Once Upon A Diwali by Anita Mishra and Diah Chakraborty - ADVISABLE

Once Upon A Diwali by Anita Mishra, illustrated by Diah Chakraborty. PICTURE BOOK. Soaring Kite Books, 2024. $19. 9781958372449

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

Riya loves the five days of Diwali (Festival of Lights) for the treats, but she is frightened over the dark night, the crowds of people, and the loud fireworks. Riya is hoping to stay in the house un-noticed while everyone else goes out into the night.  Will Riya find a way to be brave and celebrate with her family?

I liked how Mishra presents her story as a "once upon a time" bedtime story.  I enjoyed learning about Diwali and the traditions.  The glossary at the end was very helpful.

PGPowers

Holi Hai! by Chitra Soundar and Darshika Varma - ESSENTIAL

Holi Hai! by Chitra Soundar and Darshika Varma. PICTURE BOOK. Albert Whitman & Company, 2022. $17. 9780807533574 

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3), EL - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

An Indian girl named Gauri is preparing to celebrate Holi, the Festival of Colors, with her family. They each draw a color to prepare, and Gauri is upset to draw red instead of her favorite color yellow. The grandfather tells the tale of Prahlada from Indian mythology to explain why they celebrate Holi. Gauri realizes she needs to stop being angry in order to enjoy the celebration.

I had heard of the Indian Festival of Colors but had no idea why it was celebrated or what it meant. This book is a brilliant explanation of the mythology and current traditions surrounding the festival. Young children will be able to understand and appreciate the significance of this event in Indian culture. After the story, there is an additional explanation about the festival and a glossary for the Indian words used.

J. Smith, Teacher Librarian 

Diwali in my New Home by Shachi Kaushik and Aishwarya Tandon - ADVISABLE

Diwali in my New Home by Shachi Kaushik, illustrated by Aishwarya Tandon. PICTURE BOOK. Beaming Books, 2022. $19. 9781506484075 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Priya loves Diwali, but in her new American town no one else celebrates it. What can she do to help her family make this Diwali special and feel like home? Though Priya is the ony one whose family celebrates Diwali , Tandom has added a lovely panoply of diverse characters within Priya’s school and in her neighborhood. A lovely addition to any well-rounded school collection about holidays. If I taught geography at any level, I would keep this holiday on my calender. 

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS 

It’s Diwali by Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal and Archana Sreenivasan - ADVISABLE

It’s Diwali by Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan. PICTURE BOOK. Beach Lane (Simon), 2022. $19. 9781534453654

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Count up to ten and then back down to one as you learn about Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

Short and sweet and bright. A panoramic look of Diwali traditions and decorations – and especially food! Good as a basic look at a holiday. The characters are in India.

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS 

My Diwali Light by Raakhee Mirchandani and Supriya Kelkar - ADVISABLE

My Diwali Light by Raakhee Mirchandani and Supriya Kelkar. PICTURE BOOK. Littl Brown, 2022. $18. 9780316339339

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

A little girl is getting ready to celebrate Diwali with her family and friends. The bright colors of the illustrations echo the spirit of the festival of light, with lots of touches to bring to life living in a Hindu household.

While I might wish for back matter explaining each reference I don’t understand, this is also an excellent opportunity for teacher and students to use their research skills and share explanations with each other. The girl and her family and Indian, while some friends are other ethnicities.

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS 

Goodnight Ganesha by Nadia Salomon, illustrated by Poonam Mistry - ESSENTIAL

Goodnight Ganesha by Nadia Salomon, illustrated by Poonam Mistry. PICTURE BOOK Philomel Books (Penguin), 2021. $18. 9780593203613 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Two children are getting ready for bed under the watchful eye of their grandparents. Nana prepares the bedroom, Tata reads stories. But Tata's snores keep the children awake, and Nana grants one more story. Soon, Ganesha is watching over the sleeping children. A beautiful tribute to Goodnight Moon and bedtime routines. 

I loved the repetition, the poetic text and all the Indian cultural references. Poonam Mistry's illustrations are breathtaking, so detailed! I got lost in the pages while reading, I can imagine how wonderful this would be as a bedtime story, but even more special for a child with connections to Hindu traditions.

Lisa Librarian

Archie Celebrates Diwali by Mitali Banerjee Ruths and Parwinder Singh - ADVISABLE

Archie Celebrates Diwali by Mitali Banerjee Ruths, illustrated by Parwinder Singh. PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2021. $17. 9781623541194 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

For the first time, Archie has invited some friends from school to celebrate Diwali with her family. First a storm ruins the decorations, then the power goes out. Archie shares the meaning of the celebration with them, and when the storm stops and the power comes back on they enjoy the rest of their time. 

I like that Ruths gives us a combination of the story behind the holiday and a look at how a modern Indian family celebrates. Plus, the added treat of inviting friends to try something new – lots of subplots all woven skillfully together. The multicultural group blends well and the illustrations bring out the feeling of light. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Binny’s Diwali by Thrity Umrigar and Nidhi Chanani - ADVISABLE

Binny’s Diwali by Thrity Umrigar, illustrated by Nidhi Chanani. PICTURE BOOK. Scholastic Press, SEPT 2020. $18. 9781338364484

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Today is Binny’s turn to teach her class about a festival important to her.  She excited to share about Diwali, a part of her Hindu religion.  After a small case of stage fright, Binny and her class enjoy a nice day.

A nice look at the Festival of Lights and a talking point about getting over stage fright and being kind to students who have it. The back matter contains a good explanation of Diwali and the endpapers are beautiful.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS