Stories Without Pictures

In the vibrant rainforests of Costa Rica, a lively scarlet macaw named Ricky Roo lives among the trees, full of energy and pride. One day, a conversation with an elder macaw opens his eyes to something surprising about the past. This newfound knowledge sparks a deep change in Ricky, pushing him to set out on a journey. Determined and eager, he prepares to leave the familiar rainforest, seeking to discover more about the world beyond his home, with the hope of learning valuable lessons from new encounters. His journey promises to be filled with unexpected challenges and amazing discoveries.

Ricky Roo, Grandpa Pico and other animal friends voiced by Chris Rachowicz of Ricky Roo and Friends.

Written and narrated by Nidhi Gupta. Cover art is by 9-year-old Nandita Gautam and Nidhi Gupta.

It’s Mishti’s 9th birthday, and all she wants is to spend the day reading at the library! But the day takes an exciting turn when she and Nani stumble upon a long-hidden mystery, solving it through clever clues. Join Nani and Mishti for a fun-filled adventure at the library!

Narrated by Nidhi Gupta and written by Gautam Rao.

Mishti's voice is by 9-year-old Nandita Gautam. Cover art is by Nandita and Nidhi.

Ammu and her friends get together to form a music band. Practicing in the school music room and each other's homes, they prepare for the Inter-School Music Competition. Through teamwork and creativity, they discover the joy of making music together.

Narrated by Nidhi Gupta and written by Gautam Rao.

Ammu's voice is by Nandita Gautam, Anvita and Aditi as themselves. Cover art is by Aditi Eldurkar.

© All Rights Reserved.

Eight-year-old Zarya has a unique superpower: she can make anyone laugh! With her mischievous eyes, wild hair, missing front tooth, and contagious laugh, she spreads joy everywhere. Join Zarya in this heartwarming story that celebrates the power of laughter!

In this chucklesome story, Trouble the dog has gone missing! Would anyone want a dog, aptly named for her behaviour, to be found and brought back home at all? Listen in to find out.

About the author - Menaka is a published author of many picture books and chapter books for children, including the book “I Love Me”, which was one of the earliest stories on our podcast. Menaka’s characters and stories are endearing, ones that children instantly fall in love with.

This story: The Trouble with Trouble is written by Menaka Raman. © Pratham Books, 2020. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.

Cover art: Dog digging in the bathroom, by Damini Gupta © Pratham Books, 2020. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.

© All Rights Reserved. No part of this audio recording (this story/episode/podcast) may be used, reproduced, or republished for any commercial purposes.

EXXTRA SPECIAL!

We have an extra special story for you today, narrated by our guest storyteller, Vivian Altmann, by special arrangement. Vivian is a beloved storyteller and Director of Children's Educational Outreach Program at the San Francisco Exploratorium, a museum of science, technology, and art.

In this fun story, siblings Sam and Victoria sit down to have yummy cookies that their mother has baked for them, but they keep having more and more guests visiting them. Will there be enough cookies left for everyone to share? Listen in to find out.

PS - Keep an ear out for more exciting stories narrated by our guest storyteller Vivian Altmann, on storieswithoutpictures.com.

This story is written and illustrated by Pat Hutchins and is narrated for Stories without Pictures by Vivian Altmann.

© All Rights Reserved. No part of this audio recording (this story/episode/podcast) may be used, reproduced, or republished for any commercial purposes.

A holiday with friends is so much fun, especially if it’s a holiday that involves lots of swimming in a pool, playing at a beautiful beach, eating ice cream for breakfast, and tons of silliness. In this story, based on true events, three friends - Nandu, Seher, and Teia, visit Cancun in the country of Mexico. Listen in to find out all the fun they have on their vacation.

This original story is written by Nidhi Gupta.

Nandu's voice is by 7-year-old Nandita Gautam, Teia's voice is by 6.5-year-old Teia Sekhon, and Seher's voice is by 8.5-year-old Seher Sekhon. Cover art is by Nandita, Teia and Seher.

Credits: Gangnam Style by PSY

© All Rights Reserved.

In this episode we bring you one of our favourite stories - Amma, there is a bat in my sambar! Written and narrated by Menaka Raman, find out what Suppi and his Amma do when one evening a bat flies right into Suppi’s bowl of sambar!

We are super excited to have Menaka Raman as our guest writer and storyteller! Menaka is a published author of many picture books and chapter books for children, including the book “I Love Me”, which was one of the earliest stories on our podcast. Menaka’s characters and stories are endearing, ones that children instantly fall in love with.

Amma, There is a Bat in My Sambar! is written by Menaka Raman. © Pratham Books, 2019. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.

Cover page: Bat inside a bowl of sambar, by Adrija Ghosh © Pratham Books, 2019. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.

Maya's love of the outdoors brings her closer to nature, creating a warm and enduring connection. Join Maya on her many trips to the river bank, be it to play with her animal friends, or to collect juicy mangoes!

This original story is written by Namit Chaturvedi.

Narrated by Nidhi Gupta.

Maya's voice is by 7-year-old Nandita Gautam, and cover art is by Gautam Rao.

© All Rights Reserved.