Anupam Arunachalam is a writer, illustrator, comics artist and science fiction/fantasy nerd. His work has been published by Penguin Random House India, Hachette India, Tinkle, Pratham Books, Forbes Life, Mint and Campfire Graphic Novels, among others.

Stories for the Reading Portal

• The Leaf and the Lump (A tale from Bihar)
• The Mouse's Share (A Warli tale)
• How People Lost Their Tails (A tale from Orissa)
• The Flying Elephant (A Bhil folktale)
• What Makes the Lightning? (A Khasi folktale)
• The Holding Machine

A children's book writer, classical dancer and teacher, Varsha Seshan is the author of numerous books for children aged two to fourteen. She facilitates book clubs and creative writing programmes for children, both online and offline. Some of her most popular works include Uncontrollable, Red Eyes, Dhara's Revolution and The Clockwala’s Clues.

Stories for the Reading Portal

• Nail Tree
• Making a Clone

C.G. Salamander is a writer, editor and comic journalist whose stories and books are part of various curricula and syllabuses. Some of his most popular works include Moodunnit, From Makaras to Manticores, Puu, Bounce, Frank Goes to the Market, the Nisha Small books, and the Maithili and the Minotaur graphic novel series. Salamander currently splits his time between Chennai and the Netherlands.

Stories for the Reading Portal

• Adi Goes Back to School
• Falling in Line
• Vivek's Basket
• Ryan's Wriggly Riddle
• The Last Tree
• A Cake for Nia
• Postcards from Priya
• The Prince and the Peanut
• The Three Bears and Goldilocks
• Little Red-Riding Hood

Rimi is a stray-carer, public health researcher, and an award-winning translator. She has translated literary and speculative fiction classics from Bangla to English, including Pather Panchali: The Song of the Road (original by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay) and The Adventures of Kakababu (original by Sunil Gangopadhyay).

Stories for the Reading Portal

• The Secret Picnic
• Siblings in a Pickle
• I Can Fly
  (Clubbed together and titled Excerpts from Pather Panchali in print)

Author Bio

A journalist and children’s author, Benita Sen has written several books, fiction and non-fiction for children and young people. Several of her stories have been included in English textbooks by leading publishers and some of her stories have earned recommendations internationally. She has authored a series of Value Education books, English and Social Science textbooks. Her stories find a place in compilations of well-known organizations like Association of Writers and Illustrators and National Foundation for Communal Harmony. Some of her most popular works include Yakity Yak, It’s Fair to Share, The Story of Food, Green Gardening: Ideas to potter around with, What Did Nepo Do with a Saree?, One Lonely Tiger and Rumble In the Snowy Mountains.

Stories for the Reading Portal

• Gnu Knew
• Mouse in the House
• What's That?
• Peter Pan (adaptation)
• The Secret Garden (adaptation)
• Gulliver's Travels (adaptation)

Malvika is an amateur illustrator and editor by profession. Her love for children’s literature began with bargaining for bedtime stories as a child. This is her first foray into writing those stories herself. Her first byline was for a Suppandi comic she scripted as an intern for Tinkle Magazine. She has also created art for pamphlets about child labour and the POCSO Act for the NGO, Vidhayak Bharti.

Stories for the Reading Portal

• Meteor Pulao
• Funny Feelings

Nandini Nayar is the award-winning author of over 70 books for children. What Shall I Make? was named an outstanding book by the USSBBY. Sometimes Mama, Sometimes Papa, and her early chapter book, Mini’s Questions, are on the Parag Honour List. For more information, please visit www.nandininayar.in.

Stories for the Reading Portal

• How Tara Made Things Grow
• Bringing Amma Home
• Chhotu’s Red Bucket

Rhea Lopez studied to be a wildlife biologist and conservationist and went on to work with local communities to understand human-nature relationships along rivers. She is particularly curious about the impact of development and climate change on river systems, and uses science, storytelling, and lots of maps to advocate for rivers in India. Rhea loves the smell of pine forests, the taste of mangrove leaves, and listening to strangers' stories.

Stories for the Reading Portal

• Cheep! Cheep!
• Busy Bees
• Meena Learns to Fish
• Jumbo’s Adventure
• Who Took Ira’s Goat?

Vatsala Joshi is an editor and writer. When not at her day job helping to make children’s textbooks, she can be found dreaming up stories or drawing Madhubani art. Her work has also been published by the Children’s Book Trust.

Stories for the Reading Portal

• Where is Venus?

An award-winning author and scriptwriter based in Mumbai, Vaishali Shroff loves writing about unexplored places, untold histories, unsung people, and unheard nonhumans. Her popular works include Taatung Tatung and Other Amazing Stories of India’s Diverse Languages (Penguin, 2023), Meera Mukherjee: Breaking Moulds (Art1st, 2023), Batata, Pao and All Things Portuguese (PPP, 2022), Sita’s Chitwan (Penguin, 2021), The Adventures of Padma and a Blue Dinosaur (Harper, 2018), Raindrops and Ari (Tulika, 2013, 2014) among many others. Winner of the AutHer Award 2023, The White Ravens 2023, Scholarships from SCBWI, USA (2020, 2023), Toka Box South Asian Honor Award, Best in Indian Children’s Writing Award (2018, 2019), Honourable Mention at the BK Awards 2023, among other recognitions, Shroff has been invited as a speaker to literature festivals across the country, including The British Society for the History of Science (BSHS). She loves speaking to children over adults, chai over coffee, and chocolate over anything else.

Stories for the Reading Portal

• The Haunted Wedding Clothes
• Remembering Amma

Priyadarshini Gogoi is an author and editor from Assam, India. She has written several books, some of which are Jokhu and the Big Scare, When We Are Home, Have You Ever Climbed a Tree? and When I Grow Up. She likes to read, make crafts, and laugh loudly. Several children have told her that she is cool.

Stories for the Reading Portal

• Tito's Toothless Smile
• Boys can/Girls can
• Standing out, fitting in
• Julia's book of Julia records
• Sisa's 'What If' Worries
• The Special All-India Dance
• On This Day...
• A Citizen who cares
• Prince Midas and the Mouth-Watering Menu
• Hamelin has a Piper Problem!
• Ronjoy Faces his Fears