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Archives: Books

1984 & Animal Farm

Two world-changing novels. One visionary author. The warnings that refuse to stay fiction.

In 1984, George Orwell’s chilling dystopian vision comes to life. Set in an imagined future, society is controlled by a totalitarian regime where ‘Big Brother’ is always watching.

While most people have surrendered to the new reality, Winston is struggling. Haunted by his fragmented memories, he remembers a world where the truth wasn’t doctored, and your thoughts were your own.

As Winston seeks pleasure through small acts of rebellion, the ever-looming threat of the Thought Police grows stronger. But everything changes when Winston comes across ‘The Brotherhood’, a revolutionary secret organization that is conspiring to overthrow the government…

~

Animal Farm delivers Orwell’s searing political satire of the Russian Revolution. The oppressed animals of Manor Farm overthrow their cruel master, Mr Jones, in a bid to establish a just and equal society.

But as the days progress, the naïve animals find themselves in the throes of a treacherous conspiracy that threatens to destroy everything they’ve worked for.

George Orwell didn’t just write books—he wrote prophecies. Decades after publication, 1984 and Animal Farm remain startlingly, disturbingly relevant. Together, they form the most powerful indictment of totalitarianism ever written.

Chilling visions of surveillance, propaganda, and the death of objective truth.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

“The elastic heart of youth cannot be compressed into one constrained shape long at a time.”

From tricking his friends into painting a fence (for fun!) to crashing his own funeral, Tom is never up to any good, much to Aunt Polly’s regret. He skips school to chase adventures and doesn’t like rules at all.

But a spooky night at a graveyard catapults him and his best friend Huck into a world a little more darker, a little less innocent.

Mark Twain transports us to a time of steamboats and straw hats, as Tom and his band of followers run past barefoot, plotting daring escapades and wrestling with pangs of conscience. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is the enduring tale of learning to distinguish right from wrong in a fast-changing 19th century American town.
Suddenly, growing up isn’t just about pranks anymore.

The Jungle Book

Enter a world where the jungle is alive with wonder, danger, and unforgettable friendships.

Little Mowgli shows up in tatters at the jungle, found by a wolf pack. Raised by the pack, he is no ordinary boy; he can climb trees like a monkey and even outrun a tiger. Adopted by the wolf-pack, he slowly grows up away from the world of humans. Along the way he makes lifelong friends: Baloo the brown bear and Bagheera the wise panther who help him learn the laws of the jungle. But the jungle can be a dangerous place. Together the trio face unforeseen dangers and find themselves caught up in exciting adventures; until Mowgli finally comes face-to-face with Shere Khan, the tiger, and the Bandar-Log. Mowgli’s world is full of joy and thrills, with fascinating creatures and the enchanting forest; a transportive and enjoyable read for everyone!
Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale is a transportive journey into a world of:

  • Breathtaking adventure that keeps readers on the edge of their seats
  • Timeless wisdom about courage, loyalty, and finding where you belong
  • Unforgettable characters who feel like family
  • A magical setting where every leaf whispers secrets and every creature has a story

Perfect for readers of all ages, The Jungle Book is more than a story—it’s an experience that stays with you long after the final page.
Discover why generations have fallen in love with the boy who ran with wolves.

We Are the Champions: 40 Iconic Moments in Indian Sports | Inspiring Stories from Cricket, Olympics & Beyond | Biographies of India’s Legendary Athletes | Ages 13+

‘We needed such a book to document some of our greatest sporting moments’—Kapil Dev

From India’s first Olympic hockey gold in 1948 to Kapil Dev’s World Cup triumph in 1983, from Mary Kom’s world titles to Neeraj Chopra’s javelin glory, this book brings to life the victories that put India on the global sporting map.

Celebrate the athletes who changed the game—icons like Sunil Gavaskar, Mithali Raj and Pankaj Advani, as
well as barrier-breakers like Avani Lekhara and Sumit Antil. Their courage, sacrifice and will to win lit the path for today’s generation of sporting stars.

Packed with inspiring stories, dramatic comebacks and edge-of-the-seat finishes, We Are the Champions
is more than a collection of great victories—it is the story of how India learned to dream big and turn
those dreams into glorious reality!

Gods, Guns & Missionaries

When European missionaries first arrived in India in the sixteenth century, they entered a world both fascinating and bewildering. Hinduism, as they saw it, was a pagan mess: the worship of devils and monsters by a people who burned women alive, performed outlandish rites and fed children to crocodiles. But soon it became clear that Hindu ‘idolatry’ was far more complex than white men’s stereotypes allowed, and Hindus had little desire to convert.

