"It is written in a really nice Indian style."
Folklores are a vital part of any culture or country including India. Famous Indian folktale stories narrate the importance of culture and mannerism.
India is a nation of diversity with a wonderful range of short tales that reflect the various languages, culture and people. Indian folklore began with its vibrant culture, history and legends.
Moreover, with India being so diverse, it is believed that many wonderous things have happened there.
Many unique ancestors have left their culture, craft, communities, traditions, and values behind them. All of these elements have made up these folktales, which can help children learn the moral values of India along with being entertained.
These tales also help adults to visit their childhood. Therefore, the folktales are just not for kids but also for teenagers and adults.
Fables from India have nothing less than interesting content with wonderful moral messages. DESIblitz presents 10 top books that narrate Indian folktale stories:
Indian Tales A Barefoot Collection
Indian Tales A Barefoot Collection came out on September 1, 2009. The book was released by Barefoot Books Ltd.
Writer Shenaaz Nanji pens down her creativity with the help of illustrator, Christopher Corr. One can discover the incredible diversity of India through this book.
The issue has eight folktales, with each one focusing on a different state of India. The author has picked the famous states of India, highlighting the geography, culture and history.
Gujarat, Punjab, Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Rajashthan and Kerala are the states that readers are going to explore.
The tales are simply filled with flavours, hilarious characters and their customs. All age groups of people can savour the Indian madness from this book.
Describing the collection, Booklist writes:
“Filled with East Indian customs and flavors, magic and secrets, and brave and silly characters, this savoury collection is well suited for independent reading, reading aloud, and multicultural studies.”
Indian Folktales (Classics)
Indian Folktales (Classic) comprises a lovely collection of mythological stories that came out in 2011. Scholastic India has published the book.
Anupa Lal is the writer of this famous book. Anupa has more than twenty Indian fantasy books to her name, that retell ancient Indian stories.
These classic folktales are reflective of Indian tradition and culture.
The tales narrate that women are powerful, intelligent, self-dependent and equal to men in every manner. This includes one who catches thieves and another who argues with the king and deal with a dangerous demon.
A princess, farmer’s wife and a magical bird are a few characters to name. Anupa takes ancient Indian stories and gives them a contemporary touch.
Grandma’s Bag of Stories
Grandma’s Bag of Stories was first issued on Jan 1, 2015. Penguin Books Limited released the book with pleasing imaginative tales by Sudha Murty.
The book has marked its presence with striking stories, stunning characters, fun and laughter, along with the love of a Grandma.
Most notably, the folklores are so delightful that one can enjoy them regardless of age. In the book, Anand, Krishna, Raghu and Meena are the kids who visit their grandparents’ house.
On the other hand, a happy Ajji and Ajja (grandmother and grandfather respectively in Kannada) make them delicious snacks. Finally, Ajji opens the bag of folktales that the kids find exciting.
A grandmother in most cultures often shows a bag of love and care, telling wonderful folktales that have morals or riveting elements.
Hence, many will relate to this book certainly with stories that their grandmother might have told them. These tales are full of mysteries, including animals with the power to speak.
The Magic Drum and Other Favourite Stories
The Magic Drum and Other Favourite Stories was published on January 12, 2015, under the banner of Penguin Books Limited.
Sudha Murty has written so many fantasy folklores and this is one of them. This book targets a wide range of age groups.
Similarly, this book also has an excellent collection from India, which is full of laughter and interesting characters.
One particular character in the book gives it a big lifeline.
A Princess who thinks she was a bird, a coconut worth thousand rupees and a pauper all feature in the book.
There are also many other fascinating characters in the book including a shepherd, foolish boys, wise men, as well as the funniest and oldest men and women who come alive.
Sudha had heard some of these stories from her grandparents and friends when she was a child. These folktales never left Sudha, which made her write this lovely book.
A reader who found the book funny expressed her view on Goodreads:
“This book really cracked me up! It is written in a really nice Indian style.”
Short & Shorter Stories
Short & Shorter Stories transpired in 2016. Geico Publishing House is the publisher of these simple yet stunning folklores.
The author Amrita Bharati has written the book with her mind-blowing visualisation and imagination in mind.
The book is a striking pictorial range of stories that are curated widely from the Indian subcontinent. These amazing folklores narrate The rich Indian heritage through vibrant images.
