Today is World Children's Day - a time to reflect upon and renew our commitment to protect children's rights.  Here is a selection of books that showcase some of the principles listed in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We hope that these books will be a useful resource for educators, parents, and caregivers, and that they inspire our young readers.

 

Ikru's First Day of School | Article 28: The right to education

What will Ikru's very first day at school be like? This heartwarming, wordless book brings alive the unexpected delights and quiet fears of a child's first experience of going to school.

A Level 1 storybook written and illustrated by Sunaina Coelho, and published by Pratham Books.

 

Just Like Me | Article 12: The right to form and express views freely

It’s Rahah’s birthday party. Mum wants to know who she will invite. Will they all fit in?

A Level 2 storybook written by Hani du Toit, illustrated by Mary Anne Hampton, and published by Book Dash.

 

Your Body is Yours | Article 19 & 34: The right to be protected from violence and abuse

Your body is unique and it belongs only to you. Get to know it, and learn to take good care of it. A book that aims to start open and healthy conversations around our bodies, and our right to say no to anyone who does not respect boundaries.

A Level 3 storybook written by Yamini Vijayan, illustrated by Aindri C, and published by Pratham Books.

 

I Know My Rights | Article 42: The right to know and exercise your rights

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child lists out the basic rights that children have. It doesn’t matter where you come from, what colour your skin is, whether you practice a religion or not, what language you speak, whether you are a boy or a girl or haven’t decided yet – you have the right to these rights! This poster book lists out some of the rights of the child.

A Level 4 storybook written by Menaka Raman, illustrated by Sunando C, and published by Pratham Books.

 

SUPPORT STORYWEAVER

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states that all children have the right to an education that helps them fully develop their personalities, talents, and abilities. The ability to read is the ability to learn, explore, and imagine.

StoryWeaver is deeply committed to the goal of literacy and giving children open and free access to the reading resources and opportunities they need to succeed in school and beyond. With your help, we can do even more. Visit https://storyweaver.org.in/donate.

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It is undeniable that wildlife plays an important role in maintaining the ecological balance of nature. Disruptions to the wilderness can negatively impact the ecosystem as a whole. Preserving the natural environment is therefore vital.

We have rounded up some of our favourite books highlighting wildlife. Check out the excerpts and click on the image to read the books.

 

‘Flippy the Flowerpecker’  is a level 1 book written and photographed by Garima Bhatia.

In this book, Flippy the tiny flowerpecker visits a eucalyptus tree to find a meal, but a surprise is in store for her!

 

‘Our Friends in the Wild’ is a level 2 book written by Ananta Prasad Wagle, illustrated by Samit Shrestha, and translated by Shannon David.

Throughout time, people have shared a strong relationship with animals in nature. This non-fiction poem explores the many ways that animals help humans.

 

‘Tiger, Tiger, Where Are You?’ is a level 2 book written by Mujahid Khan and illustrated by Manjari Chakravarti.

In the book, a tiger researcher is out looking for tiger hair and poop as part of his study. He finds plenty of signs of the tiger, but where is the big cat? After all, there are so many ways to see a tiger without seeing a tiger.

 

'The great Rifasa' is a level 3 book written by Rohini Nilekani and illustrated by Sangeetha Kadur.

Nothing seemed right in the Kabini forest — the monsoon hadn’t come and the human tourists in their safari jeeps seemed to have disappeared as well. The animals of Kabini get together to begin their own safari. A fun story, from a unique perspective, about the far-reaching impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

‘How to Be an Otter’ is a level 3 book written by Nisarg Prakash and illustrated by Rohit Kelkar.

Listen in to find out more about these wonderful river creatures, as an otter passes on wisdom to a group of otter pups. 

 

A level 3 book, ‘Fly Safe, Godavan’ is written by Cara Tejpal and illustrated by Sanjana Desai.

