Children’s Day 2022: 10 exciting new books for kids

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Technically, India marks Children's Day on 14 November to raise awareness about children's education and rights. Given this, consider some of these lovely titles for your favourite young readers. (Image: Unsplash)

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Women in Sports by Pervin Saket, AdiDev Press: “She was forced to quit her sport, but Arunima didn’t lose heart; she cast her glance at snowy peaks, and made a fresh new start” It is with such engaging and simple verse that author-poet Pervin Saket introduces young kids, aged 4-8, to the inspiring stories of South Asian sports women such as mountaineer Arunima Sinha, open water swimmer Bhakti Sharma, sharp shooters Chandro and Prakashi Tomar and athlete PT Usha. Published by AdiDev Press, each of the books is themed around one quality that makes these athletes inspiring: take, for instance, Sinha’s adaptability, as she went on to become the first female amputee to scale Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro, and more. She didn’t let her injury hamper her dreams, and adapted to the situation to scale new heights. Then there is Sharma’s sheer resilience that made her the first Asian woman and the youngest in the world to set a record in open swimming through icy cold Antarctic waters. She has swum in all five oceans of the world. Each book also features a timeline of each sports woman’s journey. In a country, where sports is still considered an extracurricular activity, stories of such bravehearts serve as examples for parents to support a child’s journey, if they choose to pursue a discipline. These books, which also come in a set, also hope to inspire kids to never let adversity ever stand in their way. Price: The box set costs ₹1,500 while each book is priced at ₹499

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Thammi's Gift by Himani Dalmia and illustrated by Priya Kuriyan, HarperCollins Children’s Books: A recurring theme, in the past year or so, when it comes to children’s books, has been that of reassurance. Authors are increasingly becoming cognisant of the anxieties—small and big—that kids might be facing, and have started to address those in their books. Thammi’s Gift, by Himani Dalmia, a certified infant and child sleep specialist, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, is one such story. Featuring evocative illustrations by Priya Kuriyan, the book deals with major transitions in a young girl’s life—of changing schools, dealing with the loss of a grandparent, and more. The story revolves around Devika, who has a lovely library at home, populated with books bought by her Thammi or grandmother, who used to be a librarian. There are books on magic, on dragons, about faraway lands that Thammi used to read to Devika. A couple of years later, the little girl had to deal with the loss of her beloved grandmother. “She has become a star,” her mother said and soon there was no one to read to her. Added to that was the anxiety of going to a new school. The beautiful tale is about how Thammi, now a star, visits her and takes Devika on a whirlwind adventure through the world of books and helps her cope with changes. Thammi’s Gift is also a tribute to librarians, especially the pioneering Bandana Sen. Price: ₹499

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History Hunters: Akbar and the Agents from the East by Archana Garodia Gupta and Shruti Garodia, Hachette India: You ask any child in the age group of 9-14 about what one of their biggest fantasies is, and they would say ‘time travel’. While the technology to achieve this is still a futuristic dream, there are books that will help you fulfill this desire. The History Hunters series by Shruti Garodia and Archana Garodia Gupta is one such set. While the first book saw four friends, Zoya, Noor, Ansh and Rohan, along with their elephant buddy, Elfu, enter the world of Chandragupta Maurya, the latest title, History Hunters: Akbar and the Agents from the East, sees them travel back to the court of the famous Mughal Emperor. They are nudged to go back in time by a mysterious billionaire to get Akbar’s DNA to understand if there are some common traits that make iconic personalities great. The friends, on the other hand, agree to this in order to meet Akbar and his equally famous courtier Birbal. The book offers adventures at breathtaking speed, with the youngsters dodging poisoned robes, hidden assassins and fierce warriors. This one is a must-read. Price: ₹299

