Every year we curate a listicle of the new releases largely from India (especially the ones we get as review copies from publishers/authors across the country).
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Here are the new releases we discovered in 2026!
PICTURE BOOKS
The Wonder: Joy Starts Small by Tom Percival. Tom Percival is the god of big emotions. This book seems to be a part of a new/different series. It’s about seeing joy in small things, especially when you are going through a bad day! For 3-6 years (32 pages)
Where Did She Go?: A heartfelt story to help children understand loss by Tom Percival for 3 years+ (talks of death of grandma)
Playtime With Dad for 3-6 years (32 pages)
Lucas The Lizard And The Temple Of A Million Powers for 3-6 years (24 pages)
Millie Fleur’s Pumpkin Problem for 3-6 years (24 pages)
Amma Tell Me About Shiva! by Bhakti Mathur for 4-8 years (36 pages)
Gadabada Blanket & The Cave under the Bed by Ashok Rajagopalan for 5-8 years (24 pages)
Many of Us by Falguni Gokhale for 5-8 years (24 pages)
Hic-Hicc-Hiccups! by Esha Gupta for 5-8 years (24 pages)
Noni and Paati Make a Dosa by Nisha Ravindranathan for 5-8 years (24 pages)
What’s the Point of KIKI? by Nandita da Cunha for 5-8 years (28 pages)
THE TRICKSTER One time I wanted two moons by Meenakshi Bharadwaj (40 pages)
Tiny Tales: Sukhi’s Surprise for 4-6 years (32 pages)
Monkeys of Vrindavan by Bhavna Jaiswal for 5 years+ (24 pages). Hemalatha has reviewed this book in the kbc fb group here and shared some inside pages. She recommends it for 4 years+. Excerpts:
“This story is about a little girl Asha who visits the sacred town of Vrindavan temple with her family where they see lot of monkeys. These monkeys hold a deeply revered status as they are considered as the descendents of same monkeys that Lord Krishna played with, fed and shared the stolen butter with, during Krishna’s childhood Leelas.
Asha’s family was warned by a passerby to keep their spectacles safe and beware of monkeys
Because they are said to mirror the playful, mischievous and thieving nature of Krishna ( the Makhan chor). Asha’s father who did not take this seriously at first lost his glasses to a playful monkey.
What happened later? Was Asha’s father able to get his glasses back? The answer is so hilarious and smart move played by a clever monkey because they are no ordinary monkeys but have their own ways of striking deals”
The favourite part of the story as enjoyed by my elder one is “the monkey snatching the eyeglasses because he thinks that’s a very smart deal” and my daughter says “Asha’s mom safely kept her glasses inside so that she cannot be tricked by the monkey”. There is also a little spy activity (to find out a hidden squirrel) which was very much enjoyed by both of them!
For the Pilgrims and locals to coexist peacefully with the monkeys through charity, Protection of Vrindavan’s ancient forests(van) is the need of the hour! I wish one day our family visits Vrindavan and seek Lord Krishna’s blessings 
“
TRANSITION BOOKS
My Name is Khadija (Hook Books): Story of a Girl Who Wants to Change Her Name, Set in Uttar Pradesh | Ages 5+ (40 pages)
The Race for Rugda (Hook Books): Story of a Young Girl’s Quest in Jharkhand | Ages 5+ (40 pages)
Jivya’s Talking Hands: How Jivya Soma Mashe Found His Voice Through Art (The Magic Makers) | Picture Book Biography | Ages 7+
Sudha Murty’s latest release! How The Chilli Became Hot | Ages 5+ (44 pages)
There’s a new series of books that bring corporate grade online safety tools to little people. Meet The Adventures of Cyber Ved series by Neha Agarwal and Amit Chitnis for 5-9 years (28 pages): Instead of fear, the stories focus on empowerment. The authors use superhero narratives and fairytale analogies to keep it fun, engaging and relatable.
Cyber Ved and the Password Gobbler
Cyber Ved and the Friendly Fraudster
Cyber Ved and the Phishy Prankster
Cyber Ved Trilogy (3 books) – get the above 3 books for the price of 2!
Popeye The Sailor comic book series published by Westland for 8 years+ (32 pages)
Battle of Minds: How Viswanathan Anand Became the King of Chess (Magic Makers) by Mamta Nainy for 7-9 years (40 pages)
Catching the Sun and Wind: The Story of Anna Mani: India’s Weather Scientist by Anjali Joshi | Inspiring Biography | Explores Science, Weather and Renewable Energy | 8 years+ (40 pages)
The Colour of the Sea: The Story of Nobel Prize-Winning Scientist C. V. Raman | Inspiring STEM Biography | Introduces the Raman Effect, Light | 8 years+ (40 pages)
EARLY CHAPTER BOOKS/SHORT STORIES
Stories That Celebrate India | Illustrated Stories for Children Celebrating Indian Culture, Heroes & Festivals from Champak Magazine | Ages 6+ (144 pages)
The Greatest Bedtime Stories | Easy-to-read, fun-filled collection of illustrated stories from Champak magazine | Perfect for ages 6+ (144 pages). Kiran has shared her review and inside pages here in the kbc fb group. Excerpts:
“The book is an assortment of 16 tightly knit stories each written by a different author having his/ her own fervour and message. The biggest plus of the collection is that all the stories have been written with fairly relatable backgrounds with realistic character descriptions.
The graphic illustrations are vivid, elaborate and animated making the read more engaging and amusing. The compilation is a great mix of human as well as animal characters ensuring proper engagement for young readers of distinct tastes.
The stories like ‘The special yellow flowers’, ‘finders, keepers’ and ‘the bitter magic’ create beautiful setup for readers to understand values and emotions just through the chain of events. Similarly, ‘the deep winter sleep’, ‘journey through imagination’, ‘chinki’s sweet misadventure’ and ‘mystery of the egg’ tickle the imagination of the kids enabling them to think free.
Adi got very drawn to the yellow flower story. He was intrigued that how wuffy was not realising his own potential and was relying on the yellow flowers to pass his maths exams. And it was his friend browny who made him realise that he had it in him and didnt need anything externally to succeed.
Each story reflects a different flavour of kids’ life and has a unique style of storytelling making the collection methodically stimulating while instilling subtle moral messages for the young readers to imbibe without being lectured upon. So, to conclude I would say that the book is a win for the young readers of 6 to 10 age group who have started to discover the fun of reading and for the parents of the curious listeners of 3 to 6 years who like to sleep with a good story as well.”
Adventure Journal: 50 Things To Try On Holiday for 6-8 years (64 pages)
Nami and Jhalak: Stinkypur Guardians by Varsha Seshan (80 pages)
Duckbill hOle books:
The Pink Dress by Shabnam Minwalla | Story of a Girl Who Wants a Pink Dress for Her Birthday | Ages 7+ (80 pages)
GRAPHIC NOVELS
POTATO MAN: The First Adventure by Arya Arun for 6/7 year olds who are fond of superheroes! (69 pages). The next book in the series is POTATO MAN: The Fury of The Spite Seven.
CHAPTER BOOKS
On Air with RJ Rini by Sonia Mehta | Ages 7 and up (120 pages)
Moin and the Monkey Monster (Book 3): A Funny Story of Friendship Between a Boy and a Monster | Age 8+ (124 pages)
The Amazing Generation: Packed with facts, stories and secrets to help kids break free from phones for 8-12 years (240 pages). Amardeep has shared a detailed review with inside pages here in the kbc fb group. Quoting her:
“Sometimes, you come across a book that feels like a true gem – that holds the power to change an entire generation merely by explaining reality in simple, easy to understand words. The Amazing Generation is one such book, and it holds to power to make our children (and us) realise how technology and the tech giants have hypnotised us!
The authors explain through a fairytale of glowing stones, and gems how wizards cast a spell to make us believe that social media, video games and watching videos will give us friendship, fun and entertainment.
Then through real life stories of teens, and adults who spent their teens gaming, they explain what it actually gives – loneliness, anxiety and the inability to explore oneself!
The greatest problem? The apps and games are designed such that one spends maximum time and money on them- 5 day streak, rewards to lure you back, codes and hacks for double points, and if course spend money to advance more.
The most startling revelation for Neil was that the very tech giants who make these apps and games, know how bad and addictive they are and have banned them for their own kids, while profiting off of other kids in the world!
What I liked the most in the book is how it introduces the concept of being a rebel – not having a smartphone, not having a social media account, using technology for your benefit instead of letting it use you! Further it also explains how you can do that, by going out and making actual friends, developing actual hobbies, and pursuing actual interests.
If you buy just one book this month, it should be this one. Buy it, gift it. It’s life changing, and guaranteed to make your child think twice about screen time.”
