Best Indian books for kids
The best Indian books for kids include Malgudi Schooldays, Amma, Tell Me About Diwali! and The Gopi Diaries. Stories set in India help children in India see themselves in books, and help NRI children stay close to their roots.
12 books, checked for age-appropriate content. Updated .
Content checked by Dhiraj Bodade, co-founder of Bookstaken.
- 1
Ages 9–14
Malgudi Schooldays
by R.K. Narayan
Swami and his friends turn ordinary school days in Malgudi into humorous adventures, arguments, and cricket dreams.
- 2
Ages 4–8
Amma, Tell Me About Diwali!
by Bhakti Mathur; illustrated by Maulshree Somani
A bright, child-friendly explanation of Diwali, the festival of lights and the stories families share around it.
- 3
Ages 6–11
The Gopi Diaries
by Sudha Murty
Sudha Murty recounts the mischievous puppy Gopi’s family life and adventures from the dog’s innocent perspective.
- 4
Ages 8–12
The Blue Umbrella
by Ruskin Bond
A spare, tender story of jealousy, generosity and village life in the Himalayan foothills.
- 5
Ages 6–11
The Cherry Tree
by Ruskin Bond
A lonely boy nurtures a cherry seed in the Himalayan foothills and patiently watches it survive into a tree.
- 6
Ages 9–11
Save Me a Seat
by Sarah Weeks & Gita Varadarajan
Ravi and Joe begin as rivals over a missing lunchbox, then discover their differences can become the basis for friendship.
- 7
Ages 6–11
Moin and the Monster
by Anushka Ravishankar
Moin’s drawing summons a loud, banana-loving monster that refuses to disappear and repeatedly disrupts his life.
- 8
Ages 6–10
Grandma's Bag of Stories
by Sudha Murty
A family holiday in Karnataka frames a generous collection of stories about animals, kings, cheats and everyday wisdom.
- 9
Ages 10–14
A Children's History of India in 100 Objects
by Devika Cariapa
A child-friendly indian history, historical figures, courts, monuments and objects title for English-language or bilingual family reading.
- 10
Ages 6–10
Akbar and Birbal: Tales of Humour
by Monisha Mukundan
Classic Mughal-court tales of wit, fairness and clever problem-solving, told in an easy format for children.
- 11
Ages 9–14
The Gita: For Children
by Roopa Pai
A lively, accessible introduction to the ideas, questions and stories within the Bhagavad Gita.
- 12
Ages 6–12
Panchatantra (Puffin Classics)
by Vishnu Sharma; retold by Rohini Chowdhury
Classic animal fables about clever choices, consequences and practical wisdom, retold for independent readers.
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