Children's Story Books

How many names does Arjuna have? Why was Yama cursed? What lesson did a little mongoose teach Yudhisthira? The Kurukshetra war, fought between the Kauravas and the Pandavas and which forced even the gods to take sides, may be well known, but there are innumerable stories set before, after and during the war that lend the Mahabharata its many varied shades and are largely unheard of. Award-winning author Sudha Murty reintroduces the fascinating world of India’s greatest epic through the extraordinary tales in this collection, each of which is sure to fill you with a sense of wonder and bewilderment.

He was born a Kshatriya. He became a Brahmarishi. When Satyavati, wife of Rishi Ruchik, exchanges with her mother, Queen Ratna, the magic potion for bearing a child, they change not just their children’s destiny, but also the history of mankind. Born of this mix up is Vishwamitra, the son of a Kshatriya, with the qualities of a Brahmin. The duality in his life soon begins to show as he strives to become a Brahmarishi—the ultimate, the most powerful of all Gurus. Vishwamitra is the riveting story of a brave but stubborn, haughty yet compassionate, visionary king of Aryavarta who became one of the most well- Known sages of all time.

Did you know that Brahma once had five faces?
Why do snakes have a forked tongue?
Do gods cheat?
Why does Shiva sport a crescent moon on his head?

The Trinity, consisting of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, is the omnipresent trio responsible for the survival of the human race and the world as we know it. They are popular deities of worship all over India, but what remain largely unknown are some of their extraordinary stories.
Award-winning author Sudha Murty walks by your side, weaving enchanting tales of the three most powerful gods from the ancient world. Each story will take you back to a magical time when people could teleport, animals could fly and reincarnation was simply a fact of life.

Sudha Murty

Sudha Murty was born in 1950 in Shiggaon in north Karnataka. She did her Mtech in computer science, and is now the chairperson of the infosys Foundation. A prolific writer in English and Kannada, she has written novels, technical books, travelogues, collections of short stories and non- fictional pieces, and four books for children. Her books have been translated into all the major Indian languages. Sudha Murty was the recipient of the R.K. Narayan Award for Literature and the Padma Shri in 2006, and the Attimabbe Award from the government of Karnataka for excellence in Kannada literature in 2011.

Come, explore the places we worship Join Amma and her children as they travel to the famous Golden Temple in Amritsar. Take a tour through the wonderful sights, sounds and history of Darbar Sahib. Hear stories about the Sikh gurus. Visit Darshani Deori and Akal Takht. Savour a drink from the sacred waters at Har Ki Pauri and the langar from the world's biggest kitchen! Learn Guru Nanak's eternal message of equality, love and service. Told through interesting stories with captivating illustrations, this new series introduces readers to the history of different faiths and their associated monuments.

Bhakti Mathur
"Bhakti Mathur lives in Hong Kong with her husband, their two sons and two dogs. She is a banker by profession and the author of the hugely popular Amma, Tell Me series."

Full of wit and delicious observations, Mrs Funnybones captures the life of the modern Indian woman—a woman who organizes dinner each evening, even as she goes to work all day, who runs her own life but has to listen to her Mummyji, who worries about her weight and the state of the country. Based on Twinkle Khanna’s super-hit column, Mrs Funnybones marks the debut of one of our funniest, most original voices. ‘I love Twinkle Khanna’s brilliant observations and self-deprecating humour—she is the discovery of the decade’—Karan Johar ‘Fantastic, fashionable and funny’—Vogue ‘A woman with more than a few quips up her sleeve’—Open ‘Spot-on . . . she addresses pressing matters . . . in a light-hearted, breezy manner without coming off as a preachy martyr’—Huffington Post ‘An intelligent critic . . . [writing] is a craft and Twinkle Khanna has demonstrated she has the chops’—DailyO ‘One of the best columnists we have’

"A timeless selection of writings from India's best-loved author

I know the world's a crowded place,
And elephants do take up space,
But if it makes a difference, Lord,
I'd gladly share my room and board.
A baby elephant would do...
But, if he brings his mother too,
There's Dad's garage. He wouldn't mind.
To elephants, he's more than kind.
But I wonder what my Mum would say
If their aunts and uncles came to stay!

