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A list of books to keep the kids out of trouble this weekend

Wondering how to find some me-time this weekend without having to worry about keeping the kids gainfully occupied? Let these books work their magic

Encourage children to make books their best friends.
Encourage children to make books their best friends. (Image by 愚木混株 Cdd20 from Pixabay )

The weekend looms with the promise of some rest and relaxation at last. But maybe not for parents and other caregivers with young children. 

At the end of a long work week, further challenges await. Apart from house work and other chores, at the top of the weekend to-do list hovers the worry about ways to keep the kids gainfully occupied, without letting them go berserk with their screen time, while also managing to find some breather, a slice of me-time to Netflix (or whatever else you will) and chill.

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Fret not, we have got your back. Here's a list of books we loved and wrote about on Lounge that are suitable for kids across a wide range of ages and which may come in handy for you to snatch away an hour or two of peace and quiet. 

Art is Everywhere series: Published by Pratham Books, this set of picture books are gorgeously illustrated by Priya Kuriyan, Canato Jimo, Adrija Ghosh and Sheena Devaiah, and embellished with quirky verses by Aparna Kapur and Bijal Vachharajani. The idea is to encourage kids to seek magic in everyday objects—be it food, trash or household clutter—and the fact that art is all around us, only if we care to look hard enough. Read more

Handbook for Bird Educators: Children growing up in the concrete jungles that are urban Indian cities don't have a chance to acquaint themselves with the beauties of nature easily. But even the few odd specimens that surround them, such as the feathery creatures that hop on the balcony or drink from a stray birdfeeder, remain mostly unfamiliar to them. Early Bird's handbook is the perfect gift you can give to young birders-in-the-making. What's more, it is freely available for download from their website. Read more.

Let’s Go Time Travelling, Again: Before she died of covid earlier this year, the beloved children's writer Subhadra Sengupta added one more delightful volume to her repertoire of excellent books for young readers. Part of her popular Let's Go Time Travelling series, this one is filled with stories about ordinary Indians who lived through the ages and enriched the cultural fabric of the subcontinent. Read more.  

The Mahabharata in Rhyme: If you are looking for stories to keep children hooked, you will be spoilt for choice with the rich repertory of India's epics. This book, written by 13-year-old Sia Gupta, revisits the Mahabharata in verse, a mighty challenge for an adult, let alone a teenager! It might not only keep your teen busy but also inspire them to try their hand at a similar venture. Read more.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Rock a Bye Baby: Old is gold, they say, but packaged in a new avatar it often shines brighter. These two picture books give a new spin to beloved nursery rhymes by bringing in illustrations that are very much rooted to the Indian context. The pictures are endearing enough to make even adults look back on their childhoods with nostalgia. Read more.

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