I’ve known Yamini Vijayan for almost 6 years now (wow! I had to do a Gmail search to calculate that) and she’s been my colleague, editor and most importantly, friend. One thing we both love talking to each other about (other than how much we love naps) is children’s books. We can’t ever get enough of them. We’re often asked by friends, family and social media acquaintances to share book recommendations.

So, we thought it would be fun to make a list of some of the children’s books we turn to again and again — for joy, comfort, laughter and solace — and share them. 

Here's our first list for the very youngest of readers!

We love gifting books to the babies that we know. Board books are usually advised, but we tend to be flexible. The crucial thing is to begin reading early to them, and having fun with it. Here are 5 baby books that we love (ages 0-3):

Jafta - Hugh Lewin & Lisa Kopper (Katha)

No, children's books don't need to be bursting with colour, and to be honest, it's really the art that drew us to Jafta. Centred around a child's varied feelings and moods, the illustrations—done in a limited colour palette—are striking, with a wonderful sense of movement.

Dogs - Emily Gravett (Simon & Schuster)

A delightful introduction to the world of canines—fluffy ones and bald ones, spotty and striped, loud ones and quiet. The illustrations capture the very essence of dogs— sometimes with just an expression in their eyes, reminding us that all dogs are lovable. 

Aana and Chena - Sowmya Rajendran & Renuka Rajiv (Tulika)

Aana the elephant and Chena the yam are best friends. Aana is deeply dissatisfied with the way he looks—his nose, ears, body, they're all wrong! But Chena convinces him that he's beautiful just the way he is. The message of self-acceptance is conveyed without any moral grandstanding, making this a satisfying read-aloud. 

Chu’s Day - Neil Gaiman &  Adam Rex (Bloomsbury)

How is it that we adore so many children's books with characters sneezing uncontrollably? For babies, the pictures do tend to be the hook, and we can’t get over some of the witty details included in the art: the giraffe librarian, the concern on Chu’s parents’ faces as he’s about to sneeze.

Handa’s Surprise  - Eileen Browne (Walker)

Lush, cleverly plotted and an excellent read-aloud, this is a near-perfect picture book and a preschool teacher’s dream. As Handa takes a basket of fruits for her friend, they start to disappear along the way. 

Are You My Mother? - P.D. Eastman

A hatchling hatches out of its egg when the mother bird is away, and goes in search of her. Unsure of what her mother looks like, she asks a series of creatures—a cat, a dog, a cow—if they are her mother before moving on to increasingly bizarre things: planes, boats and a giant power shovel. Even after multiple repeat reads, this one doesn't get old.

All these books are available at independent bookstores across the country, many of whom deliver everywhere! So do look up Lightroom Bookstore, Funky Rainbow, Eureka Bookstore, Storyteller Kolkatta, Kitab Khana, Rachana Bookstore, Blossoms, BookWorm or Dog Ears Bookshop.

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