The Big Book Of Wild Poop – The messy science of scat, splat, droppings and dung by Shweta Taneja (80 pages)
‘Carri-on’, Ruddy!: The Continued Adventures of the Naturalist, Sleuth, Mongoose | From the Creator of Green Humour | Naturalist Ruddy Series – Rohan Chakravarty for 8/9 years+ (112 pages)
Rocket Champs by Niyatee Sharma for 8-12 years (96 pages). This book can be ordered from Scholastic India via our kbc storefront as well. Mandira has shared her review in the kbc fb group. In her words:
“In Rocket Champs Niyatee Sharma has created a character in Arjun Singh that any curious, messy, experiment-obsessed kid will immediately see themselves in. And perhaps most grown-ups will immediately recognise with a mixture of affection and perhaps nostalgia.
Arjun loves science. But the mess that they leave behind are not something that his mother likes. With experiments firmly banned at home, the school’s announcement of a science competition feels like the universe finally giving Arjun his moment. There’s just one catch: he has to work with his bench mate, Kiara Parekh, who he finds thoroughly annoying.
Kiara is perfectly happy to collaborate, but Arjun? Not so much. After all what does Kiara know about science. He’d rather do it alone and get it wrong than work with her. Watching him slowly — and reluctantly — discover that teamwork can actually be fun is the heart of this story, and Sharma handles it with humour that never feels preachy.
The plot keeps things moving at a great pace. There’s jealousy, a project that crashes spectacularly, even a theft — it’s dramatic enough to keep young readers genuinely gripped. And through all the chaos, the book sneaks in something genuinely valuable: the idea that science is collaborative, messy, and worth persevering with.
As is friendship.
The illustrations by Rucha Phadnis are a real highlight too, adding warmth and humour that early readers will love flipping through even before they follow every word.
I remember my siblings breaking apart a radio in an attempt to see how it works. Rocket Champs reminded me of that.
I hope Niyatee Sharma’s book inspires more kids to take up STEM, get curious as they go beyond the why and figure out the how.. At least try to.”
Kanmani And Co.: Five Friends (And A Cat) Tackle The World by Lalitha Ramanathan for 8-12 years (160 pages). This book can be ordered from Scholastic India via our kbc storefront as well.
Kind Hearts! by Gauranga Darshan Das for 8-12 years (128 pages). This book can be ordered from Scholastic India via our kbc storefront as well.
All ~ Time Favourite Friendship Stories by Ruskin Bond – Classic Collection of 25+ most-loved, great stories for 8 yrs+ (240 pages)
Beautiful Leela by Arti Sonthalia for 10 years+(128 pages) This book can be ordered from Scholastic India via our kbc storefront as well.
The Great Nicobar Journey by Tansy Troy for 10 years+ (168 pages)
Greek Myths, Folktales And Legends (368 pages)
Maithili and the Minotaur: Isle of Insanity (Book 4 in an Outlandish Graphic Novel Series) for 10 years+
The Secret of the Star Sapphire: A Daring Treasure Hunting Adventure for 10 years+ (248 pages)
Down by the Mangroves | Heartfelt Middle Grade Story Set in the Sundarbans | Explores Wildlife, Climate Change, Friendship and Loss | Ages 10+ (184 pages)
The Curious World of Uncle Tarini: All 15 stories of Satyajit Ray’s iconic creation now in English | Mystery, Adventure, Horror stories | Ages 10+ (192 pages). Sritama has reviewed this book and shared inside pages here in the kbc fb group. Excerpts:
Uncle Tarini is an elderly bachelor who has spent his life working in numerous professions having failed to stick to one for not very long. This has taken him all over India over a span of forty five years. Now, after retirement, he has settled in Beniatola Lane in North Kolkata. Every day in the evening, he walks upto Poltu’s house in South Kolkata where other than Poltu, four other boys from his neighborhood assemble to listen to Uncle’s numerous stories of his ventures while working in several fields throughout the country.
The book is a complete collection of all the fifteen stories featuring Uncle Tarini arranged in a chronological order according to their original year of publication. Some of them have even been translated by the legend himself, though, the stories that have been translated by the other two translators have done equal justice to retain the spirit of Bengali literature. As I have mentioned earlier, every story is a tale within a tale where Uncle Tarini narrates stories of his various adventures to a group of five children while sipping his favourite black tea and smoking his favourite export-quality biri. The children have no idea whether the stories are about his actual experiences or mere tales concocted by him, but they enjoy them thoroughly and eagerly wait for them. They are a mix of adventure and supernatural elements where there is always a twist at the end which is bound to make the reader astounded. They also give us a taste of colonial and post-independence India.
This is a complete page turner where after finishing one story you will not be able to stop yourself from reading the next one and even after finishing the book, you will be thinking about them. A foreword by the author’s son, Sandip Ray, helps us to learn about the story behind the creation of Uncle Tarini and an introduction by Indrani Majumdar, gives the reader an idea about what is to be expected in the book. Each story contains the original illustrations done by Ray himself and there are also several pages of colourful illustrations printed in high quality paper which makes the book even more attractive.
