This is our entry to the exciting #kbcBookBingoJr contest. We share with you all our most loved books of each category. The majority of the books are good for ages 4 onwards. Hope you enjoy reading about them as much as we do.
- A Dino book : Everything Dinosaurs by Blake Hoena (National Geographic Kids) – The books by National Geographic need no introduction, organised facts with realistic pictures are an absolute delight to read. The book has an explorer’s corner and ‘a dino bite’ covering interesting fun facts alongside. The book also features ‘what kind of Dino are you?’ quiz to please the little dino fans. A must have for your Dino collection.
- A book on good habits: Being Honest Is Cool by Sonia Mehta (Values Collection Box Set 1) – This was one of our first and most loved book on values. Sonia Mehta books on values and feelings are the simplest and the most effective for kids. Nicky & Noni the sibling duo are the central characters in the book. In their own unique way Nicky and Noni teach us how telling lies can land us into trouble whereas being honest is not just good but totally cool. The activities at the end are an added bonus to a totally cool book. A perfect book if you are on a lookout to impart values during the early years.
- A Dr. Seuss Book: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss -This Seussian tale is about an irked Grinch who hated Christmas and wanted to steal it from the Who’s of Who-Ville. Dr. Seuss in his distinctive style of rhyme and rhythm delivers a message so relevant for our little kids –“Christmas is a feeling, not a thing”. Christmas is not just presents, decorations and food but being grateful to be with your loved ones.
- A Boynton Board Book: Silly Lullaby by Sandra Boynton – This book was picked randomly from a second hand book stall, completely ignorant of the fact that this should be a must have during the early years. All thanks to book bingo, we loved revisiting this insanely silly lullaby. We even added few of our own mindless lines to it that totally knocked us down. And now, “Go to sleep my fibblety, fitsy foo…” is sung to our soft toys these days to put them to sleep.
- A Book that teaches you a lesson: Tomorrow I’ll be Brave by Jessica Hedge – This is our one of the most loved books that we discovered through Kids Book Café. It’s one of the kinds that lifts you up and imparts positivity and confidence to accomplish great heights. “Tomorrow I’ll be all the things I tried to be today…and if I wasn’t one of them, I know that it’s okay”. A book that’ll be loved by kids and adults alike.
- A lift-the flap book : Peppa Pig – Best Friends – Peppa Pig is loved by most of the young kids. We were big time ‘Peppa’ fans. This endearing story introduces us to the best friends of Peppa’s family. It’s exciting for the kids to uncover the friends through the lift-up-flaps. Age recommended: 3-5years.
- A Bedtime story: No Matter What by Debi Gliori – It’s a warm, snuggly, filled with love book. A perfect bedtime companion. A tale celebrating the unconditional, limitless love between a mother and a child. A comforting, lyrical book that puts an end to all the anxieties and assures that you’ll be loved “no matter what”. The gentle, soothing illustrations are a treat to the senses.
- A book by your favourite illustrator: Princess Easy Pleasy by Natasha Sharma & illustrated by Priya Kurian – A riotous tale of a Princess from the royal family who isn’t easy to be pleased. She drives the royal packer crazy with her unusual demands as they go on a royal vacation. It’s a roller coaster ride where with every vacation a thing gets added to the travel checklist to please the princess – a cow, a royal chef, a bedding, her pets and also an elephant. The illustrations give life to this hilarious story and alongside conveys an important lesson – “Travel like the locals live”. Do grab this book for some travelling fun!
- A book with a quirky cover: Kung Pow Chicken Bok! Bok! Boom! by Cyndi Marko – This was ‘ love at first sight’ for my boy. It’s an action packed funny book with a quirky cover and title -“KUNG POW CHICKEN”. The story is about a super chicken, Gordon who lives in the city of Fowladelphia. He’s a superhero fighting for the good. He has a special suit which transforms him into “Kung Pow Chicken”. How Gordon and his brother Benedict go on an adventurous ride to save the people of Fowladelphia is an absolute treat to read. It’s hilarious funny with vivid comic style writing. Unleash your superpowers to accompany Kung Pow Chicken on a venturesome journey. This is an excellent book for kids who are transitioning from picture books to chapter books.
- A Fairy tale: Cinderella by Make believe ideas – A classic fairy tale liked through generations. This is retold by Nick Page and illustrated by Clare Fennell. Eye-catchy illustrations, simple rhyming text (with focus on phonics style reading) makes it a delightful read for young children starting to read on their own.
- A Touch and Feel book: That’s not my lion… by Fiona Watt & Rachel Wells – An Usborne touchy- feely book – We turned our house upside down to find a book in this category. Luckily got hold of this. The touch & feel books are essential to encourage young babies to use their senses. It helps in associating the texture they feel with the word that describes it. We loved revisiting this book, all thanks to KBC book bingo.
