Books by Chitra Soundar
Chitra writes fiction, plays, poetry and picture books for young children. Her books are usually set in India or in Indian families, although she does love writing about nature and animals from all parts of the world. Her stories bring the charm and stories of India with universal truth and appeal to children everywhere. Chitra's creative writing & story projects for all ages esp about India are very popular. Chitra also trains teachers and librarians on storytelling and creative writing.
Chitra is published internationally across the US, UK, India, and her books have been translated to German, French, Japanese, Thai and Chinese.
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Sona Sharma - Very Best Big Sister
Being a big sister to a new baby brings big responsibilities.
Sona Sharma's house is full of people who joke often and argue sometimes. Relatives come unannounced, the phone rings frequently and friends drop in all the time. Then one day Amma tells Sona she is going to have a baby. Is that good? Sona isn't sure – she has always enjoyed being an only child – and straight away she has a word with her best friend, Elephant. When Sona learns that there will be a baby naming ceremony, she is determined to find the perfect name for her new brother or sister. Because although she realizes that her life is about to change, and while she's having some difficulty in coming to terms with having to share everything with the new baby – including Amma and Appa, her grandparents and her home – Sona Sharma wants to be the very best big sister she can be.
9781406398137
A Sliver of Moon and A Shard of Truth
More funny, clever trickster tales from India.
Prince Veera's great-uncle, Raja Apoorva, invites the prince and his best friend, Suku, to the summer festival in Peetalpur. Four stories packed with clever and amusing tricks and puzzles which will delight children from 6 to 8 - and well beyond.
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Sona Sharma - Looking After Planet Earth
When Sona learns about the climate crisis at school and is very worried that no one is doing enough to combat it, she takes up the challenge herself. When Sona learns that many of the kolams – the traditional art that people draw in front of their homes to celebrate the winter months and the festival season – are not organic, she sets out to make some big changes by getting everyone involved.
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Shubh Diwali!
Diwali has arrived! Rangoli art decorates the floor and strings of flowers hang around the doors. Now it's time to ring the bells, light the lamps, and welcome the new year with family and friends. A sweet introduction to the Hindu festival of lights.
9781913074623
Nikhil and Jay Save the Day
In these four interlinked stories about Nikhil and Jay and their family, there's always fun and mischief. Jay wants to do things by himself on his birthday, but sharing with Nikhil turns out to be more fun. They all go to visit Grandad and Nana, but where is the story dragon? Then it's Pancake Day, the day when Amma makes yummy dosa , Indian pancakes. And last but not least, Nikhil and Jay help to lead a campaign to save their local library from closing.
The Nikhil and Jay stories are perfect for children moving on from picture books to longer stories, helped by Soofiya's lively and characterful illustrations.
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Nikhil and Jay - The Star Birthday
In these four interlinked stories about Nikhil and Jay and their family, there's always fun and mischief. Grandad and Granny come to visit from India and show the boys that the best way to eat mangoes is in the bath! There's a Star Birthday for Nikhil, with a special Indian Feast. Another day the family all go for a banana picnic in the park. Everyone is sad when it's time for Granny and Grandad to go back to India, but Nikhil and Jay promise to send letters and pictures.
The Nikhil and Jay stories are perfect for children moving on from picture books to longer stories, helped by Soofiya's lively and characterful illustrations.
9781910328675
We All Celebrate!
We all celebrate birthdays and friendships, the onset of seasons, religious events and national holidays. Our celebrations are full of colour, specially prepared food and good cheer. We All Celebrate introduces some less mentioned celebrations from around the world to children, among those that are well known and bring good memories.
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A Jar of Pickles and a Pinch of Justice
These clever, funny trickster tales, full of humour and colour, are sure to delight.
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Sindhu and Jeet's Detective Agency
An exciting detective story from Chitra Soundar, author of over 50 children's books in the UK, India and the US.
Sindhu and Jeet are the best detectives in town: they solve all their cases with a dollop of observation, a dash of imagination and a whole load of legwork. And when they travel from India to England for a holiday, the detective work doesn't stop! This page-turning story is accompanied by black-and-white illustrations by Amberin Huq.
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A Dollop of Ghee and a Pot of Wisdom
Based on traditional Indian folktales, this book contains four stories about Prince Veera and his friend Suku. Tales about dung-dropping, sweet-stealing, luck-jinxing villains.
978-1-911373-29-2
You're Safe With Me
When the moon rises high and the stars twinkle, it is bedtime for the baby animals of the Indian forest. But tonight, when the skies turn dark and the night grows stormy, the little ones can’t sleep. SWISH-SWISH! CRACK-TRACK! FLASH-SNAP! goes the storm. Only Mama Elephant with her words of wisdom can reassure them. “You’re safe with me.”