Ruskin Bond has regaled generations of readers for decades. This delightful collection of poetry, prose and non-fiction brings together some of his best work in a single volume. Sumptuously illustrated, Uncles, Aunts and Elephants is a book to treasure for all times."

Rusty returns to his beloved hills, never to leave again Rusty Comes Home is the fifth and final volume in Puffin's complete collection of Ruskin Bond's ever-popular Rusty stories. A lonely and sensitive boy who lost his father early, Rusty spent his childhood in boarding schools and with relatives in Dehra. While still a teenager, he ran away from his foster home and had myriad adventures before landing up in London with the ambition of becoming a writer. This book chronicles Rusty's exploits after his return from London, as he explores Delhi, Dehra and the small, dusty town of Shahganj before settling down in Mussoorie, making his living as a writer, and revelling in the hills that have always fascinated him. Rusty Comes Home contains some captivating stories about Rusty's friends and fleeting acquaintances, about human nature and the supernatural. Among his friends in Shahganj are Ketan, a victim of the Partition and prone to paralytic fits; Madhu, a child whose life is tragically cut short, but not before she leaves an indelible impression on Rusty; and Suresh, a disabled child with whom Rusty strikes up a close bond. In Dehra he meets up with his genial Uncle Bill, who makes it his habit to poison people with arsenic; the incredible Jimmy, a jinn who can extend his arms at will to infinite lengths; and Miss Pettibone, the oldest resident of Dehra, who enthralls him with riveting stories from the town's past. Then there is the unnamed basket-selling girl he meets by chance on the Deoli railway platform and can never forget; and Binya, a young and vivacious widow, who floats into his life on the strains of a song. Full of charming and idiosyncratic characters, these stories of love, loss and adventure will appeal to young readers of all ages.

"Ruskin Bond wrote his first short story; 'Untouchable'; at the age of sixteen over hundred stories; including the classics 'A Face in Dark'; 'The Kitemaker'; 'The Tunnel'; 'The Room if many Colours'; 'Dust on the Mountain'; and 'Times Stops at Shamli'. This volume brings together the best of all the short fiction Ruskin Bond has ever written.
'[Ruskin Bond's stories]' brings to life the special flavours of life in the hills...strengthen[s] the 'Rudyardian thesis' that the smell of the Himalayas; if it once creeps into the blood of a man; he will return to the hills again and again and will love to live and lie among them.'-Tribune
'[Ruskin Bond]' is a writer who has; with intense depth and sensitivity; absorbed the essence of the culturally syncretic Indian society.'-Telegraph"

Fourteen-year-old Zoon Razdan is witty, intelligent and deeply perceptive. She also has a deep connection with magic. She was born into it. The house that she lives in is fantastical—life thrums through its wooden walls—and she can talk to everything in it, from the armchair and the fireplace to the books, pipes and portraits! But Zoon doesn’t know that her beloved house once contained a terrible force of darkness that was accidentally let out by one of its previous owners. And when the darkness returns, more powerful and malevolent than ever, it is up to her to take her rightful place as the Guardian of the house, and subsequently, Kashmir.

If you know the answer and do not respond, your head will shatter into pieces!’ In a land of glorious kings, bloodthirsty demons and talking spirits, was born the lore of Vikram and the Vetal. After a series of mysterious events, King Vikramaditya carries the vetal, a witty ghost, on a long journey through death's playground. The vetal narrates the most fascinating tales and asks the most puzzling riddles, leaving Vikram completely stumped. Deepa Agarwal's beautiful translation brings age-old wisdom alive through the vetal's wondrous stories that are bound to confound and captivate readers even today.