The book covers the culture of Bengal, Rajasthan, Kashmir, Burma, showcasing distinctive ancient India. It also gives readers a glimpse into some delightful stories from China and Africa.
This edition has the power to engage readers with humour, vice, virtue and compassion. Friendship, moral, and values are a significant part of this book.
Most importantly, the book is a treasure-trove of unlimited fun and learning. The book is a complete package of Indian culture, fun, morals, acting as a learning tool for many.
Indian Folk-Tales and Legends
Indian Folk-Tales and Legends came to fruition on August 23, 2016. The range of tales got released under Penguin Random House India.
Pratibha Nath has written this bunch of fantastic stories that cater to everyone. In this book, there are characters that represent the different parts of India.
Wonder, wit, far and near are the key concepts of the tales. The plots speak about the interesting elements of the folklores.
The book promises to entertain and make people laugh with each chapter. After all, humour is an integral part of a folktales.
Nath has definitely taken care to leave no stone untouched, making the book a worthwhile read.
A reader writing a review on Amazon compliments the book, stating.
“An excellent collection of Indian folktales (from various regions) and legends.”
Little Indians: Stories From Across The Country
Little Indians: Stories From Across The Country originally came out in 2017. Tulika Books are the publisher of this beautiful book.
Pika Nani put her imagination into words, whereas illustrator Shreya Mehta gives the book an attractive look.
The book caries folklores from all over India. Thus, readers can learn and explore India with creative little stories about Indians.
Little Indians is significant as it includes many interesting facts about India also. The book will take readers on a journey, like a double-decker tour of India.
Additionally, the tales appear different and distinct, like a piece of the puzzle. While reading, all the pieces slide together and show the creation of a magnificent India.
Sacked! Folktales You Can Carry Around
Sacked! Folktales you can carry around released on Jan 25, 2018. The book falls under publisher Harper’s Children’s.
These folklores are by Deepa Aggarwal, which one can surely carry anywhere around. The author pays an equal amount of attention to fantasy, adventure and humour in the book.
Unconventional characters as part of the amazing imaginative stories make the book more appealing. These characters include a beguiling combination of animals and demons, the real and magical and human and other beings.
The quirky illustrations also play a vital part to give the book a charming look. Awesome flights of fantasy, retelling stories in a lively and contemporary style will grab the attention of the readers.
A buyer of the book, finding it very all-round, posted a comment on Goodreads, reading:
“Funny, observant and wise, this is storytelling at its most irresistible.”
Tales of India: Folk Tales from Bengal, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu
Tales of India: Folk Tales from Bengal, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu came out on February 27, 2018, courtesy of Chronicle Books.
Illustrators Svabhu Kohli and Viplov Singh have made this book vibrant with a very creative collection of stories. Besides creativity, the complete range reflects ancient India through stunning artwork of the Indian artists.
The book has a collection of sixteen traditional folklores that can take readers to a charming world of imaginative India.
These tales are a bag of epic quests, talking animals, irrelevant sense of humour, bold heroines and some delightful surprises.
The book is translated by Indian and English fantasy writers, as it features mindblowing aspects such as magic and wit.
Furthermore, this special edition includes a splendidly embossed print, along with the textured case and a ribbon marker. The plethora of stories in the book shows the creativity and hard work of an author and illustrator.
25 Folktales of North East India
25 Folktales of North East of India was released on January 19, 2019. The author Mangan Thangjam independently published the book.
The phenomenal piece has a collection of 25 stories. Mangan very intelligently pens his thoughts and creativity in this book.
The folklores carry relevance to the culture and lifestyle of North East India.
Within North-East Indian communities folktales act as a medium where one can pass down the culture, history, and beliefs to a new generation.
Through these tales, people can protect their unique culture and identity through marvellous flashbacks in the form of folklores.
The above enchanting collection of books with a cultural, moral and valuable range have made Indian folktale stories famous worldwide.
The books attract readers with humorous and positive vibes. These folklores have a unique combination of silly and smart characters that can encourage young people to enjoy the stories.
These Indian folktale stories are all about preserving and passing culture from one generation to another. As Indian folktale stories have ancient iconic characters, they can influence children to learn about their culture.
The books are available to buy online, with some also coming in the form of a Kindle edition.
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