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You're Snug With Me
At the start of winter, two bear cubs are born, deep in their den in the frozen north. "Mama, what lies beyond here?" they ask. "'Above us is a land of ice and snow." "What lies beyond the ice and snow?" they ask. "The ocean, full of ice from long ago." And as they learn the secrets of the earth and their place in it, Mama Bear whispers, "You're snug with me."
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You're Strong With Me
The rain clouds are long gone and the dry season scorches the land. Everything is new for the baby giraffe. As she bounds ahead and lags behind, her mother patiently explains the ways of the grasslands. And until she grows a little taller, older, and wiser, her mother reminds her: "You're strong with me." From the makers of You're Safe With Me and the Kirkus Best Picture Book of the Year You're Snug With Me.
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Pattan's Pumpkin
An exciting, vibrantly illustrated Flood Story from India. Pattan has an amazing pumpkin… it grows BIGGER than the goats, BIGGER than the elephants, until it is as TALL as the mountains. Can Pattan’s pumpkin save his family and all the animals?
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Manju's Magic Wishes
Manju wants to get a present for her Mum's birthday but Cumin her cat isn't sure about the toy elephant or robot. So when they find Grandma's magic lamp, Manju is granted seven wishes to find the best present. But each wish starts to go wrong and soon the house is filled with a rock band, aliens and pirates! Can Manju and Cumin wish for the perfect gift?
This magically humorous tale from storyteller Chitra Soundar is perfect for children who are learning to read by themselves and for Key Stage 1. It features engaging illustrations from Verónica Montoya and quirky characters young readers will find hard to resist.
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Tiger Troubles
All Sloth Bear wants to do is play with Porcupine but it's nap time in the jungle and all the other animals are sleeping. So she throws a guava at Porcupine's tree to wake him up and SPLAT! THUD! BUMP! Little Tiger gets woken up too! And Little Tiger is rather hungry...
This funny story set in the Indian jungle from storyteller Chitra Soundar is perfect for children who are learning to read by themselves and for Key Stage 1. It features illustrations from Hannah Marks and appealing characters young readers will find hard to resist.
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Manju's Magic Muddle
A funny, magical story, ideal for children practising reading at home or in school.
Manju's stuck at home and she is BORED. Looking for entertainment, she summons the genie. When he turns up with a terrible cold, the genie can't hear any of Manju's wishes properly and his magic is even more strange than usual. Can Manju help him sort out the muddle?
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Kina and the Kite Seller
Kina, the camel is travelling through the desert with Rana, the kite seller. Can Kina teach Rana how to have good manners and be kind to others? Or will Rana continue to be mean and selfish? Find out in this playscript set in the Arabian desert.
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The Salt Maker
Kathir lives with his grandmother by the sea where he harvests salt to sell at the market. But one day, Kathir's donkey, Gobi, decides it's too hot to carry the heavy load to the market. What can Kathir do to persuade Gobi to continue with this important task? Find out in this charming tale set in India.
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Farmer Falgu Goes to the Kumbh Mela
Farmer Falgu is headed to the Kumbh Mela in the vibrant city of Allahabad. There are a lot of things to see at the Mela, his friends remind him. But does Farmer Falgu manage to see them all?
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Farmer Falgu Goes to the Market
Farmer Falgu has a plan. But as usual, it's a plan that's turned topsy-turvy by the madness that surrounds him. But then, Farmer Falgu can usually find his way out of any mess! Chitra Soundar's energetic tale radiates with adventure and madness, whil
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Farmer Falgu Goes on a Trip
Farmer Falgu has had enough of his noisy farm! He needs a break and he’s off on a holiday. Craving some quiet, he gets on his cart and goes looking for silence. He meets some interesting characters on his way who teach him the value of joyous noise.
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Farmer Falgu Goes Kite Flying
Farmer Falgu’s trips never go smoothly. In this third book of the series, he is on his way to the annual kite-flying festival with his daughter, Ella. But…. Whoosh! She loses her kite to the strong wind.
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The Extraordinary Life of Mahatma Gandhi
From growing up in India and studying in London to becoming a political activist in South Africa and taking on the battle for independence in India, Mahatma Gandhi's legacy has lived on well beyond his years.
Read the life story of this brilliant, strong-willed and influential man in this beautifully illustrated book, complete with real-life stories, timelines and facts.
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Change (Two Sides II)
Anu has to deal with Hannah's insults every day at school. When Hannah insults her grandad in his shop, will Anu let it go? Or will she stand up to her bully for a change? Hannah seems to enjoy taunting Anu. But when Hannah slips and falls right outside the shop, she is faced with unexpected kindness. Will that change her mind about Anu? Following on from a hugely successful first series, Two Sides II is comprised of books with two first person narratives which run parallel to each other along a carefully structured timeline. One 'bystander' narrative presents a narrow perspective of the main character, usually coming from a place of ignorance or prejudice. The other narrative is voiced by the main character, revealing the broader reality of their situation and what it's really like to be in their shoes.