Review: My Little Book of Dashavatara

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Title: My Little Book of Dashavatara
Author: Nalini Ramachandran
Illustrator: Rajesh Nagulakonda
Publisher: Puffin Books
Type: Board Book
Length: 26 pages
Age Recommendation: 2-5 years

Tiny Hands, Timeless Tales: A Book That Grows with Your Child

Almost two years ago, when my little girl was all of 2, I asked our community for a Holi recommendation, and that’s how we got our first books from the “My Little Book of” series. So when we were asked to review this book on Vishnu ji’s Dashavatara, it felt like divine intervention.

The book opens with Lord Vishnu introducing his ten avatars, then gives each one two pages over the next twenty. It’s very simple to read, which makes it a perfect first introduction to the deities for any mythology-loving family, and it opens the door to deeper conversations with slightly older kids. My daughter, who only knew Lord Vishnu and Lord Rama from other books, got curious about Balarama, Parashurama and Vamana.

I believe it’s a great addition even for a 2-year-old. The board book is sturdy and the illustrations are beautiful and engaging for younger minds, and as they grow, it will keep sparking new discoveries.

We talked at length about the story of Kurma: what amrit is, what the churning was all about, and how it connects to our other books on the Vedas and to Shiva and why his throat is blue. Making these connections helps kids build a deeper understanding. When we recently visited a store to pick up idols for Navratri, my daughter went looking for Dashavatara idols to bring home. We’re still searching for the right ones for our home temple, but I know we’ve hit a jackpot with this book.

I learned something too. I discovered Varaha and learned much more about Parashurama. The story of Narasimha took us right back to our very first mythology book, “My Little Book of Holi.” My daughter ran to her room, pulled it off the shelf and asked me to read it again. Few moments make a parent happier than seeing a book spark that kind of excitement.

A gentle note for parents who treat mythology as sacred: A few words may feel a bit too Gen-Z. They appear only in passing, and when I read it to my 4-year-old, none of it caught her attention. She was far more focused on uncovering more.

What this book reminded me as a parent:

You don’t have to wait until they’re “old enough.” A sturdy board book and gorgeous pictures are all it takes to plant the first seeds, even at 2.
Follow their curiosity. One avatar led my daughter to ask about three others, and the best conversations began with her questions, not my answers.
Let your bookshelf talk to itself. Every time we linked one book to another, from Kurma to the Vedas to Shiva’s blue throat, her understanding grew a little deeper.
Learn right alongside them. Some of my own favorite moments were discovering something new at the same time she did.

If your family loves mythology, or you’d like to start, I’d highly recommend adding this one to your shelf. It’s a book that grows with your child.

There are quite a few more books in this MY LITTLE BOOK OF series :

My Little Book of Festivals (Boxset) : Illustrated board books on the Indian festivals of Diwali, Holi and Navratri | Hindu mythology for kids age 3 years+

If you enjoyed this review and wish to order the book from Amazon (kbc affiliate link),

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Disclaimer: Abha and her daughter Shanaya are a part of the #kbcReviewerSquad and received this book as a review copy from the publisher via kbc.