Last updated on January 11th, 2026 at 11:11 am
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Books for Makar Sankranti, Lohri and Pongal for Kids
Reading Our Way Into the Harvest Season
January harvest festivals are some of the most joyful celebrations in Indian culture. Makar Sankranti, Lohri, and Pongal mark the sun’s transition, the end of winter, and the arrival of abundance and gratitude.
While rituals, food, and regional customs vary, these festivals share a common theme — honoring nature, community, and new beginnings.
For families raising children outside India, these festivals often come with a familiar question: How do we help our kids understand why this season is important?
This is where books play a meaningful role. Stories give children context — not just what we do, but why we do it. They turn festivals into experiences children can emotionally connect with, even if celebrations look different from those back home.
This blog brings together books that support those conversations and help children understand the spirit of Makar Sankranti, Lohri, and Pongal through storytelling.
Books on Lohri Festival
Sundri and Mundri’s Lohri Adventure by Reenita Hora, illustrated by Taylor Nystrom (Read Aloud)
Recommended Age – 4 -7 years
Sundri and Mundri’s Lohri Adventure is a delightful blend of history, folklore, and fantasy, centered around the joyful celebration of Lohri. When their grandmother’s story-filled shawl magically transports the sisters into the past, children are introduced to bonfires, folk songs, and the legend of the heroic Dulla Bhatti in an imaginative way. What makes this story especially charming is how Sundri and Mundri use their creativity and problem-solving skills to help villagers, earning the title of the “smart sisters.”
Lohri: The Bonfire Festival by Parveen Kaur Dhillon (English and Punjabi Edition) (Read Aloud)
Recommended Age – 2 – 6 years
Lohri: The Bonfire Festival is a bright and joyful introduction to the winter harvest festival of Punjab. Through rhythmic verses in both English and Punjabi, children follow Ajeet and Rakha as they sing, dance, and celebrate around the Lohri bonfire. The book introduces cultural traditions while also exposing young readers to the Gurmukhi script. With Romanized Punjabi included for easy pronunciation, this lively, multilingual book is perfect for reading aloud.
Love, Laugh, Lohri! by Gurleen Kaur
Recommended Age – 0-5 years
Love, Laugh, Lohri! is a cheerful and colorful introduction to the celebration of Lohri and the joy it brings at the end of winter. The book walks children through the festival from early preparations to the lively evening bonfire, capturing the excitement of the day. It helps young readers understand how Lohri welcomes the new harvest and the promise of spring.
Books/Short Stories Featuring All Festivals
India – The Land of Festivals: A Monthly Guidebook to Diverse Celebrations (Indian Festival Series 1) by Anuja Mohla, illustrated by Gowthami Maruthupandiyan
Also Available as – Bharat – Tyohaaron Ki Bhoomi (India – The Land of Festivals): A Hindi-English Transliterated Monthly Guide to Diverse Celebrations
Recommended Age – 6-9 years
India – The Land of Festivals is a thoughtfully curated guide that introduces children to the incredible diversity of Indian celebrations throughout the year. Organized month by month, the book explains the what, why, how, and when of over twenty-five festivals across multiple religions in a clear and child-friendly way. The vibrant illustrations help bring each celebration to life, while the activities at the end encourage hands-on learning.
Festival Stories Through the Year by Rachna Chhabria
Recommended Age – 9-12 years
Festival Stories Through the Year is a warm and engaging celebration of India’s many festivals, told through the everyday experiences of eleven-year-old twins, Natasha and Nikhil. When the twins move to India for a year to live with their grandparents, Dadu and Dadi, they begin discovering festivals one by one, starting with Lohri in January and ending with Christmas in December. Each chapter is followed by Natasha’s journal entries or Nikhil’s blog posts that capture the sights, sounds, food, and traditions of each festival.
As the year unfolds, children learn about more than thirty festivals across different regions and religions, all woven naturally into the twins’ school days, friendships, family visits, and celebrations.
She Celebrates by 21 Indian Women from around the World
Recommended Age – 16+ years
She Celebrates is a beautifully woven collection of stories that explores Indian festivals through the voices of women from around the world. This anthology brings together twenty-one short stories, each set against the backdrop of a festival, following the calendar year from Lohri and Makar Sankranti through Diwali and Christmas. Every story offers a unique perspective, using festivals as moments of reflection, celebration, memory, and meaning, all told through female protagonists navigating life, tradition, and change.
What makes this collection especially rich is its diversity — not just in the festivals represented, but in the voices behind them. The contributing authors come from different countries and professional backgrounds, bringing varied experiences and interpretations to familiar celebrations. Despite the differences, a common thread runs through the book: festivals as anchors of culture, carried forward wherever Indians live. Thoughtful and deeply personal, She Celebrates is a book to be read slowly, returned to often, and revisited as each festival comes around.
Books on Kite Flying
Farmer Falgu Goes Kite Flying by Chitra Soundar, illustrated by Kanika Nair
Recommended Age – 4-8 years
Farmer Falgu Goes Kite Flying is a cheerful story set against the colorful backdrop of a kite-flying festival in Rajasthan. When a strong gust of wind carries away Eila’s kite, young readers follow along to see how Farmer Falgu uses his clever thinking to turn the day around. The gentle problem-solving and father–daughter bond make the story especially endearing. Paired with vibrant illustrations, this book beautifully captures the joy, excitement, and playful spirit of kite flying during the harvest season.