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Dancing with Birds by Bulbul Sharma, Talking Cub: 'On a red and gold toffee tree, Where all the sweets are free, You can hear a bird go, Grrru-grrrru-grumble gee.' What a great way to learn about the lorikeet, a handsome little colourful bird, who seems to grumble her way through the day, upsetting bees, eagles and other dwellers of the forest. Using such playful poems, writer-illustrator Bulbul Sharma introduces kids, aged 6 plus, to the wonderful world of birds such as the woodpeckers, owls, eagles, and more. The author, who also teaches art to children with special needs, has based the writing and illustrations on her personal experience of coming across these winged wonders in the hills, where she resides and goes on birdwatching and talkingtotrees excursions. This is a great introduction for kids to the splendour of nature. Price: ₹250

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Spaceboy by David Walliams, HarperCollins Children’s Books: Walliams’ books are usually laugh riots, be it Megamonster or Gangsta Granny, and his latest title, Spaceboy, is no different. This one is a must-read for all science fiction enthusiasts. The story starts at a dusty old farm in the midwest, where young Ruth spends nights gazing at the cosmos through her telescope. She yearns for a more exciting life, and her dream comes true when a UFO crash-lands in a cornfield. This is a tale packed with mystery, as Walliams, a science-fiction enthusiast himself, takes kids aged 7-11, on a comic adventure, set in the space race of the 1960s. Price: ₹408

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Barefoot Empress by chef Vikas Khanna, illustrated by Aaryama Somayaji, Bloomsbury India: Can your fourth-grader imagine having a 96-year-old classmate? Chef Vikas Khanna, who has also ventured into writing — he wrote and directed The Last Color, a 2019 film on widows in Vrindavan and Varanasi — picks up the inspirational tale of Karthyayani Amma. The 2020 Nari Shakti Puraskar awardee was the oldest of over 43,000 candidates who appeared for the Aksharalaksham test. The Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority even declared this a record test score. Khanna is also working on a short, 15-minute- documentary on Karthyayani Amma. Inherently, the story can help children overcome any conditioned ideas of ageism, makes them aware of the history of and issues surrounding female literacy, and the idea, of course, of working towards whatever you set your mind to, reason, age, circumstance and end-goal notwithstanding. Price: Rs. 239

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Nritya Katha by Jaya Mehta, National Book Trust: A book by Odissi dancer-guru Jaya Mehta brings short stories about nine dance forms Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Kathakali, Kathak, Chhau, Mohiniyattam and Sattriya to kids. The 80-page long book features nine different child-protagonists, making the subject even more accessible to a child who is being introduced to, or is curious about, some of India’s various dance forms. The book is richly illustrated by Suruba Natalia. Price: Rs. 220

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The People of the Indus and the Birth of Civilisation in South Asia by Nikhil Gulati with Dr Jonathan Mark Kenoyer, Penguin Random House India: We’ve all studied about the Indus Valley Civilisation in middle school history textbooks. But this book is a graphic novel that dives deep into the lives of the people back in 3200 BC. A present day narrator walks through the ruins of Mohenjodaro, and starts narrating the story of an ancient people. Nikhil Gulati’s storytelling can feel a bit didactic (“let us see how”) at times. But his illustrations are brilliant — the impressive, detailed, and sometimes even labelled sketches are backed by Dr. Jonathan Mark Keyboyer, an archeologist and anthropologist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, US, who excavated and studied the Harappan sites for over 35 years. Their forces combined, the book attempts an exhaustive, researched look at the various elements that made the culture, architecture, and life of the civilisation. “My only hope is that it will kindle an interest in some of the readers towards exploring the past further,” writes Gulati in his introduction. The pages that follow promise to live up to his hope. Price: Rs. 599

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What is Molly Doing series by Natasha Sharma, Red Panda: Of all the dogs whose stories (fictional or real) have been chronicled lately, Molly’s is by far the most fun. The spunky and cute black dog with a little bow is hilarious, in both thought and action. Written by Natasha Sharma and illustrated by Nirzara Verulkar, in the first book, Molly, despite constant no’s from her human, wants to smell everything. The twist of events that close the book is a great, chuckle-inducing silver lining to any adult’s day, especially when read with their child(ren). In thesecond book, Molly wants to adorably convince the reader that she is actually a harmless, but very fierce dog. Price: Rs. 299 each

