The 10 Best Books About Indian Mythology for Kids

Written by Alan Lemus
Published: December 14, 2022
© Photographielove/Shutterstock.com

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Indian mythology books are a collection of myths and literature associated with the Hindu religion and culture. The books are written in Hindu texts, just like Hindu religious literature, Vedic literature, and epics.

Indian mythology influences the political, social, religious, and cultural life of the Indian community. Myths are believed to be sacred tales that explain the world’s origin and man’s encounters.

Myths were relevant to the ancients just as they are today. They helped answer endless questions in each generation. Renowned Indian mythology authors like Devdutt Pattanaik and Ashwin Sanghi help dispel religion and cultural beliefs. 

Indian mythology, also referred to as Hindu mythology, gives context into the world, literature, and beliefs of the Hindu religion.

There is no better way for kids to learn about Indian mythology than from books.

As a parent or a caregiver, you desire that kids will learn moral values from an early age before they reach their teenage years. 

Myths are an excellent way for kids to learn what is right or wrong and stick with it till adulthood. 

Today, we discover the ten best books that have proved effective in teaching Indian mythology to kids.

  1. We Come from the Geese: 1 (Santal Creation Stories)
    • 32 pages.
    • Recommended for children ages 5 and older.
    • Covers the oral stories of the Santal people.
    Check Amazon
  2. The Secret God in the Forest [Paperback]
    • A story about a girl's grandmother teaching her about gods of different cultures and communities.
    • Available in multiple languages.
    • An educational children's book.
    Check Amazon
  3. Creation
    • 24 pages.
    • A narrative about time and its cyclical nature.
    • Written by Bhajju Shyam, who is considered one of the foremost Gond tribal artists in India.
    Check Amazon
  4. In Bon Bibi's Forest (English)
    • 28 pages.
    • Revisits ancient Indian stories that were passed down through generations.
    • Easy to understand and follow.
    Check Amazon
  5. Ten Heads for Tanuj
    • 56 pages.
    • A funny children's story about a boy growing ten heads, like the Hindu god, Ravana.
    • Written by a poet and children's book author, Priya Narayanan.
    Check Amazon
  6. Hanuman's Adventures in the Nether World
    • Showcases the characters of Ramayana through their interactions with the monkey warrior Hanuman.
    • Teaches readers to be trustworthy and to make sacrifices for friends and family.
    Check Amazon
  7. Shiva Loves to Dance
    • A children's book that looks at the Hindu Lord of Dance, Shiva.
    • Makes relatable the Hindu figures showcased.
    • Beautiful illustrations.
    Check Amazon
  8. HA...HA...HASYA!
    • 96 pages.
    • A humorous story about reversing the feud between the Devas and the Asuras, Hindu gods and demons forever at war.
    Check Amazon
  9. Aru Shah & The End Of Time
    • Recommended for readers ages 8 through 12.
    • A heart-stirring tale about a girl who frees an ancient demon, and the girl's journey to stop it.
    • Part of a series of books about the protagonist, Aru Shah.
    Check Amazon
  10. Ganesha's Sweet Tooth
    • 40 pages.
    • Recommended for children ages 2 through 5.
    • An easy-to-follow story about Ganesha, which conceptualizes the Hindu god as a child.
    Check Amazon

We Come from the Geese: 1 (Santal Creation Stories) (February 2013)

We Come from the Geese: 1 (Santal Creation Stories)
  • 32 pages.
  • Recommended for children ages 5 and older.
  • Covers the oral stories of the Santal people.
Check Amazon

We Come from the Geese is one of the oral stories written to rescue the history of the Santal people. Ruby Hembrom, a co-founder of the indigenous stories platform and a learning and development professional, wrote the book in a bid to preserve the Santal people’s oral stories. Boski Jain did the book’s illustrations.

The book relives to Santal children how they were born from a pair of geese. 

The author uses Santal land’s history as the community’s creation story. The story has been passed from generation to generation; hence the children understand their origin, preserve it and share it with the next age.

The 32-page children’s book is available on Kindle, in paperback, and as an audiobook. The paperback version has a seven-day replacement policy.

The Secret God in the Forest (January 2017)

The Secret God in the Forest [Paperback]
  • A story about a girl's grandmother teaching her about gods of different cultures and communities.
  • Available in multiple languages.
  • An educational children's book.
Check Amazon

The Secret God in the Forest incorporates the atmosphere of a traditional tale. The book was written by Anuradha Kumar, illustrated by Piyush Verma, and published by Tulika Publishers.

