Children's books about music and the arts
25 hand-picked books from the Bookbear catalogue tagged “music and arts”, with Indian authors first. Each one has an age range, a short description, a heads-up on any sensitive topics and a link to buy in India.
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Sivagamiyin Sabatham: Young Readers Edition
by Kalki Krishnamurthy (adapted)
Ages 10–13Indian author
Kalki's Pallava kingdom epic — war, Bharatanatyam, sculpture, and romance — adapted for young readers. One of Tamil literature's most beloved historical novels.
Heads-up: War & battle violence, Teen crushes & romance
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Master of the 7 Swars
by Pratyush Gupta
Ages 5–10Indian author
A crow named Kaga dreams of singing like the legendary Tansen, and flies off on an adventure through the seven swaras of Hindustani music. A striking pop-up book (from the Swarpeti project) with shadow-play pages and a companion music app. Publishing Next Children's Book of the Year.
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Seven Swaras: My First Book of Carnatic Music
by Aparna Kaushik
Ages 2–6Indian author
A bright, gentle first introduction to the seven swaras of Carnatic music for toddlers and preschoolers, with colourful illustrations and simple explanations of why learning music is fun.
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Ta Ka Dhi Mi 2358
by Shyama Panikkar & Radhika Tipnis
Ages 6–10Indian author
Rhythm meets maths: a playful picture book that connects the rhythmic syllables of Indian music (ta-ka-dhi-mi) with the Fibonacci sequence, by music educator Shyama Panikkar.
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Malhar in the Middle
by Shruthi Rao
Ages 7–9Indian author
Malhar wants to be a famous tabla player — but why do tabla players always sit at the side of the stage? A funny early chapter book about ambition, music and wanting to be centre stage.
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Zakir and His Tabla: Dha Dhin Na
by Sandhya Rao
Ages 5–10Indian author
From the rhythms his father Ustad Alla Rakha played to him as a newborn to taking the tabla to the world, this joyful picture-book biography follows Zakir Hussain's life in beats and vignettes. Illustrated by Priya Kuriyan.
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Thakitta Tharikitta Bouncing Ball
by Jacob Samson Muttada
Ages 3–6Indian author
Abu's big red ball bounces to the beat of dance syllables — thakitta tharikitta! A rhythmic read-aloud that brings the sounds of Indian dance to little ones. Illustrated by Ashok Rajagopalan.
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She Sang for India: How M.S. Subbulakshmi Used Her Voice for Change
by Suma Subramaniam
Ages 4–8Indian author
A picture-book biography of M.S. Subbulakshmi, who loved to sing at a time when girls weren't allowed to perform in public — and grew up to become a legendary Carnatic singer who used her voice for India's freedom and for peace. Illustrated by Shreya Gupta.
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The Girl Who Loved to Sing: Teejan Bai
Ages 5–8Indian author
Before Teejan Bai became a world-famous Pandavani singer, she was a little girl who had to fight poverty and tradition for the freedom to sing. A warmly illustrated short biography from the Dreamers series.
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The Musical Donkey (Paadum Kazhuthai)
by Niveditha Subramaniam
Ages 2–5Indian author
A donkey who loves to sing — even if nobody else loves hearing him! A cheerful, funny board-style picture book for the youngest readers, available in bilingual editions including English–Tamil (Paadum Kazhuthai).
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Dancing in Thatha's Footsteps
Ages 4–6Indian author✈️ Import only (pricey)
Varun peeks into his sister's Bharatanatyam class and discovers he loves dance too — with their grandfather cheering him on. South Asia Book Award winner.
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The Boy with the Dancing Bells: The Story of Akram Khan
by Samira Ahmed (illus. Humayra Kabir)
Ages 5–9✈️ Import only (pricey)
The story of Akram Khan, the British-Bangladeshi dancer who grew up dancing kathak and went on to create his own style. A picture-book biography about a boy who followed his love of dance.
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The Dot
by Peter H. Reynolds
Ages 4–7
Vashti believes she can't draw — until her teacher asks her to 'make a mark and see where it takes you.' A perfect book about creativity, courage, and the art inside all of us.
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Beautiful Oops!
by Barney Saltzberg
Ages 3–6
Every smudge, torn page, and accident is a chance to make something beautiful. A tactile, hands-on book that turns art anxiety into pure creative joy.
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Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos
by Monica Brown
Ages 5–8
The great Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is celebrated through the animals she loved and painted — spider monkeys, a deer, a black cat — that fed her extraordinary imagination.
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Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
by Javaka Steptoe
Ages 6–9
Jean-Michel Basquiat painted the streets of New York and became one of the 20th century's most celebrated artists. A Caldecott Medal-winning picture book biography.
Heads-up: Mental illness
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Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane
by Carole Boston Weatherford
Ages 5–9
Before John Coltrane became a jazz legend, he was a boy who listened — to church choirs, to radios, to the South Carolina world around him. A lyrical, profound tribute.
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The Trumpet of the Swan
by E.B. White
Ages 8–12
Louis is a trumpeter swan born without a voice. He learns to play a brass trumpet to speak for himself and win the love of his life. A tender and funny E.B. White classic.
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Ode to an Onion: Pablo Neruda and His Muse
by Alexandria Giardino
Ages 5–8
The story of how the great Chilean poet Pablo Neruda found his muse in Matilde and in the everyday world around him. Gorgeous illustration and lyrical text.
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The Paper Crane
by Molly Bang
Ages 4–7
A poor restaurant owner shows kindness to a stranger who leaves behind a paper crane that, when clapped, comes to life and dances. A hauntingly beautiful story.
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Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin
by Chieri Uegaki
Ages 4–7📱 eBook only in India
Hana's grandfather played violin in Japan; now she wants to honour him by performing at the school talent show — even though she has only just begun.
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The Crane Wife
by Odds Bodkin (retelling)
Ages 6–9
A wounded crane repays a fisherman's kindness by weaving magnificent cloth — but only if he never watches. A haunting Japanese folk tale about love, trust, and sacrifice.
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El principito / The Little Prince
by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Ages 8–12
The pilot who crashes in the Sahara meets a small prince who has visited many planets. One of the most translated books in history — a meditation on love, loneliness, and what matters.
Heads-up: Death & grief
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The First Rule of Punk
by Celia C. Pérez
Ages 9–12
When Malú starts a new school, she channels her love of punk rock and her Mexican American heritage into a zine and a band, defying everyone's expectations of who she should be.
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The Girl Who Played With Colour
by Samira Ahmed (illus. Humayra Kabir)
Ages 5–9✈️ Import only (pricey)
When young Rana moves to London from a small village in Bangladesh, she has no way to talk to those around her except through her colouring pencils. The true story of how artist Rana Begum found her voice through drawing. From the Deshis Create series.
