Intl. Children's Book Day: 8 books & stories that can greatly improve language skills in children

Every year on April 2, the world comes together to celebrate International Children’s Book Day. From the fables and fairies that shaped our childhood imagination, to the heroes and warriors who taught us the importance of standing up for the right side, books gave us all of them. Overtime, books helped improve our language skills, introduced us to new worlds and words, and of course, taught us the very basics of the English language.
And so on International Children’s Book Day, here are 8 books and stories that can improve language skills in children.

Every book by Roald Dahl is a delightful read for children, but ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ takes the bar up a notch. It is the story of a poor boy, Charlie Bucket, who wins a golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s magical chocolate factory, and goes there with his grandfather, meeting new characters, workers of the factory, and much more.
Dahl’s writing, through the book, is playful, and has super elaborate descriptions that help paint a picture. (Image: Puffin/Amazon)

By a beloved children’s author is ‘The Night Train at Deoli’ by Ruskin Bond. The book is a collection of short stories that beautifully capture emotions, nostalgia, and everyday life in India, and is inspired by Bond’s childhood and life in the hills and mountains of India. Be it the story of a young boy falling in love with a basket-seller girl, or a story about a cherry tree that grows with the child, Bond can engage and make readers fall in love with stories, books, and the language. (Image: Penguin/Amazon)

Another favourite from the childhood days is ‘The Little Prince’, a world-famous novel that is simple, engaging, and has beautiful storytelling all over. The story follows a little prince as he travels from one planet to another, meeting various characters along the way, and feeling different emotions through the people he meets. From ego to pride, and from grief to indulgence, the little prince takes readers on a journey through it all. (Image: Pigeon Books/Amazon)

The Panchatantra is a collection of ancient Indian fables written in an engaging and entertaining style and these stories, often featuring animals, convey moral lessons and wisdom through simple storytelling, language, and engaging characters.
From ‘The Wise Rabbit’ to ‘The 7 liars’, these stories have engaged people always. (Image: पेंगुइन बुक्स इंडिया/Amazon)

Munshi Premchand’s short stories are known for their social messages and relatable characters. And ‘Idgaah’ is one of his most famous stories, showing the emotions of a young boy named Hamid during Eid. The beauty of Premchand’s storytelling lies in the simple words, stories, and relatability of his writing, and the emotions that he conveys in people’s minds through the stories is simply beautiful.

(Image: Maple Press)

Another masterpiece by Roald Dahl, ‘Matilda’ is the story of an exceptionally intelligent girl with a love for books. And while Matilda is stuck in a family that does not fuel or appreciate her talent, she knows how to get her way in her own complicated world with the power of her mind! (Image: Penguin UK)

R.K. Narayan’s ‘Malgudi Days’ is a collection of short stories set in the fictional town of Malgudi. His simple yet expressive writing makes it a great book for children to improve their language skills, and the characters and settings feel relatable to not just children but also parents who grew up in similar settings.

(Image: INDIAN THOUGHT PUBLICATIONS/Amazon)

The tales of Tenali Raman are filled with wit, humour, and wisdom, and to read these means an instant boost in language, laughs, and all things funny. The stories revolve around Tenali Raman, a court poet in King Krishnadevaraya’s court, who is known far and wide for his intelligence and clever problem-solving skills.(Image: Manoj Publications/Amazon)

The ‘Harry Potter’ series is one of the best choices for children to improve their language skills. Be it vocabulary, complex sentences and worlds, or even storytelling, ‘Harry Potter’ books do it all. From the time Harry, Ron, and Hermione defeat a troll in the dungeon, to the one where they defeat ‘He Who Must Not Be Named’, it gives children the perfect boost of storytelling and imagination. (Image: Bloomsbury Children's Books/Amazon)

Similar to the Panchatantra, the ‘Hitopadesha’ is a collection of moral stories written in an engaging manner. These tales, often featuring animals and kings, teach life lessons while improving language skills and are known for their simple storytelling pattern that helps children understand sentence structures, grammar, and the art of narration.

(Image: Maple Press/Amazon)