The book is the story of Pria, who wonders why the Jagannatha and Balabhadra gods differ from other gods during the Ratha Jatra Festival.

Pria’s grandmother narrates to her the story of the Neel Madhaba community. The story helps children to learn about the secret God of the Sabaras.

This amazing book by Tulika Publishers will help children to understand how myths have helped the community preserve its distinctive culture.

The book is available in different languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, and Marathi.

The book is available only in paperback for everyday orders and free delivery for eligible orders.

Creation (April 2015)

Creation
  • 24 pages.
  • A narrative about time and its cyclical nature.
  • Written by Bhajju Shyam, who is considered one of the foremost Gond tribal artists in India.
Check Amazon

Bhajju Shyman, the author of Creation, is an award-winning Indian artist. In the book, he reflects on his cultural experiences in London. He gathers together ten original myths and beliefs from Gond folklore.

The author uses Gond illustrations that children can easily understand. 

This fantastic book combines creation myths from the Gond tribe about the world’s origin. Bhajju Shyam, in his book, uses Gond illustrations that children can easily understand.

The author gathers the tales beginning with a fish waiting to be born, the beginning of art, and the necessity of death. 

The author uses cosmic linkages to express the importance of each myth in the ten sequential images. In addition, the author’s visual narrative style makes it easier for children to understand the cyclical time theory.

The 24-page book is written in English and available only in paperback.

In Bon Bibi’s Forest (January 2016)

In Bon Bibi's Forest (English)
  • 28 pages.
  • Revisits ancient Indian stories that were passed down through generations.
  • Easy to understand and follow.
Check Amazon

This is one of the Indian books that seek to revisit ancient stories passed to the younger generation. Sandhya Rao and the illustrator Protiti Roy traveled to places far away from their native India to acquire a different view of their culture.

The author, Sandhya Rao, explains how a mother attacked the Sundarban communities with sharp teeth and pointed nails. 

The terrorism ended when Bon Bibi, a protector of forests, questioned the monster. The story uses dramatic and detailed illustrations, which evoke the difference between Hindus and Muslims in children. 

The story teaches children the importance of living in harmony with nature and the daily challenges of the Sundarbans. 

The book’s illustrator, Proiti Roy, did an amazing job providing clear and beautiful illustrations to help children follow the story easily.

The 28-page book is available in both Kindle and paperback.

Ten Heads for Tanuj (October 2018)

Ten Heads for Tanuj
  • 56 pages.
  • A funny children's story about a boy growing ten heads, like the Hindu god, Ravana.
  • Written by a poet and children's book author, Priya Narayanan.
Check Amazon

Priya Narayanan, an India-based poet and children’s literature author, wrote this entertaining book. She travels solo and conjures stories over coffee and chocolate-chip ice cream. The author and her illustrator, Shamika Caves, use the book to give a glimpse into India’s traditions and culture.

The intriguing and engaging story gives readers a glimpse of India’s culture and tradition. 

The author, Priya Narayanan, uses a beautiful illustration of a nine-year-old Tanuj fascinated by the Asura king with ten heads. 

Tanuj wakes up the next morning with nine more heads and has to figure out how to navigate with them. 

The book will help engage the children’s minds on how they would behave if they were Tanuj. In addition, it will help them make good decisions when faced with adverse situations.

Hanuman’s Adventures in The Nether World (2005)

Hanuman's Adventures in the Nether World
  • Showcases the characters of Ramayana through their interactions with the monkey warrior Hanuman.
  • Teaches readers to be trustworthy and to make sacrifices for friends and family.
Check Amazon

The myth in the book is retold by the author, Madhavi S. Mahadevan, using cute, child-friendly illustrations. The Bangalore-based author is an editor and publisher of two short-story collections for adults and two books for children.

The book helps the reader understand the lesser-known characters of the Ramayana through their encounters with the monkey warrior Hanuman.

The book involves testing the royalty of Hanuman, one of the most beloved gods in the Hindu pantheon. Hanuman had to journey to rescue the Princes Rama and Lakshmana, who a magician kidnapped.

The book helps teach the children about being trustworthy and always willing to take risks for their family and friends.

The 40-page book is suitable for children aged seven years and above. This picture book on Indian mythology was published by Katha and reviewed by Rama Bishnoi.

The book is available both on Kindle and in paperback.

