New Delhi, Nov. 13 -- Most millennial parents recommend Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar, where a hungry caterpillar eats its way through a large amount of food-pastry, ice cream, cheese, etc.-before turning into a butterfly. it's written for a western audience and when I read the book, my Indian brain kept thinking about jalebi, rasgulla and tikki. I ditched it and instead introduced my toddler to Sumi Chandrasekharan's Kozhukatta, which has Indian snacks like murukku, gulab jamun and Mysore pak.

The picture book was recommended by Sangeeta Bhansali, who runs the children's bookstore Kahani Tree in Mumbai. I was looking for illustrated food books by Indian authors for young readers. The haul included 12 books, and while it might...