Selecting books for your 3 to 5 years old can be tricky. Also, if you are looking for books written by Indian authors or set in the Indian context, the choices get limited.
Any book for that age group needs to meet a selection of criteria. The books need to have tons of age-appropriate pictures for your child to sit and look at. It needs to be on a topic that you and your child both are interested in.
The language and words have to be simple enough for your child to understand. Also, the story needs to be exciting and interesting enough.
Fortunately many new age Indian writers have come up in the past few years, who have written quite a few excellent children’s books, keeping the current generation in mind. Here is a list containing some of the best books in this category.
Table of contents
Little Ganesh and the Divine Mango
Gulukul Inc (Author)
This is an adorable retelling of a famous story. The illustrations are captivating and the story is simple enough for young children. Perfect for a read-aloud with your 3 to 5 years old. Check details in Amazon.
Adventures of Toto the Auto – Book 1
Ruta Vyas (Author)
Who does not love Indian Autos! The story of how Toto the Auto helps everyone in need is quite engaging. Simple words, fun illustrations make this tale quite a read. Start as read-along for your 3-year-old and watch your child try to read when he or she grows up. A book every child will love for sure! Check details in Amazon.
Can You? (English)
Sheela Preuitt & Praba Ram (Author), Ashok Rajagopalan (Illustrator)
Take a peek into an intriguing world of creatures who taste with toes, see with ears, smell with hair. Learn many things about the animal world along with your little one. A beautifully illustrated fun read-aloud for your young one. Check details in Amazon.
Ammama’s Sari
Niveditha Subramaniam (Author, Illustrator)
This wordless picture book with stunningly textured cloth collages make this a wonderful sensory experience. Use this as a read-aloud for your 3-year-old. Check details in Amazon.
Poonachi: Lost in the Forest
Perumal Murugan (Author), Priya Kuriyan (Illustrator)
This is the story of an upset baby goat who walk-off into the forest. It starts getting dark soon. A good bedtime story with beautiful illustrations from award-winning children book author. Children as young as 4 can enjoy this story, while early readers can try reading the simple narration. If you love this book, you can buy others from this series as well. Check details in Amazon.
Also Read: 7 Indian Classic Books for Children
Amma, Tell Me about Diwali!
Bhakti Mathur (Author)
What better way to get your young one excited about a festival than an age-appropriate storybook about it! A story with a modern-day message that – just praying is not enough, it needs to be accompanied by hard work. Beautifully illustrated and with simple narration, this book describes the story behind the festival of Diwali. Check details in Amazon.
The Jungle Radio: Bird Songs of India
Devangana Dash (Author)
This is a nature book about birds- their songs – to increase the curiosity in your young one about the world around us. A simple, no suspense, feel-good book. It is written in beautiful rhymes with bird calls woven beautifully in the text, making it even more important for the kids growing up in today’s concrete jungle. Lovely colors make this book interesting enough for 3-5-year-olds. Loved and recommended by parents. Check details in Amazon
Also Read: 11 Children’s Books about Indian Culture
An Elephant in My Backyard (Karadi Tales)
Shobha Viswanath (Author)
An excellent book with a simple short story set in village backdrops. The baby elephant is the star of the story here. An innovative storyline with subtle humor is sure to delight your young one. Perfect for a bedtime story for your preschooler. Check details in Amazon
Farmer Falgu Goes to the Market
Chitra Soundar (Author), Kanika Nair (Illustrator)
This book is from the Farmer Falgu series, loved by children. Kids get excited about how Falgu grows vegetables and where eggs come from. I good read starting from toddler age. Your child will surely love the authentic Indian story with clever illustrations. Check details in Amazon
Tiger on a Tree
Anushka Ravishankar & Pul (Author)
Beautifully illustrated in black and white with a dash of yellow, this book with small poems on each page is ideal for age 3 and above. It has phonetically linked words that help early readers. An easy and interesting read with a subtle message. Check details in Amazon
Gajapati Kulapati Gurrburrrrooom!
Ashok Rajagopalan (Author)
With a name like this, the book is sure to be a laugh riot. Simple illustrations, age-appropriate story, this one is an easy favorite with all kids starting at 2 years of age. This book is also available in multiple Indian languages. Check details in Amazon
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