIBLE BOOKS
Bible stories for kids of various age groups
Christian Saints books for different age groups
Bible stories Pegasus series
Dear God, I Have a Question : Honest Answers to Kids’ Questions About Faith
ART & CRAFT BOOKS
ORIGAMI BOOKS recommended by Shipra & Sharav!
TOGETHER WITH BE AN ARTIST books recommended by Punidha!
ACADEMIC BOOKS:
Collins Easy Learning Preschool Workbooks – Achira highly recommends them. To quote her:
With the pandemic and the kids doing online school, writing has taken a total back seat. My 3rd grader has suddenly become most comfortable typing everything on a word doc and I can see he has fallen in love with google forms. While getting him back to writing won’t be too difficult but getting the little one to write has been a big task.
Adu missed nursery and started Jr Kg in 2021 online. The whole idea was very new to a then 4 yo. While he adapted slowly and started loving his teacher and friends, I realised there was a constant struggle to learn the right grip, to write, to stay between the four lines or in the square. We did the upper case letters and also learnt to write them, we learnt to identify and recognise the small case letters and then progressed to do sight words. All this was done amazingly well by the school and in the right pace.
So now felt like the right time to start writing the small case letters. I had these two superb books for D so I took them out and sat with Adu. These are indeed great to start with because they help with small case letter writing in a very scientific way.
So first letter is “c” and then they go on to make “o”. From there they have made “a”, “d” and “g”. So it’s a beautiful flow to explain the little ones in a very fun way. We did a story like two c’s are brothers who hugged to make “o”, and guess what they grew a small tail to make “a”, they wore a tall hat to make “d” . I had so much fun really.
Collins easy learning writing workbook and abc workbook.
[added by asha: COLLINS EASY LEARNING BOOKS are available across age groups and subjects.
Collins Easy Learning Age 5-7 — Grammar and Punctuation ]
Writing workbook-is all about writing the small case letters in the fun way
Abc workbook-is about sight words, matching, writing 3 letter words etc
I would highly recommend these for the kids who are starting to write small case and for short words. There are many books in this series which I will grab since we are done with our scholastic loot.
Dreamland Reading Comprehension books (recommended by Achira)
Scholar’s Insights Comprehension and Cloze (recommended by Achira)
English Comprehension by UptoSchoolWorksheets
SCHOLAR’S INSIGHTS MATHS OLYMPIAD
201 Sight Words And Sentence (With 800+ Sentences To Read): Activity Book For Children
Collins word search books are super fun as an activity!
The Kids’ Book of Sudoku 1 (Buster Puzzle Books)
Kindergarten Sudoku: 4×4 Sudoku Puzzles for Kids (for 4-8 yrs)
Easy Sudoku Puzzles 1 (Dora the Explorer)
Table Book: Tables 1 to 40 – Krutheeka recommends the yellow cover one by LS Editorial Team
The Workbook Co books (highly highly recommended for Maths for smallies as well)
Cambridge Primary Books
Singapore Math Books
Kumon Math Books
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