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A Treasure Trove of Timeless Tales, Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan, Red Panda: Award winning voice artist Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan brings super short bedtime fables for children -— there are Puranic legends, folktales from Japan, endearing Aesop’s Fables, in addition to 100-word lockdown snippets. Full of wisdom, magic, and far off lands, kids, and gods, these 14 sections will be just the right way to end a child’s — and your — day. Price: Rs. 199

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People shop on the eve of holy month of Ramadan near the Jama Masjid in Delhi on Monday,  (Photo by Raj K Raj, Hindustan Times)

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A view of rows of watermelons in Navi Mumbai's Agricultural Produce & Livestock Market Committee (APMC) fruit market, readied to be sold during the holy month of Ramadan, starting from Tuesday,  (Bachchan Kumar, HT PHOTO)

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Pineapples at the  APMC fruit market on Monday, ahead of beginning of Holy month of Ramadan starting from Tuesday in Navi Mumbai, India, on Monday, March 11, 2024. (Bachchan Kumar, HT PHOTO)

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In Srinagar, a shop keeper sells varieties of dates ahead of the holy month of Ramadan on 11 March. (Photo by Waseem Andrabi, Hindustan Times)

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In Srinagar, a road side vendor sells dates ahead of the holy month of Ramadan on 11 March.Photo By Waseem Andrabi /Hindustan Times)-- (Photo by Waseem Andrabi, Hindustan Times)

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This 2008-2009 photo provided by the British Antarctic Survey in January 2024 shows an adult emperor penguin and chicks on the sea ice at Halley Bay. The British Antarctic Survey said recently that the four newly found colonies likely existed for many years, but scientists hadn’t previously spotted them. ((Richard Burt/British Antarctic Survey via AP))

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FILE PHOTO: Emperor penguins are seen in Dumont d'Urville, Antarctica April 10, 2012. (REUTERS/Martin Passingham/File Photo)

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This undated photo provided by the British Antarctic Survey in January 2024 shows adult emperor penguins with a chick near Halley Research Station in Antarctica. (AP)

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This combination of satellite images provided by the E.U.'s Copernicus program via the British Antarctic Survey in January 2024 shows four new emperor penguin colony sites in Antarctica. (Copernicus/British Antarctic Survey via AP)

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Emperor penguins need stable sea ice for successful breeding. (File/Wikimedia Commons)

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Exaggerated-Shoulder Pinstriped-Twill Jacket: If there’s one trendthat defines this season, it’s the exaggerated shoulder. Here, Saint Laurent’s exaggerated take on 1980s suiting. Available onMatchesfashion.com; around ₹2.15 lakh

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Balmain’s Women’s Spring-Summer 2024: Red and coral shades and 3D florals showed up again and again, such as in this polka-dot playsuit from the luxury house’s Spring-Summer collection at Paris. For more,Balmain.com

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Air Jordan ‘Tartan Swoosh’ Sneakers: It was time for tartan. Re-create the trend with the Air Jordan 1 Mid high-top sneaker featuring a “Tartan Swoosh”. Available on Farfetch.com; around ₹20,000

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Moon Phase Varsity Bomber: Street style continues to rule. Bring it home with this bomber from Off-White studio in Italy, established by the late Virgil Abloh. Available on Revolve.com; around ₹29,000

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Carson cropped high-rise flared jeans: Buttermilk yellow is the new white. Here, Veronica Beard's 'Carson' jeans cut in a flared shape in a vintage '70s styles made from pastel-yellow denim. 