Shiva Loves to Dance (March 2017)

Shiva Loves to Dance
  • A children's book that looks at the Hindu Lord of Dance, Shiva.
  • Makes relatable the Hindu figures showcased.
  • Beautiful illustrations.
Check Amazon

The Lord of Dance, Shiva, represents religion, art, and science combined. Shiva represents the apocalypse and Creation in the Hindu religion.

Anita Raina-Thapan, the author, uses the story to portray the good side of Shiva.

In the picture book, little Gittoo learns how Lord Shiva dances until the happy worlds come into existence. The illustrations and color schemes in the book are beautiful, and kids can easily relate to the book’s characters.

The story, which teaches children to develop a positive mindset in life, also shows them that losing oneself in art, music, or dance is okay.

The book is available both on Kindle and in paperback.

Ha…Ha…Hasya! (English) (July 2019)

HA...HA...HASYA!
  • 96 pages.
  • A humorous story about reversing the feud between the Devas and the Asuras, Hindu gods and demons forever at war.
Check Amazon

The author, Ashok Rajagopalan, is a writer and illustrator of children’s books. His core purpose in life is to make people happy through evocative illustrations in picture books.

The author seeks to reverse the original relationship between the Devas and the Asuras. 

The two communities have, for a long time, been involved in fierce conflict. The author uses narration to resolve this conflict.

The book talks about a fellow teen god Hasya who shares his name with the king of Asuras. Due to his great frustration, he journeys to meet the Asura kingdom, but along with his divine espionage duties, he meets princess Shantaswaroopa. 

This story teaches kids that there is always a happy ending when something terrible happens to them. It is essential as they grow to be resilient and believe that better things come after the worst experiences.

The author, Ashok Rajagopalan, also turns around the enmity to prevent the kids from hating people of a certain family as they interact with them.

The 195-page book is available in audiobook and paperback.

Aru Shah & the End of Time (March 2018)

Aru Shah & The End Of Time
  • Recommended for readers ages 8 through 12.
  • A heart-stirring tale about a girl who frees an ancient demon, and the girl's journey to stop it.
  • Part of a series of books about the protagonist, Aru Shah.
Check Amazon

The book’s author, Roshani Chokshi, is a best-selling Indian mythology author of Indian mythology. He uses the book to explain the elements from the Hindu epic Mahabharata. 

The fantastic story involves a 12-year-old, Aru Shah, who awakens demons while trying to cover up her lies to her classmates. 

One day classmates dared her to prove that the museum’s Lamp of Bharata was closed. She quickly thinks of how to rescue herself and, in the process, lights the lamp. 

She unwittingly frees an ancient sleeping demon whose role is to awaken the God of destruction. They all get frozen, and Aru has to save them through the Pandava brothers, but she is in Spider-Man pajamas. 

The story teaches children the value of honesty and how it can lead to dire consequences when overlooked. It also helps kids build honest friendships and relationships with family and friends.

The book is available in paperback and Kindle. 

The 368-page book is recommended for children between nine and 12 years.

Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth (August 2015)

Ganesha's Sweet Tooth
  • 40 pages.
  • Recommended for children ages 2 through 5.
  • An easy-to-follow story about Ganesha, which conceptualizes the Hindu god as a child.
Check Amazon

Sanjay Patel, the book’s author, is an animator and a storyboard artist for Pixar Animation Studios. 

The fantastic tale by Sanjay Patel and Emily Haynes is about the beloved Lord Ganesha in the Hindu religion. 

The author narrates how Ganesha manages to break off his tusk while trying to bite a super jumbo jawbreaker Laddoo. 

The wise poet Vyasa tells him that whatever seems broken can be useful. So the book uses the bold and bright colors of India that leap off at the start of the picture book. 

The child-friendly book uses graphic illustrations and expressive characters; children can relate to the classic tale. In addition, the story teaches them that they should always ask for help.

The book is available in both Kindle and paperback. 

The 40-page book is suitable for children aged between two and five years of age.

Key Takeaways

Stories help sharpen children’s thinking capacity and stimulate curiosity. 

The author has extensively used visuals, illustrative drawings, art, and storytelling in this book, helping children learn about their culture, morality, and religion. 

Moral stories help build values and ethics among children as they grow. They promote respect, honesty, and love in the children’s character. 

The consequences portrayed in the vices help children to avoid slaying from the right ways and paths taught to them. Subconsciously, moral lessons from the stories connect kids with the real world at an early age.

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About the Author

Alan is a freelance writer and an avid traveler. He specializes in travel content. When he visits home he enjoys spending time with his family Rottie, Opie.

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