Access India with Mrs Teirney - Recommended Reading - young adult fiction titles set in India or dealing with Indian issues

Ogilvie: English: Sunitra: Literature: Recommended Reading

Sunitra's India

Explore fiction texts which describe and discuss situations in India you can relate to.

Please choose a book about India or set in India to read and share with us. If the book you choose does not appear on the list below, please fill in the recommend-a-book form or e-mail me so I can add it.

Thank you to those helpful people who have sent in suggestions for reading about INDIA. More books and authors they have suggested are listed here.

Author Title Summarise plot and/or theme.

Kamala Markandaya Nectar in a Sieve This guide explains various Indian cultural practices and other information necessary for a full understanding of the story. Click on this hyperlink below to see the whole page: http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-3740.html?mail-08-04

Frances Mary Hendry Chandra Chandra, a child bride, is excited about her arranged marriage. It is not long, however, before she finds herself mistreated, isolated and ostracized without an identity.

Suzanne Fisher Staples Shiva’s Fire Born during the worst storm ever seen by her small village in India, Parvati is both blessed and cursed by mysterious powers that confound her people.
Weston, Christine Bhimsa, the Dancing Bear Gopala, his dancing bear Bhimsa, and their friend David wander across India finding adventure.
Kipling, Rudyard Kim Since his father's death, the orphan Kim O’Hara, has grown up in the streets of India. Soon, he becomes a spy for the British army and risks his life to put down a rebellion.

Rudyard Kipling The Jungle Book I just finished reading The Jungle Book by Kipling out loud to my seventh graders. We loved it! Kipling's language is rich and his themes are powerful.

Ann Walsh Shabash In this novel, a Sikh boy and his community suffer discrimination when he tries to be part of the local hockey team. It is a short, easy and interesting read.

Gloria Whelan Homeless Bird "What if I don't like him?" "Of course you will like him." "But what if I don't?" Maa impatiently slapped at a fly. "Then you must learn to like him." In India, thirteen-year old Koly marries and discovers that her new in-laws have not told her the truth. How will she survive such an unfair fate?

Indi Rana The Roller Birds of Rampur Human relationships to the land, the colonial past, and current social conditions are explored in this novel. The story of Sheila's return from England to her family home in India to find herself, the book offers a tantalizing glimpse into the culture of India, its foods, caste system, politics, and even language. The book has a glossary at the end which includes slang and Hindi words. The Roller Birds of Rampur explores the meaning of the Hindu worldview as Sheila struggles to establish her identity. Not only family relations but questions of religion and politics and history are considered.
Jeannine Atkins Aani and the tree huggers Based on true events in India in the 1970s, young Aani and the other women in her village defend their forest from developers by wrapping their arms around the trees, making it impossible to cut them down.
Aimee Sommerfelt Road to Agra Because his little sister, Maya, is going blind, thirteen-year-old Lalu takes her on foot to Agra to doctors who might cure her. Along the way, he meets jackals, criminals, snakes, police, and other dangers.

Regina Suritsch Mukti the Lion Finds Himself This well-written children's story is based on a parable in the ancient Indian scriptures, the Vedas. Both the story and the colourful illustrations should appeal to all young children. There is also the deeper meaning to discover for those who have ever felt 'different', or wondered about the purpose of life and who they really are.

Thank you to those who have sent in suggestions for reading about INDIA. Follow this link to find more suggested authors or major works.

Unit created by: Mrs R Teirney

This site was developed in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Teacher In-Country Fellowships to Asia program of the Asia Education Foundation. Email Tasmanian State Advisor: Jan.Kiernan@education.tas.gov.au

Site construction begun: 20 September 2001 Last updated: 5 September 2002

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Enjoy your reading about India!

If you know of other young adult fiction books relevant to India we could add, your recommendation would be appreciated.

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What kinds of books do you like?

Any other comments?

Author	Title	Summarise plot and/or theme.
Kamala Markandaya	Nectar in a Sieve	This guide explains various Indian cultural practices and other information necessary for a full understanding of the story. Click on this hyperlink below to see the whole page: http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-3740.html?mail-08-04
Frances Mary Hendry	Chandra	Chandra, a child bride, is excited about her arranged marriage. It is not long, however, before she finds herself mistreated, isolated and ostracized without an identity.
Suzanne Fisher Staples	Shiva’s Fire	Born during the worst storm ever seen by her small village in India, Parvati is both blessed and cursed by mysterious powers that confound her people.
Weston, Christine	Bhimsa, the Dancing Bear	Gopala, his dancing bear Bhimsa, and their friend David wander across India finding adventure.
Kipling, Rudyard	Kim	Since his father's death, the orphan Kim O’Hara, has grown up in the streets of India. Soon, he becomes a spy for the British army and risks his life to put down a rebellion.
Rudyard Kipling	The Jungle Book	I just finished reading The Jungle Book by Kipling out loud to my seventh graders. We loved it! Kipling's language is rich and his themes are powerful.
Ann Walsh	Shabash	In this novel, a Sikh boy and his community suffer discrimination when he tries to be part of the local hockey team. It is a short, easy and interesting read.
Gloria Whelan	Homeless Bird	"What if I don't like him?" "Of course you will like him." "But what if I don't?" Maa impatiently slapped at a fly. "Then you must learn to like him." In India, thirteen-year old Koly marries and discovers that her new in-laws have not told her the truth. How will she survive such an unfair fate?
Indi Rana	The Roller Birds of Rampur	Human relationships to the land, the colonial past, and current social conditions are explored in this novel. The story of Sheila's return from England to her family home in India to find herself, the book offers a tantalizing glimpse into the culture of India, its foods, caste system, politics, and even language. The book has a glossary at the end which includes slang and Hindi words. The Roller Birds of Rampur explores the meaning of the Hindu worldview as Sheila struggles to establish her identity. Not only family relations but questions of religion and politics and history are considered.
Jeannine Atkins	Aani and the tree huggers	Based on true events in India in the 1970s, young Aani and the other women in her village defend their forest from developers by wrapping their arms around the trees, making it impossible to cut them down.
Aimee Sommerfelt	Road to Agra	Because his little sister, Maya, is going blind, thirteen-year-old Lalu takes her on foot to Agra to doctors who might cure her. Along the way, he meets jackals, criminals, snakes, police, and other dangers.
Regina Suritsch	Mukti the Lion Finds Himself	This well-written children's story is based on a parable in the ancient Indian scriptures, the Vedas. Both the story and the colourful illustrations should appeal to all young children. There is also the deeper meaning to discover for those who have ever felt 'different', or wondered about the purpose of life and who they really are.