But then, European power began to grow in India, and under colonial rule, missionaries assumed a forbidding appearance. During the British Raj, Western frames of thinking gained ascendancy and Hindus felt pressed to reimagine their religion. This was both to fortify it against Christian attacks and to resist foreign rule. It is this encounter which has, in good measure, inspired modern Hinduism’s present shape. Indeed, Hindus subverted some of the missionaries’ own tools and strategies in the process, triggering the birth of Hindu nationalism, now so dominant in the country.

In Gods, Guns and Missionaries, Manu S. Pillai takes us through these remarkable dynamics. With an arresting cast of characters—maharajahs, poets, gun-wielding revolutionaries, politicians, polemicists, philosophers and clergymen—this book is ambitious in its scope and provocative in its position. Lucid and exhaustive, it is, at once, a political history, a review of Hindu culture and a study of the social forces that prepared the ground for Hindu nationalism. Turning away from simplistic ideas on religious evolution and European imperialism, the past as it appears here is more complicated—and infinitely richer—than popular narratives allow.

City Limits

Part of the acclaimed Rethinking India series, the volume deals with the issue of unplanned and unchecked urbanization in Indian cities that has worsened the quality of life and widened the socio-economic divide. Through essays by some of our leading experts in policymaking and urban development, this book addresses the major problems and offers necessary solutions—serving as a guidebook on how to build sustainable and inclusive cities.

Get Hooked to Pets (Hook Books)

Celebrate the joy that animals bring to our lives!

Hey Diddle Diddle! by Anushka Ravishankar
Illustrations by Priya Kuriyan

A horse may be able to jump over the moon. Can a cow do it? Hey diddle diddle.

I Want a Pet by Arundhati Venkatesh
Illustrations by Reshu Singh

Jasbir has always wanted a pet, not a sibling. Then one day, a buffalo walks into his life and does not want to leave …

Puppy Trouble by Bijal Vachharajani
Illustrations by Rajiv Eipe

Amit wants a puppy. But when a pokey-bitey-chewy-peeing pup turns up, he is not sure he wants a dog any more …

Passepartout, Is That You? by Menaka Raman
Illustrations by Jemma Jose

Thatha has asked Shyam to keep an eye on Passepartout, a rescued tortoise. But now Passepartout has disappeared. Where can Shyam and Kannamma find him?

About the Hook Book Series

In a world where children’s books often feel cut from the same cloth, Hook Books stand out as a vibrant blend of imagination, humour, and heart. Crafted as a bridge between picture books and early chapter books, this series delivers stories that spark joy and wonder, while remaining rooted in age-appropriate learning.

Hook Books keep the fun going with:

  • Short, digestible bits of text (perfect for budding readers)
  • Bright colour illustrations that pull kids into the story
  • Themes that speak to the everyday lives of children—plus a sprinkle of whimsy!

From fantasy tales to those that touch on more advanced ideas, Hook Books ensure that young readers are always in for a treat, no matter their reading level. Even better, these books take children on journeys through different parts of India, giving them a taste of the rich diversity of our world through local flavours, landscapes, and cultures. Whether the story takes place in bustling cities or quiet villages, Hook Books make every setting feel like home.

Tan Ki Haar / तन की हार

‘कैलाश तुम्हारी पत्नी है। तुम्हारा कर्तव्य उसके लिए भी होना चाहिए। प्रत्येक संबंध अपनी जगह पर स्थिर रहना चाहिए। प्रत्येक संबंध को प्यार, स्नेह और सहृदयता दीजिए, जिसका यह अभिलाषी है। विवाहित जीवन में तुम्हें बदलना भी पड़ेगा। तुम्हारी ख़ुशी उसकी ख़ुशी है। उसकी ख़ुशी तुम्हारी ख़ुशी है और यही जीवन है।’

A WhOle Lot of Petu Pumpkin (hOle Books)

Join the merry adventures of the Awesome Foursome as they try to stop their friend Petu Pumpkin from polishing off their tiffins and worse, heading towards a life of crime—and helping him lose a tooth (mainly to trade it for a football and win the big match).

The well-loved award-winning books are now in one hilarious package, with a special note by the author for this edition.

A WhOle Lot of Chumki (hOle Books)

Chumki is brave and gutsy and faces all challenges with gusto (and some self-doubt), whether it is saving a pangolin, looking out for some runaway elephants, helping her grandmother who forgets everything, or dealing with people who think she is unlucky.

These funny adventure books are now in one delightful package, with a special note by the author for this edition.

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