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Opera Stilettos: Gladiator sandals made a strong show, such as Gianvito Rossi’s nappa leather pair with a 105mm stiletto heel. Available onLuxe.Ajio.com; ₹99,000

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Nazar Mini Annacapri Coral Earrings: Red was everywhere. Channel its energy with Turkish designer Begüm Khan’s ‘evil eye’ earrings made with real coral. Available on Matchesfashion.com; around ₹1.25 lakh

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Valentie Tie: Ties are back in formal fashion. Here, Valentino’s slim wool and silk tie with a metal ‘V’ appliqué. Available on Valentino.com;around ₹40,000

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That Red Shirt: Fine Khadi shirt edged with hand-embroidered details on the panels and pockets in fire-engine red. Available on Khanijo.com; ₹16,900

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Periwinkle Bandhani Printed Co-ord Set: Batwing sleeve shirt pairedwith a smocked, slit skirt from Saaksha & Kinni. Available on Ensembleindia.com; ₹25,000

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Forest-Themed Floral Set: Floral jewellery, all the rage at celebrity weddings, made using a combination of fresh and artificial flowers andleaves. Available on Floralart.co.in; ₹12,000

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Serendib Cake Stand: Hand-painted fine bone china cake stand accented with 24-carat gold for those special celebrations. Available onGoodearth.in; ₹6,500

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In The Clouds Jug: Designer Jonathan Hansen’s lead-free crystal jug with an exquisite hand-engraved cloud motif. Available on Modaoperandi.com; $650 (around ₹54,000)

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Taylor Twins Moccasins: Quirky and stylish low-heeled, colour-blocked moccasins with a square toe from Camper.Available on 24s.com; ₹13,707

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Brown Dragon Zara Necklace: Statement neck piece from Mayabazaar by Rosalind Pereira made using zari yarn, brass chain and a dragonfly brass pendant. Available on Ogaan.com; ₹2,060

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Chand Mati by Anjul Bhandari: A new festive collection from thedesigner celebrating chikankari blended with earthy neutrals, taking inspiration from lunar luminescence. Enquiries on Anjulbhandari.in; price on request

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Hoop Set: Gold-tone metal hoops from Australian designer Charles Lichaa’s 8 Other Reasons. Available on Revolve.com; ₹5,160

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Half-Zip Merino Long-Sleeve Top: Made from merino wool, DistrictVision’s longsleeved tee is breathable, antimicrobial and thermoregulating, with a half-zip construction and shell patch pocket.Available on Matchesfashion.com; $275 (around ₹23,000)

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Dream Pumps: From New York-based brand Mansur Gavriel, lambskin pumps with a block heel and golden finish for chic comfort. Available on Shopbop.com; $495

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Block-Printed Soft Silk Shirt: Short, boxy shirt in 100% silk with an all-over pattern made using natural indigo dye through block printing.Available on 11-11.in; ₹16,900

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Red Sole Ribbon Ankle-Wrap Stiletto Sandals: Hot pink Christian Louboutin sandals in napa leather and crepe satin ribbon for that decadent feel. Available on Neimanmarcus.com; ₹88,756

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Floral-Printed Plisse Leather Midi Skirt: Showcasing Balenciaga’s “Lily” print from this season, this midi skirt is made from flexible leather into an A-line silhouette. Available on Modaoperandi.com (on pre-order); $6,890 (around ₹5.64 lakh)

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Lehenga From Imperial Minimalism By Sarah & Sandeep: The designer duo’s fresh, functional take on wedding wear marries Indian and Western silhouettes. Available on Sarahsandeep.com; price on request

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Amethyst Ribbon Ring: A playful and delicate ring crafted in 18-carat gold, set with natural amethyst baguettes along the band, from Akansha Sethi. Available on Akanshasethi.com; around ₹1.3 lakh

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Micro Bon Bon: Jimmy Choo’s iconic Bon Bon bag is re-imagined in miniature using napa leather. Available on Row.jimmychoo.com; €595(around ₹53,550)

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Emerald Set Salt & Pepper: With a glam Art Deco aesthetic, this porcelain salt and pepper set from Vista Alegre will dress up any dining table. Available on Luxe.ajio.com; ₹9,800