Pratham Books intern Rahel Rao, puts together some stories guaranteed to make you guffaw and giggle!

One of the most popular sayings in the world is: laughter is the best medicine. With this in mind, we have compiled a list of hilariously told and beautifully illustrated stories that will surely make you smile and brighten up your day!

1. सोना की नाक बड़ी तेज (Sona’s Smart Nose) by Vinita Krishna and Suvidha Mistry

Sona’s strong nose can smell all the amazing flavours of the chuskis (or golas) in her uncle’s shop. But wait! Something also smells bad! Can Sona figure out what it is?

2. ಕಣ್ಣಾಮುಚ್ಚಾಲೆ   (I Spy!) by Samvida Venkatesh and Sandhya Prabhat; translated by Asha Yogendra

Play a game of I Spy! with Sania, on her birthday. Can you and Sania find all eight friends in this beautifully illustrated book, while learning subtraction at the same time?

3. Kallu’s World 3 - Mangu Mali and the Ambia Bhoot by Subhadra Sen Gupta and Tapas Guha

Join Kallu and his friends in his third adventure in the series as they try to get juicy mangoes from Mangu Mali’s haunted tree. It is a colourfully illustrated, hilarious story, sure to bring a smile onto your face.

4. వార్షిక క్షవర దినం (Annual Haircut Day) by Rohini Nilekani and Angie & Upesh; translated by Ambika Ananth

It is the day Sringeri Srinivas gets his annual haircut. But, when he asks people to cut his hair, nobody has the patience. He finally ends up finding help in the most unexpected place.

5. Mr. Anand has an Adventure by Mala Kumar, Manisha Chaudhry, and Satya Krishna Prakash

The adventurous Mr. Anand finds Greeno when going on a walk in the forest. Greeno is crying and, when Mr. Anand agrees to help, their adventure begins.

6. आकऽछी! आऽऽ क् ऽऽछी! (Hatchu! Ha-aaa-tchu!) by Sharada Kolluru and Lavanya Karthik; translated by Sandhya Taksale

Hatchuram’s sneezes are so loud, they disrupt the entire village, from the milkman, to the peacocks, to the earthworms and the mice. How does the village respond to this? Find out in this colourfully illustrated story.

7.   டொக் டொக்! (Tok Tok) by Vidhya Pradhan and Reshma Barve; translated by N. Chokkan

There is a loud noise and it’s keeping the king awake. Join the kingdom as they try to find out what is making the loud noise that keeps their king awake, making him cranky the next day.

8. Tommy and Tingu by Kanchan Bannerjee and Natasha Mehra

Tommy’s owner has a friend called Rohan. Rohan’s cat is called Tingu. In this cute, short story, find out why exactly Tommy is scared of Tingu. This is a perfect book to read-aloud to children.  

9. खोदकर भोवरा पंबरम (Pambaram, the Naughty Top) by Kavitha Punniyamurthi and Ajanta Guhathakurta; translated by Sushrut Kulkarni

When Pambaram the top is spun after years, he begins spinning everywhere, out of excitement. Chase him along with Priya and Bala, trying to catch him and stop him from making a mess everywhere.

10. ಹೀಗಾಗಿದ್ದರೆ? (What if?) by Hari Kumar Nair; translated by Aparna Prasanna

In this story, born out of Shyam’s wild imagination, he thinks about what his life would be like if all his features were different. What would life be like if his legs were as long as building; or his teeth so strong, he could bite into anything! Beautifully illustrated, it is a great book to read aloud.    

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India has always thrived on stories. From folk tales to urban legends, stories truly bring the country together. What better way is there to celebrate Republic Day than by reading stories from across the country that celebrate its myriad arts and crafts, flora and fauna, people and food! 

 Handmade In India by Olivia Fraser

Olivia Fraser takes us on a handcrafted journey through India, starting from the North, going to the South, East, and finally West – touching upon every corner of the country. The beautiful illustrations to go along with the story only enrich it – depicting everything she describes.

ಮರಗಳ ನಡುವೆ ಒಂದು ವಿಹಾರ (A Walk Among Trees) by Nimret Handa

The story follows the conversation between a king and his son, the prince, as they walk through the orchard. The king tells his son about all the different trees in India, all of which can be found in the royal orchard. Nimret Handa has written this beautifully with minimalistic illustrations, ensuring that the focus stays more on the writing and the information about each tree while still making it appeal to children.

सबसे पहला ‌‌घर (First House) by Nabanitha Deshmukh and Phidi Pulu

Set in Arunachal Pradesh, this folk tale tells the story of how the very first house was built. How the  two friends: Kindru-Lalim and Kincha Lali-Dam got help from the forest to built the house. Along with facts about the tribe they belong to at the end, साबसे पेहला घर is brought to life with vibrant illustrations.

मुमताज़ ने काढ़े अपने सपने (Mumtaz Embroiders Her Dreams)  by Jolly Rohatgi and Ram Soni

Mumtaz is a young girl who has come to Lucknow to further her knowledge of chikankari - the traditional embroidery style there. She meets a child called Munnu and Munnu teaches her how to dream - greatly influencing her embroidery. But Mumtaz also has a pair of cousins who are determined to ruin her work. This story, coupled with the unique illustration style, is definitely something children should read.

स्वातंत्र्याकडे आगेकूच (Marching to Freedom) by Subhadra Sen Gupta and Tapas Guha

Told from a child's point of view, this story is about the Dandi March that Mahatma Gandhi undertook. A young boy at the ashram  finds out about the march and wants to join, only to meet Gandhi at the end of the book. The story itself is filled with beautiful, colourful illustrations that immediately catch the eye.

काका और मुन्नी (Kaka and Munni: A Folktale from Punjab) by Natasha Sharma

Kaka is a crow who wants to eat Munni, the sparrow's, eggs. Munni cleverly asks Kaka to do something first and so Kaka goes on a journey, needing to complete various tasks since nobody he meets wants him to eat Munni's eggs. A true children's and folk story, Kaka and Munni is a delightful read aloud story.

The Cloud Dragon by Nidhi Jha

The illustrations almost entirely in different shades of blue, The Cloud Dragon tells the legend of how Meghalaya was named. It begins with Lord Indra making the cloud dragon and ends with a home in the clouds for the dragon, who brought down rainfall and make rain clouds for Meghalaya and the neighbouring states. 

The Adventures of Philautus the Frog by Kartik Shanker and Maya Ramaswamy

Philautus the Frog wants to see the sea and so goes on an adventure through the Western Ghats in this story, meeting all the creatures beyond his tree. 

What’s Neema Eating Today by Bijal Vachharajani and Priya Kuriyan

What’s Neema Eating Today is a book for food lovers of all ages. Join Neema as she eats her way through the seasons, enjoying all the fresh fruit and vegetables this country has to offer our taste buds.

 

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