Launching a book in the middle of a pandemic has been quite an experience! I had to get creative and I launched 'Celebrate Onam With Me!' with a virtual book reading and dance party but more on that later.
If you are shopping for books this holiday season, be sure to add these books that were released in 2020!
Little Avery dreams BIG dreams. So big that he needs a little help from his pillow friends to tackle his nighttime adventures. Whimsical and charming, The Pillow Gang is a book that embraces the value of kindness and sharing, regardless of how different others may seem.
From Archana Narayanan, comes a book about a little girl, Bhoomi, who is captivated by her mother’s kolams - an Indian art form - and decides to learn the art from her mother.
Written by Shoumi Sen and beautifully illustrated by Rudra Bose, this is the third book in the series, 'From The Toddler Diaries'. It is time for Onam, a 10-day harvest festival celebrated widely in the Indian state of Kerala with a lot of fun, food, and festivities! In this latest book, we travel with little Riya to "God's Own Country" and learn how and why we celebrate Onam.
Hanuman Chalisa was composed by Sage Tulsidas in the 16th century in Awadhi language. Hanuman is a devotee of Lord Rama and one of the well-known characters in the Hindu epic “Ramayana”. There are forty verses praising Hanuman, each line has been translated by The JaiJais for children to easily understand.
Vaaranam's Children's Books launched two books this year:
Ethirpatham (Opposites) - With over 30 flaps to lift, this delightful book helps children learn about opposites in Tamil in a fun and interactive way.
Paati Veedu (Grandma's House) - Paati Veedu is a simple story that is a reflection of the author’s own childhood memories and depicts the joy an extended family brings into a child’s life.
From author/illustrator Devika Joglekar comes a book about an environmentally conscious girl, Lilu, who has decided to make homemade plastic-free Rakhi for Little Kuku. Through wonderful, vibrant illustrations and rhyming text, Lilu’s Rakhi teaches kids how to make a beautiful plastic-free Rakhi.
The following children's Books (Growth Mindset stories for Global Citizens) were launched this year to empower children everywhere to build diversity and inclusion for acceptance, for others and self:
How Our Skin Sparkles - Answer this question using this multi-award-winning (voted Teacher's Pick by Amazon) that uses culture, concept, and science to build confidence within and kindness for all.
Small or Tall, We Sparkle After All - A body-positive children's book that teaches every child to be kind to others and themselves using science, mythology, and concept.
Sparkles of Joy - Celebrate the joy of togetherness this holiday season with a story that spans the festivities from Diwali to Christmas creating conversations around kindness, social skills and cultural uniqueness.
This colorful story from author Priya Kumari and illustrator Komal Garg explains the meaning of Raksha Bandhan, the legend behind it, and how Taaraa and Chundoo give a bigger meaning to their festive day by visiting a fire station!
Centering Ayesha’s love for her cousin as much as it showcases Ritu and Chandni’s love for each other, this warmhearted debut from Ameya Narvankar (published by Yali Books) celebrates the power of young voices to stand up against prejudice and bigotry.
Do you LOVE English nursery rhymes? Well, this illustrated book will show you how to sing 8 of your favorite songs to the same tunes - In Tamil! Free audio included.
Ved and Friends Investigate Your Family
From author Diksha Pal Narayan and illustrator Abira Das, comes a book in which you can become Amateur Genealogists and Discover Your Family.
Have you read any of these books? Drop me a line and let me know what you think!