Following 1830s, the large number of stories and fables adapted and translated from various traditional and western sources started to appear in Gujarati.
Led by Gijubhai Badheka and Nanabhai Bhatt, the children's literature expanded rapidly in form of stories, poems, rhymes and riddles.
The stories derived from Ramayana, Mahabharata, Panchtantra, Hitopadesha and anecdotes of Akbar-Birbal, Bhoja-Kalidas, Singhasan Battisi, Baital Pachisi, Śukasaptati are told to children for generations.
[1] The current form of children's literature started after the education in Gujarati was aligned to western pattern in 1826 during British Raj.
[2] The Bombay Education Society published four books in 1840; Shishusadbodhmala, Balamitra, Balasathi and Panch Pakhaon (Panchapakhyana); having poems, stories, anecdotes, biographies for children.
Nanabhai Bhatt published stories based on characters from Ramayana and Mahabharata as well as Hindu Dharma ni Akhyayikao for young adults.
They published illustrated 30 stories of popular anthropomorphic animal character Bakor Patel created by Hariprasad Vyas.
[6] Other popular character based stories were Bogho of Harshad Patel, Vinu of Navalkant Bhavsar, Venakaka of Juga Pandya, Fatubha Fankda Na Parakramo by Manubhai Shah, Shekhchalli of Jaymalla Parmar, Akkad ane Fakkad of Narad, Budhiyo of Madhusudan Parekh, Soti and Pothi of Dhananjay Shah, Miyalabbe of Chandrkant Amin and Muchhala Menamasi of Dhiraj Brahmabhatt.
[7] In the field of science fiction, Shrikant Trivedi, Harish Nayak, Yashwant Mehta, Dhirajlal Gajjar, Ratilal Nayak, Kanaiyalal Ramanuj, Girish Ganatra, Rajni Vyas, Suresh Jethna, Nagendra Vijay, Yashwant Kadikar, Kishor Pandya, Nagin Modi, Bipin Patel, Ishwar Parmar, Sakalchand Saheb contributed.
The stories based on Panchtantra, Hitopadesha, Akbar-Birbal folk tales, Mulla Nasiruddin, Tenali Rama are frequently translated and written by various authors over the years.
Popular works from world literature such as Tarzan, Hercules, Robinson Crusoe, Gulliver's Travels are frequently adapted in Gujarati by various authors.
[7] In animal fables, Ramanlal Soni, Vijaygupta Maurya, Manubhai Jodhani, Nanubhai Surati, Kanaiyalal Ramanuj, Harjivan Somaiya, Vasantlal Parmar contributed.
Ravishankar Raval, Somalal Shah, Rajni Vyas, Chakor, Abid Surti, Natu Mistry, Ramesh Kothari, V. Ramanuj, Lalit Lad, Nirmal Sarteja, Deepak Thakor are notable among them.
Gulabi Aarass Ni Laggi by Harikrishna Pathak, Tilli by Mahendra Trivedi, Navjivan Shala by Madhav Desai, Durga No Deepak by Shraddha Trivedi, Varun Nu Soneri Swapna by Madhusudan Parekh, Prakash Na Parevada by Kanaiyalal Joshi, Khovayeli Duniyani Safare by Yashwant Mehta are some novels.
Some women in the children's literature are Jagruti Ramanuj, Sulbha Depurkar, Usha Upadhyay, Aruna Mistry, Lata Hirani, Bepsy Engineer, Kalindi Parikh, Neha Kansara, Pushpa Antani, Neeta Ramaiya and Tarlika Mehta.
[9] In recent times, the large number of classic adventure novels from the world literature are translated and published in Gujarati.
[1][12] His Andheri Nagari Ne Gandu Raja, Dayali Ma, Sharanaivalo and Unt Na Adhar Ang Vanka are notable among them.
[12] Tribhuvan Vyas wrote Nava Geeto (1929)[12] and Gunjarava (1941) focused on natural elements such as river, hills, rain and sea.
[12] Educationists Gijubhai Badheka and Nanabhai Bhatt established the children's literature in its true understanding and as the foundation of the education and moral development.
[14] Balako Na Geeto, Magodi No Pipudivalo, Pagala, Madh No Ladvo, Kashi No Pandit are the collections by Ramanlal Soni.
Suresh Dalal published more than dozen poetry collections including Ittakitta and Tingatoli (1976) in his three decade long career.
Hauk (1978), Chin (1980), Itta, Kitta Ane Buchcha, Dariyo Zullam Zulla, Hasie Khullam Khulla are his collections.
[14] The poet Pinakin Trivedi, studied at Santiniketan, brought melody and rhymes of children's poetry by Rabindranath Tagore.
[1] Other children's poetry collections are Balshikshan Ni Garbavali by Gopalji Delwadakar, Kanya Garbavali and Balgeeto by Manishankar Dave, Bal Kavitao by Dhirajlal Bhatt, Gauri Na Geeto by Deshalji Parmar, Chalo Gaeye by Madhukant G. Mehta, Chandapoli by Vasant Nayak, Kilkilat by Jamubhai Dani, Naginavadi by Ramnik Aralvala, Chhbchhabiya by Avinash Vyas, Balkavya Mala by Viththalrai Avasthi, Balgeetavali by Keshav Sheth, Zulto Hathi by Pranshankar Upadhyay, Dada Ni Muchh by Shantikumar Pandya, Chanibor by Jugatram Dave.
[16][14] Several other poets also contributed including Umashankar Joshi,[14] Bhanuprasad Pandya, Suresh Majmudar, Pujalal Dalwadi, Rashid Munshi, Ravindra Thakor, Phillip Clerk, Raksha Dave, Kanti Kadia, Natwar Patel, Sushilaben Zaveri.
Ilakavyo by Chandravadan Mehta; Janani Ni Jod Sakhi by Damodar Botadkar; Bharat No Zando and Gunvanti Gujarat by Ardeshar Khabardar and Lucy Grey by Viththalrai Avasthi are notable poems.
by Jayanti Dalal;[17] Ishwar Nu Mandir by Kismat Kureshi, Balko no Bandhav by Gaurishankar Chaturvedi, Antar Na Ajwala by Jethalal Chaudhri, Eklavya ane Biji Natikao by Pragji Dosa, Aa Rotli Kon Khashe?
The historical characters such as Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave, Shivaji, Vivekanand, Ramakrishna, Lal Bahadur Shastri are also appear as biographical stories frequently.
Other magazines were Baloday (1877), Balmitra (1879), Balgyanvardhak (1882), Balshikshak (1911), Balako No Bandhu (1912), Balak (1923), Gandiv (1925), Balwadi (1927), Balodhyan (1931), Kishor (1935), Balsakha (1937), Baljagat (1939), Vidyarthi (1941), Ramakadu (1949), Zagmag (1952), Balsandesh (1952), Balkanaiyo (1954), Chandamama (1954), Rasranjan (1958), Sabras (1962), Rasvinod (1965), Baldakshina (1966), Fulwadi (1967), Pagalee (1968), Chandapoli (1968), Suman Sanskar (1977), Bulbul (1977), Balmasti (1979), Nayak (1979), Vandarful (1981), Safai (1981), Balako Nu Chhapu (1983), Chamak (1984), Chi (1984), Flower Pot (1984), Chitrakatha (1986), Tintin (1987), Mini Chocolate (1987), Rasvinod (1990), Champak (1991), Tinkle (1991), Tamtam (1991), Varta Re Varta (1991).