- A book that was gifted to you: Gitti’s Story – Earth by Anushka Kalro, Rajasee Ray, Sankhalina Nath, Shubhangi Goel – we were gifted this book by a member at KBC as part of the Secret Santa campaign. This book is part of the five book series that are great for first exposure to science. ‘Gitti’, the little rock shares his toilsome journey from the boiling hot centre of the Earth to the mountain top. The story addresses a number of questions like- what are the various layers of Earth? how earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur?. The story is summed up by stating the science behind Gitti’s story. There can’t be any easier way to introduce early science to preschoolers.
- A book on Mythology: Ramayana in Rhyme by Kairavi Bharat Ram & Ananya Mittal – This is by far the most simple and appealing book on Ramayana we have read. The fact that the book has been written by two 16 years old girls makes it shine even brighter. The marriage of illustrations and text is pure and magical. It’s a modern, engaging retake of a classic tale which is an absolute treat to read.
- A rhyming book: Tidy by Emily Gravett – This book by an award winning author-illustrator is definitely a must have in your ‘save the environment’ collection. Pete the badger loves his forest home to be neat and tidy but he goes a bit too far. He learns through his mistake to love his woodland home the way it is even if it’s a bit messy. A lovable funny story with rhyming text & warm illustrations delivering a significant of environmental preservation in the most understated manner.
- A book on shapes/colours/numbers: Colours On The Street by Mala Kumar & Manisha Chaudhary – This is a level 1 Pratham book. Sonu, Monu & Rina walk down the street and perceive the colourful world around them. A simple book for early understanding of colours through a story. This book was one of our firsts from Pratham.
- A yellow coloured book: Ruby’s Worry by Tom Percival – we discovered this book through KBC, and boy! it’s been an instant hit. We bought it some time last year to tackle the pandemic blues. It’s a reassuring book addressing how important it is to talk about one’s anxieties. Doesn’t thinking too much makes our worry enormous? These enormous worries stop us from being ‘the happy’ us. The same happens with a jovial girl Ruby who finds a worry one day. Initially the worry is small but eventually it becomes so big that it stops Ruby from being herself. But whether big or small, worries disappear when we share it with anyone or lend an ear to someone else’s worry. The illustrations are lovely. We loved how the colours are used in relation to our emotions. We have found Tom Percival books to be a powerful tool in personal and social emotional development.
- A funny book: Hey Diddle Diddle by Anushka Ravishankar – A hilarious Duckbill Hook book. these books are great for transitioning from picture books to chapter books. The stories are simple, fonts big , note-worthy illustrations on glossy pages and a feisty ” Havaldar Hook” to get you hooked onto reading. Hey Diddle Diddle is a story of a girl Minootty, her cow Susie and her best friend Susan. Minootty always wished to have a horse as a horse might be able to jump over the moon but gets a cow instead. Can Minootty’s cow jump over the moon? Read the hilarious series of events that happen in the story. All Hook books are fantastic easy-to-read books. We like this a little more as it has our favourite illustrator’s (Priya Kuriyan) work . She spills joy over the story with her super awesome unconventional illustrations. I’m sure this will leave you humming this famous rhyme- “Hey Diddle Diddle, the cat and the fiddle , The cow jumped over the moon…”
- A book by an Indian author: Ammachi Ki Khoj Anokhi by Rajiv Eipe & Vinayak Varma – This is a Pratham Level 3 Hindi book, a translation of Ammachi’s Incredible Investigation. Ammachi’s unniappams have been mysteriously vanishing leaving Ammachi and Sooraj all puzzled. But spirited Ammachi thinks of a plan to trap the probable thief. Ammachi is innovative and smart for her age, will she succeed in catching the unniappam thief? An exciting, captivating tale of a grandson & grandmother will surely bring smiles home. Appropriate age for this is 6 years onwards.
- An Informative Book: Energy Makes Things Happen by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley : (Let’s Read-And-Find-Out Science Level 2) – This is a perfect series for young children who are on exploration every single second. Moving a bat, running, hopping, cycling to – kites flying in the sky, hot air balloons soaring high to – cars running on the road, this book uses a number examples to explain all forms of energy; stored and moving. These books are well equipped to satisfy their curiosity about basic science concepts. The most interesting part of the book are the activities given that help in making the learning permanent.
- A Book on Transport/Vehicles: Bob’s Favourite Tales (Bob The Builder) – We got this book when we were drenched in love for construction vehicles. Bob and his machines work fabulously as a team to build new projects. All the big machines Benny, Dizzy, Scoop, Roley, Lofty and Muck are endearing characters. We have all our big vehicles named after them :).
- A Sound Book: Fairy Magic by Igloo books – A carry-along book of a tale about four fairy friends – Glitter, Sparkle, Moonbeam and Petal, who are ready to cast their magic at the Fairyland Fair. Alongside the story there are four fantastic sounds which makes the story all the more magical. Sharav didn’t quite enjoy sound books then but it was fun to explore years after.
- A One Word Title Book: Aachoo by Deepa Balsavar, illustrated by Nancy Raj – This is a gem from Pratham Publications. Monkey sneezes aloud as he catches cold. Little Koel gets baffled by Monkey’s deafening sneeze. This ignites Monkey’s curiosity leaving him wondering , “if this is loud then how loud an elephant’s sneeze would be?”. This book in Hindi is a total laugh riot. Add in a little drama in your read aloud and it’ll soon become one of the favourites. The big size of the book brings life to the wonderful illustrations.