Lilu’s Kite by Devika Joglekar
Recommended Age – 3-8 years
Lilu’s Kite is a sweet and reassuring story about a little boy who loves flying kites but needs a bit of help when things don’t go as planned. With his big sister Lilu by his side, the story unfolds with warmth, kindness, and encouragement. The simple rhyming text makes it a lovely read-aloud, while the delightful illustrations keep young readers engaged. A fun bonus is the step-by-step guide to making a paper kite, inviting children to turn the story into a hands-on activity.
Kai Po Che: Mini’s Perfect Kite by Suhasini Gupta, illustrated by Devika Oza (Read Aloud)
Recommended Age – 5-7 years
Kai Po Che is a joyful and empowering story set during Makar Sankranti, the vibrant festival of kites. When Mini wants to join the kite-flying fun but is told it’s not for little girls, she uses her creativity to make her own not-so-perfect kite. As the skies fill with flying kites and playful battles, Mini learns that courage, persistence, and compassion matter just as much as skill.
Dev and Ollie: Kite Crazy! by Shweta Aggarwal, illustrated by Somnath Chatterjee
Recommended Age – 3-7 years
Dev and Ollie: Kite Crazy! is a fun and magical adventure that celebrates the excitement of kite flying during Makar Sankranti. When Dev receives a brand-new kite for his birthday but doesn’t know how to fly it, his magical bedtime owl, Ollie, whisks him away on an unforgettable nighttime journey. Together, they travel to one of the largest kite festivals in the world, set in Gujarat, where Dev learns not just how to fly a kite, but also about the joy and traditions surrounding the festival.
Along the way, children are gently introduced to Indian culture, landscapes, and landmarks, making the adventure both entertaining and informative. A fun facts page and a small activity at the end extend the learning beyond the story.
Books on Makar Sankranti
Bola the festival kite: A book about Sankranti/Pongal/Lohri/Uttarayan/Kite festival (Unravel Festivals) by Anitha Rathod
Recommended Age – 4-7 years
Bola the Festival Kite takes young readers on a joyful journey across India as a friendly kite shows how Sankranti is celebrated in different regions. As Bola travels from place to place, children discover the many names and traditions associated with the festival, including Pongal, Lohri, and Uttarayan. The rhyming text makes the story fun and engaging to read aloud, especially for early readers learning new words.
Books on Farming and Nature
Vijay Visits a Farm: A children’s book about new experiences and social skills by Preethi Srinivas, illustrated by Nadia Ronquillo
Recommended Age – 5-8 years
On his first visit to a farm sanctuary, Vijay meets gentle Joy the cow and playful Lily, learning to observe, connect, and care for the animals around him. The beautifully illustrated scenes bring farm life to life while encouraging curiosity, empathy, and mindfulness. Woven naturally into the story are themes of animal welfare, community, and being open to new experiences.
As Makar Sankranti celebrates farming and abundance, this story helps children understand the quiet role animals and farms play in bringing food to our tables.
The Greatest River by Namita Moolani Mehra, Illustrated by Khoa Le
Recommended Age – 4-8 years
The Greatest River is a quiet, beautiful story about the healing power of nature and the deep reverence many feel for the river Ganga. When young Ananda travels with her Maasi to the river in hopes of healing her sick mother, the journey becomes one of discovery, comfort, and connection. Through lyrical text and serene illustrations, children are introduced to Ganga as both a river and a nurturing presence — born in the Himalayas and cherished by millions.
Makar Sankranti is a time to honor nature, rivers, and the life-giving forces that sustain us, making The Greatest River a meaningful read during the harvest season. The story beautifully echoes the festival’s themes of gratitude, renewal, and reverence for the natural world.
Books on Pongal
Bhoomi Learns to Draw a Kolam by Archana Narayanan, illustrated by Vasudevan Ananthakrishnan
Recommended Age – 2-10 years
Bhoomi Learns to Draw a Kolam is a sweet and relatable story about a little girl who is fascinated by her mother’s beautiful kolam designs. As Bhoomi sets out to learn this traditional art form, the story captures a tender moment between a mother and daughter, making the experience feel personal and familiar. The language is simple and engaging, making it an easy read-aloud that children enjoy hearing again and again. The illustrations are a visual delight, bringing warmth and life to the characters and the kolam patterns themselves. With added coloring pages, this book gently invites children to appreciate tradition while trying their hand at creativity.
Nithila’s Pongal by Neila S Kannan
Recommended Age – 4-8 years
Nithila’s Pongal is a joyful story about a young girl who travels from the cold, grey winter of the Pacific Northwest to India to celebrate Pongal with her extended family. Set on her grandparents’ farm, the story follows Nithila as she spends three lively days learning about the harvest festival through food, family traditions, and time spent outdoors. As she explores the farm with her grandfather, brother, and cousins, children are introduced to the rhythms of rural life and the meaning behind Pongal’s celebrations.
I hope this list helps you discover new favourites that spark curiosity and foster cultural connections at home. Save or share this post for your next library visit—or use the links provided to add these books to your family’s collection.