And the roar came back to him, calling him, calling him forward: a roar that meant there would be more tigers in the land!’
For decades now Ruskin Bond has been charming us with his simple and captivating tales of Himalayan fauna; the zany and temperamental animals that were part of his grandfather’s delightful menagerie of unusual pets in Dehra; the peaceful creatures that live in and around his house in Mussoorie; and the mythical and fanciful beings of his fertile imagination.
The Big Book of Animal Stories is a compilation of the best of Ruskin Bond animal stories and poems. Its pages are inhabited by the doughty tiger who survives against all odds, spelling hope for India’s fast-vanishing wildlife; the beautiful, sinewy leopard whose trust costs him dear; the good-natured hornbill who loves the rain; the mischievous monkey who insists on shaking hands with all who visit the house; the cross-grained cassowary bird who rudely rebuffs all attempts to befriend it; the python who keeps turning up in unexpected places; the squirrel who picks crumbs off the table; the beetle who keeps falling into the goldfish bowl; the whistling thrush; the leopard girl; and the tiger king. Bringing together the finest writing by a master storyteller on the creatures, humble and mighty, that inhabit this earth along with us, this collection will enchant the Bond aficionado and initiate alike.

AUTHOR OF THE BOOK

Ruskin Bond has been writing for well over six decades now and has over 120 titles in print—novels, short-story collections, poetry, essays and books for children. His first novel, The Room on the Roof, received the prestigious John Llewellyn Rhys award in 1957. He has also received two awards from the Sahitya Akademi—one for his short stories and another for his writings for children. Ruskin Bond was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014.
Born in 1943, Ruskin Bond grew up in Jamnagar, Shimla, New Delhi and Dehradun. He now lives in Mussoorie with his adopted family.

Ruskin Bond not only brings to life a town in northern India capturing the scenery, the people, the atmosphere – but also shows that children are the same the world over.

AUTHOR OF THE BOOK

Ruskin Bond, resident of Mussoorie, is a well-known writer of fiction and a raconteur par excellence. His Tales and Legends from India, Angry River, Strange Men, Strange Places, The Blue Umbrella, A Long Walk for Bina and Hanuman to the Rescue are also available in Rupa paperback. The Ruskin Bond's Children's Omnibus has been a firm favourite with young readers for several years. Ghost Stories from the Raj, The Rupa Book of Great Animal Stories, The Rupa Book of True Tales of Mystery and Adventure, The Rupa Book of Himalayan Tales and The Rupa Book of Great Suspense Stories are some of his recent books for Rupa

This is a collection of fascinating and real life stories of journeys into the unknown, filled with travails often resulting in a struggle for survival. The narratives of the survivors recount about a plane crash in a desert, a cannibal conclave, a revolution in South America, encounters with pirates and other adventures.

AUTHOR OF THE BOOK

Ruskin Bond, resident of Mussoorie, is a well-known writer of fiction and a raconteur par excellence. His Tales and Legends from India, Angry River, Strange Men, Strange Places, The Blue Umbrella, A Long Walk for Bina and Hanuman to the Rescue are also available in Rupa paperback. The Ruskin Bond’s Children’s Omnibus has been a firm favourite with young readers for several years. Ghost Stories from the Raj, The Rupa Book of Great Animal Stories, The Rupa Book of True Tales of Mystery and Adventure, The Rupa Book of Himalayan Tales and The Rupa Book of Great Suspense Stories are some of his recent books for Rupa

Which were the first cities of India, and how were they discovered? What was it like living in Mughal times? How did the British, who had come to trade in India, end up ruling the country? How has India changed after Independence?

Delve into India’s past to discover the answers to these questions and many more in this comprehensive history of our nation. Journey through time to visit the baths and palaces of the first cities of Harappa, the stupas of Ashoka and the flamboyant courts of the great Mughals, rich in art, culture and architecture. Learn how the revolution of 1857 really started, and march alongside Gandhi on his quest for an India free from British rule. Plus, discover more about each period through fun and easy ‘To do’ activities.

Told in simple, lucid prose, and interspersed with beautiful illustrations, A Children’s History of India makes learning history a fun and engaging experience for readers of all ages.

AUTHOR OF THE BOOK

Subhadra Sen Gupta has written over twenty-five books for children including mysteries, historical adventures, ghost stories and comic books. Right now she is waiting for someone to build a time machine so that she can travel to the past and join Emperor Akbar for lunch.

She loves to travel, flirt with cats, chat with auto-rickshaw drivers and sit and watch people.