- A Book on any festival: Amma Tell Me About Holi! by Bhakti Mathur – Amma takes Klaka on a colourful journey of how and why Holi is celebrated, the story of Prahlad & Hiranyakashipu. Holi is undoubtedly “the coolest party” celebrated with the loved ones and is certainly the most loved festival by kids. With rhyming text and vibrant illustrations, this books proves to be perfect for introducing kids to their most loved festival, HOLI.
- A Book that has Siblings: My Little Sister By Joanna Harrison – We picked this book years ago from a second hand book shop. Younger siblings come with their own set of privileges and mischief, and it’s quite a task to look after the little bundle of mischief. Isn’t it?! This story is of a boy who is on a chase after his fearless little sister. The little girl unmindful of the surroundings seems to be on a fun roller-coaster ride, travelling by air, sea, bus and even on an elephant. Nothing scares her, neither the jungle nor the crocodile. It is a warm and charming story celebrating siblings love. we loved re-reading it together and the most dreaded question popped up too, ” Mumma, I want a baby sister too”. I need a book to my rescue for this as well :D.
- A Book that has Animals/Birds: Don’t Let Them Disappear by Chelsea Clinton & illustrated by Gianna Marino – It’s a fabulous non fiction picture book that talks about 12 ‘ Endangered Species’ across the globe- Giraffes, Gorillas, Blue Whales, Rhinoceroses, Giant Pandas Whale Sharks, Polar Bears, Lionesses, Sea Otters, Orangutans, Tigers & Elephants. There’s a page dedicated to each animal and includes information about – its geographical range, endangered status, probable reasons that threaten their existence and a few peculiar traits. On every page the author ends with a call for help–“DON’T LET THEM DISAPPEAR!”. The illustrations are warm, expressive and engaging. It fills your heart with love and respect towards the planet and its beings. A must have book for your animal lover. Appropriate age for this is 6 years onwards.
- A Book on Space/Solar System: DK Findout! Solar System – Have kids that are fascinated by space? This little book has awesome collection of amazing facts, fascinating pictures and quizzes. How it feels in a spacesuit? Which planet is Earth’s evil twin? What’s beyond the solar system? Do you know that you are a different age on each planet? Are we really alone in the Universe? This incredible book answers all of your unanswered questions pertaining to space. Don’t forget to check the other titles in this DK Find out series.
- A Picture Book: Farmer Falgu Goes to the Market by Chitra Soundar & Kanika Nair – This is another gem of a series we discovered through KBC and in no time it became one of our favourites. The highlight of the book are its bold and vibrant illustrations with the warmth of an Indian setting. A travel tale of Falgu, the farmer, who with his equanimity turns a road block into a wonderful opportunity. It’s a simple story enriched with onomatopoeia. The book paves the way for further discussion on how a farmer grows his vegetables and the entire process from farms to the markets. It’s a delightful read with wisdom in disguise. There are more books in the series, do check them out.
- A Sea Creatures Book: Surprising Sharks by Nicola Davies – A nature storybook that introduces us to all sorts of sharks, from the smallest (Dwarf Lantern shark) to the giant (Whale shark). It has captivating facts about the different types and details about their body (both outside and inside). The book is beautifully illustrated and provides a memorable reading and learning experience for the kids.
- A Monster Book: The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler – The Gruffalo needs no introduction. Isn’t he the most adored monster?! A rhyming story of a clever mouse and a monstrous creature “Gruffalo”. A mouse encounters a number of predators as he takes a stroll through the woods. But the clever mouse evades the situation by creating an imaginative beast-like creature ‘Gruffalo’. How the mouse reacts when he actually meets ‘ the Gruffalo’ is exciting to discover. The takeaway from this immensely popular story – “A sharp, clever mind can take you through any situation”. Julia Donaldson is certainly the best and the most loved children’s books author.
- A Book with Magic: The Girl, The Bear and The Magic Shoes by Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks – Another lovely story from Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks, the creators of What the Ladybird Heard. A glittery magical story about a girl, a bear and the special magic shoes. Josephine went into a shoe shop and bought red magic shoes. As she went for a run, a bear with a backpack was following her! It’s interesting to see how the magic shoes help Josephine cruise through the snowy mountains, mud and a lake. A magical adventure of friendship that is thrilling to discover. Yes, don’t be surprised if your little ones wish to have those magic shoes!
“There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book”.
–Frank Serafini
[Note from Team Kids Book Café: For your convenience, affiliate links (MARKED IN PINK) to some of the book titles & images have been added to enable you to buy the books from AMAZON, should you wish to! A very small amount of money comes to kidsbookcafe.com when you purchase a book via the amazon affiliate link provided (at absolutely no extra cost to you!). Do let us know if you need information about other children’s books by writing to asha@kidsbookcafe.com.]