In this book, Rania is determined to keep the little Godavan chick and her Ma safe. But there are so many threats to the survival of the Great Indian Bustard.

 

‘Kanchha, the Rhino’ is a level 3 book written by Shilpi Pradhan, illustrated by Abin Shrestha, and translated by Shannon David

This is the story of a little rhino who lives in a big grassland. He loves to explore, but one day he strays too far from his mother and gets lost. Read on to find out how he gets out of trouble.

 

‘Turtle Story’ is a level 4 book written by Kartik Shanker and illustrated by Maya Ramaswamy.

Under cover of darkness, baby olive ridley turtles hatch from sun-warmed eggs on remote beaches. One of them, the little hatchling who is the narrator of our story, is delighted to make it across the beach and into the ocean without losing her way or being captured by predators. But can our little olive ridley survive the dangers of the ocean? Find out in this charming life story of an olive ridley turtle, and meet several other interesting creatures along the way.

 

‘Moonlight in the Sea’ is a level 4 story written by Kartik Shanker and illustrated by Prabha Mallya.

Fatima grows up on an idyllic island in the Lakshadweep, watched over by Nihla, the moon. She falls in love with the underwater world of colourful corals, fascinating fish, mysterious manta rays, grizzled old turtles and dancing dolphins. One day, in a terrible storm, she gets lost at sea. Join Fatima on her incredible adventure on remote islands with wonderful marine creatures.

Learn more about the people and places that inspired the making of 'Moonlight in the Sea', in this blog post by Kartik Shanker, author, ecologist, and founder trustee of the Dakshin Foundation.

 

A level 4 story, ‘Wildlife in a City Pond’ is written by Ashish Kothari and illustrated by Sangeetha Kadur.

Wetlands in any city are seen mostly as wasteland, waiting to be built over. It takes a tireless environmentalist to show us what city ponds really are – magically rich ecosystems worth preserving. Based on a real-life experience, here is a story that introduces us to the delightful fauna and flora in the urban landscape.

 

‘Gyalmo, the Queen of the Mountains’  is a  level 4 book written by Ranjini Murali and illustrated by Komal Jain. 

Koyna is in Spiti Valley trying to spot a snow leopard with her friend Lobzang. Gyalmo, the snow leopard, watches from a distance as they try their best to spot her.

Read all about the author’s fascination with the mountains and why she wrote a children's book about snow leopards here. Ranjini Murali, the author, is the Conservation Scientist at the Snow Leopard Trust.

 

Come, explore the natural quirks and intricacies of nature and its wild inhabitants with StoryWeaver!

 

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by Priyanka Sivaramakrishnan

Following the success of our Readalong feature and the StoryWeaver Hindi YouTube channel, we bring to you an exclusive channel for your favourite English stories, the StoryWeaver English YouTube channel! These vides are created to bring stories to life with their audio-visual engagement, making your kids fall in love with the tales. Now you can watch your favourite stories like Goloo, the Circle, Susheela's Kolams, Smile Please, Moon and Cap, and many more, with two new videos being added each week!

Illustration by Aditi Dilip from Look Up! by Aditi Dilip

Aimed at our youngest readers, these stories are mostly Levels 1 and 2, with the videos running no longer than five minutes to make sure that we don't lose the child's attention. Similar to the Readalong feature on the StoryWeaver page, these stories have been carefully handpicked to ensure that they include repeat sounds and words, that are enjoyable to read aloud, have eye-catching illustrations, and a whole lof of pazzaz. 

Here at StoryWeaver, we are always looking to see how we can make the reading experience better, what we can give you to help you children revel in the joy of stories. These YouTube videos have been designed with enjoyable background music, a 'natural' narrative coiced by professional artists, and synchronized highlighted text running throughout the story. The act of watching the video, listening to the pronunciations, and following the words allows for easy language acquisition by the child. 

To get started on a fun-filled reading experience, subscribe to the all-new StoryWeaver English YouTube channel here. 

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