I would highly recommend this book to all fans of adventure.”
A Revolution in the Valley (Chronicles of Courage): A Novel of the Silent Valley Movement of 1973–1984 by Bijal Vachharajani – Ages 10+ (200 pages)
Caught in the Crossfire (Chronicles of Courage): A Novel of the Bangladesh War of 1971 by Lesley D. Biswas (160 pages)
Darkness at Star Mills (Chronicles of Courage Series): A Novel of the Bombay Mill Strike of 1982 by Shabnam Minwalla (168 pages)
A-Z of Indian History: 80 Fun Stories from Ancient India to Independence | Cool Trivia, Bright Full-Coloured Illustrations | Ages 10+ (168 pages)
The Incredible Indians: The First Eleven by Rajesh Talwar – A Play for Children for 10 years (208 pages)
Off With Their Heads by award winning author and kbcian, Mandira Shah | Dystopian Novel Set in an AI-driven World | Ages 11/12+ (384 pages)
Uma Kapoor vs the Universe by Vinitha | Themes of Coming of Age, Family, Puberty, Menopause and Friendship | Ages 11+ (224 pages)
The Girl Who Became a Buddha: Story of Pajapati, the Woman Who Raised the Buddha Set in 5th Century BCE | Ages 12+ (336 pages)
NON FICTION
There’s an exciting new series for cricket fans! Meet the ULTIMATE INDIAN CRICKET CHAMPIONS SERIES by Harismita Vaideswaran for 8-12 years (152 pages) published by Juggernaut!!
ULTIMATE INDIAN CRICKET CHAMPIONS : Virat Kohli
ULTIMATE INDIAN CRICKET CHAMPIONS : Rohit Sharma
ULTIMATE INDIAN CRICKET CHAMPIONS : Shubman Gill
Ultimate Indian Cricket Champions: Hardik Pandya
Ultimate Indian Cricket Champions: Suryakumar Yadav
Ultimate Indian Cricket Champions: R. Ashwin
Heroes: The Changemakers Of Indian Sports for 9-14 years (112 pages)
Unstoppable Us, Volume 3: How Enemies Become Friends, from the author of the multi-million bestselling Sapiens (Unstoppable Us, 3) for 8-12 years (208 pages)
Lightning Kid by Viswanathan Anand for 9-14 years (264 pages)
Travelling Treasures 2.0: 75 Incredible Tales of Things India Gave to the World by Mala Kumar (224 pages). This is the second book after Travelling Treasures: 100 Incredible Tales of How Things Came to India.
History Unpacked: The Why, When and What of Medieval India (Not Forgetting the Who and Where): A Fun Way to Learn History from the Chalukyas to the Early Mughals | Ages 10+ (320 pages)
YOUNG ADULT – YA
Sweet And Sour: A Dark And Dramatic Ya Thriller (400 pages)
The Great Indian Tiffin Box: Food, Stories and Flavours from Across the Country | A Celebration of India’s Regional Recipes from All States & Union Territories (192 pages)
Perfect Cover by Jennifer Lynn Barnes for 12-17 years (304 pages). Killer Spirit (The Squad, 2) 368 pages is the second book in the series.
Deeksha has reviewed KILLER SPIRT in the kbc fb group here. Excerpts:
“Themes: Mystery, Espionage
This book is recommended for ages 13+
Killer Spirit is the story of Toby Klein, a student living a double life between the mundane concerns of Bayport High School and the secret world of government espionage. Toby is a member of “The Squad,” a team of elite cheerleaders who also happen to be secret agents. Her mission: eliminate an international crime syndicate. This book swiftly shifts from complex, mind-boggling riddles to “spy-fi” entertainment packed with high energy. The premise works because it places the same character in two contrasting worlds: high school social hierarchies and high-stakes counter-terrorism.
This book is best for readers who enjoy a slower pace. Instead of urgent chases or sudden plot twists, it focuses on quieter moments, such as when Toby balances school life, spy work, her friendships, and everyday humour. If you care more about well-thought-through characters and atmosphere than nonstop action, Killer Spirit is well worth your time.
However, seasoned readers will find a number of scenes that feel predictable, and the plot occasionally retreads familiar territory. In an era where we are continually exposed to new series and shows built around similar twists, the teenage double agent, the secret society hiding in plain sight, and some of the story’s bigger moments are felt less impactful than they perhaps once would have. Given your exposure to short stories on reels and passive scrolling, this book is an ideal choice for your summer reading.”
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