#WorldBookDay – Books Are To Children As Water Is to Plants

Popular American children’s fiction writer Kate DiCamillo once said, ‘Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift.’ Numerous studies have highlighted the benefits of inculcating the habit of reading early in childhood. Apart from an expanded vocabulary, improved literary skills, and greater concentration, the habit of reading adds many more layers to a child’s personality. Reading helps children develop creativity and empathy, offers the opportunity to understand the world better, and assists in developing their social skills, helping them build stronger relationships.

A lot has been said and a lot can be said on why reading is beneficial for children; however, this World Book Day, we simply wish to endorse Kate DiCamillo’s belief. As a part of our collaboration with Tulika Books, we reviewed a host of children’s books. Here’s presenting a curation of all those brilliant books for you to choose your gift for World Book Day.

Lila’s Loose Tooth

Lila’s Loose Tooth—A Tale of a Tooth Lost & Found.

The book introduces children to the universal eagerness of awaiting the fall of their first milk tooth with an endearing tale of Lila’s lost & found tooth. For its young readers, the book is the perfect introduction to the joy ride of having one’s tooth fallen and its subsequent fun rituals.

I Didn’t Understand

I Didn’t Understand!—Your Gateway Into Her World, Through Her Eyes.
This is a story of bullying and friendship in the life of Manna, a child with Down Syndrome. It delivers the lessons of empathy, sensitivity, kindness, innocence, friendship and so many other values with incredible ease and subtlety, while introducing crucial and thought-provoking subjects such as developmental disorders and the self-identity of differently abled children. With the purchase of this book, parents can present their children with the gift of sensitivity.

A Saree for Ammi

This is a tale about the plight of India’s artisans, the growing economic divide and about a child’s compassion towards her mother. Unknowingly, children are raised in a cocoon, sheltered from the world, unaware of the many worlds different from their own. With A Saree for Ammi, children are introduced to values such as empathy, compassion, and gratitude.

Ammachi’s Glasses

A Happy ‘Silent’ Read for Young & Old Alike—Ammachi’s Glasses.
We have all woken up to our grandmothers asking us if we saw their missing pair of glasses anywhere, only to point them perched right atop their crown. In Ammachi’s (grandmother in Malayalam) case though, the glasses are missing for real, and they lead to a barrage of hilariously dramatic incidents. Ammachi’s Glasses is a joyride that all must get on to for it has unending gifts of nostalgia and imagination packed in one.

Guthli Has Wings

Guthli Has Wings Familiarizes Children With the Concept of Gender Identity.

Kanak Shashi’s picture book  is a simple yet compelling narrative of a child who wants to be a fairy, not a handsome prince that her mother insists she is born to be. The book is a spark that can help parents start conversations about gender pronouns, gender nonconformity, and gender identity with their children in an engaging manner.