Happy Birthday, World!

by Ruskin Bond

This picture book, written by the master storyteller Ruskin Bond, Happy Birthday, World!, is a timely book about the world’s natural wonders. Beautifully illustrated by naturalist Maya Ramaswamy the book will both inform and delight young readers, while reminding them to take care of our precious earth. The book is the first Ruskin Bond title written for children as young as 4 years old.

24 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 25, 2025

About the author

Ruskin Bond is an Indian author of British descent. He is considered to be an icon among Indian writers and children's authors and a top novelist. He wrote his first novel, The Room on the Roof, when he was seventeen which won John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. Since then he has written several novellas, over 500 short stories, as well as various essays and poems, all of which have established him as one of the best-loved and most admired chroniclers of contemporary India. In 1992 he received the Sahitya Akademi award for English writing, for his short stories collection, "Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra", by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters in India. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 for contributions to children's literature. He now lives with his adopted family in Landour near Mussoorie.

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celebrating nature and some calming good lines of poetry for young readers. But the representation could have been much better.

[Omkar Joshi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Buy this book only if you have toddlers/kindergarten kids. For seasoned Bond fans like me, the book doesn't offer even a single, memorable verse. One of the examples of how loyal Bond readers are ripped off their money by selling them the name and nostalgia!

[Ekta Kubba · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are RB books for the fans of all age groups. Then how can we left our toddlers behind! This book is perfect for introducing the toddlers or kindergarten kids to the reading world. The book celebrates the wonders of the world, and gives the message to protect thwse if we want to keep enjoying it. Illustrations by Maya Ramaswamy are amazing. Kids can at once fall in love with the book. So go, grab a copy for your little one.

[Saurabh Kumar · Rating 3 out of 5]

A long poem by Ruskin Bond, exquisitely illustrated by Maya Ramaswamy.

A tad short, and diehard fans of the author might feel shortchanged, especially for those expecting new material from the master storyteller.

Nonetheless, the book has a good message of getting kids aware about nature’s precious gifts and the urgent need to protect and conserve them.

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This picture book with text and wonderful illustrations is good for the young readers and will be good for older readers as well.