Book your date: Interesting summer vacation reads for children

What are summer vacations without a pile of interesting books to read? Here is a list to get kids started

The Gutsy Girls of Science
Ilina Singh

Eleven gutsy women who loved science enough to fight for their place in the sun… This book explores the contribution of these remarkable Indian women —from cytogeneticist Archana Sharma and botanist Janaki Ammal to mathematician Raman Parimala, physicist Bibha Chowdhuri, chemist Asima Chatterjee and several others. With intelligence and innate artistic talent, author Ilina Singh celebrates their lives and the wonderful world of science.

Trumpet Calls: Epic Tales of Extraordinary Elephants
Nalini Ramachandran

To some, elephants are the guardians of forests; to others, they are sacred symbols—worthy of being worshiped. Funny, joyful, often profoundly moving and sometimes downright heart-breaking, Trumpet Calls takes you on the wild and wondrous trail of the most majestic creature on earth.

The Little Handbook of Cool Technology
Shalini Satish

The Little Handbook of Cool Technology presents concepts and fundamentals in a conversational and easy-to-understand style. With vibrant illustrations and interesting trivia, the book aims to simplify complex concepts and kindle curiosity in the minds of young readers.

The King Who Turned into a Serpent: And Other Thrilling Tales of Royalty from Indian Mythology
Sudha Madhavan

Awe-inspiring fighters, feisty leaders, exemplary friends, mighty monarchs and super-strong sleepyheads… Who were these multifaceted rulers who stood out among the hundreds in the lore of our land? From Shibi Chakravarthy to Bhoja, from Vidyottama to Meenakshi—what was extraordinary about them and their times? In over 15 fascinating stories, this book takes you to the kingdoms, courts, palaces and battlefields of glorious royals, who shaped our values and made their place forever in our epics and legends.

Cinderella is Dead
Kalynn Bayron

It’s 200 years since Cinderella found her prince, but the fairytale is over. Cinderella is Dead is an electrifying twist on the classic fairytale that will inspire girls to break out of limiting stereotypes and follow their dreams. The book creates a brand-new young adult (YA) fairytale and a heroine for our times.

The Ten Second Book of Laughs and Surprises
Shamika Chaves

Did you know that Adolf Hitler was mortally afraid of dentists?Or that the famous master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, who made some of the scariest movies, had a fear of eggs? Or have you ever wondered what would happen if we got close enough to a black hole in space? Did you know that in China, sunglasses were used by judges to hide their expressions in the courtroom? Or that in 2015, the Netherlands imported prisoners so their prisons wouldn’t stay empty? We truly live in a strange, fascinating world. Take a peek at some of the most bizarre, weird and interesting facts.

Are Your Emotions Like Mine?
Chitwan Mittal

Explore a range of emotions with a young girl and her lion friend. With simple text and magical illustrations, this book for toddlers deals with the universal theme of emotions. It not only helps young children identify their emotions, but also teaches them how to cope through the simple strategy of taking a deep, deep breath.

Who is Afraid of Z? Not Me!
Lubaina Bandukwala

Z is miffed. Things are being said about him. That he is not so important. That he will not be missed. But Z is not so easily dismissed. He’s pesky, feisty and determined to show that he may be last, but he is certainly not the least. Our quirky Z-hero claims the spotlight in this zany story told with catchy rhythm, rhyme and alliteration.

The Tiger of the River
Adrian Pinder

The incredible story of the tiger of the river, Matisha—the majestic mahseer fish. Illustrated beautifully by Maya Ramaswamy with vibrant colours, the invisible world that lives below the waters of the river and in the Western Ghats comes alive through the eyes of a fascinatingly beautiful, yet critically endangered species.

10 Indian Art Mysteries That Have Never Been Solved
Mamta Nainy

From the award-winning author of A Brush with Indian Art, comes an engaging collection of ten unsolved art mysteries. Ranging from pre-historic times to the present-day, the book captures the diversity and range of Indian art. Mamta Nainy is a Delhi-based writer and has authored over 30 books for children, many of which have gone on to win national and international recognitions. In this book, she explores diverse artistic periods, explains different art forms, and gives insights into the lives of artists working in different times and spaces, one curious case at a time. The stories told in the book include those of the Bhimbetka paintings; the evolution of the Buddha; the Ajanta caves; the Kailashanatha temple; the Pithora paintings; women artists of the Mughal era; Bani Thani; Indian yellow; Manaku of Guler; and the Sripuranthan Shiva Nataraja.

Listen to Your Heart: The London Adventure
Ruskin Bond

The final installment of his boyhood memoirs, Listen to Your Heart narrates the events shortly before Ruskin’s 18th birthday and based on his final years in Jersey and London. An intimate account of his time spent working on and getting his iconic novel The Room on the Roof published, it’s a warm-hearted book that encapsulates what it means to be a young adult as one navigates their early years into adulthood.

Children of the Hidden Land
Mandira Shah

A drone that captures a deadly secret, children who are missing, and a shadowy figure known only as the Dragon. Who will unravel the secrets running below the surface of this land… and at what cost?