Summer holidays are a great time for exams-weary children to catch up on their reading and engage in enjoyable, meaningful activities. We present three excellent resources to help you chalk out a summer reading and activities plan for children writes Cynthia John Storyweaver.org.in This “digital repository of multilingual stories for children” by Pratham Books offers hundreds of books, which can be downloaded and read free-of-charge. The USP of this collection is that most of the narratives are set in India capturing the flavour of rural and urban India and the country’s rich diversity. Moreover, the books are available in English and several vernacular languages. Attractively illustrated, they are graded according to reading difficulty levels, and can be read online or downloaded and saved for future reading. I highly recommend this rich treasure trove of specially curated books for children. How the Mango got its Magic Publisher: Penguin Random House India Price: Rs. 199 Bestselling author Sudha Murthy’s latest book for children offers a fitting tribute to the ‘King of fruits.’ Written for children aged five years and above, How the Mango got its Magic is richly illustrated and spins a delightful tale about how this summer fruit acquired its sweetness. Lucidly written in an easy-to-read style and tone, the book is a great way to introduce young children to Indian literature. Murthy has also authored several other books which make good summer reading for children. I recommend the following: Grandma’s Bag of Stories, The Magic of the Lost Temple and The Bird with Golden Wings. 200+ Activities for kids Publisher: Maple Press Price: Rs. 150 Specially designed and curated for preschoolers aged three-five years, this book presents 200+ activities including picture puzzles and word games to encourage language development, logical thinking and application skills. They cover different early childhood education concepts such as sorting, sifting, and language learning. Moreover, the colourful illustrations are eye-catching and will appeal to kindergarteners. Excellent resource to meaningfully engage youngest children during the summer break.
