June 1, 2022
PreS-Gr 1-An Indian family celebrates Diwali with traditional decorations, food, and activities. The book follows the pattern of the nursery rhyme "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe," with groups of two numbers and one festive tradition depicted. Beautifully vivid colors make the journey up to 10 and back down again a feast for the eyes, and young readers will delight in identifying which illustrated objects match the numbers on the page, from bowls of colorful ground chalk to jalebis in a skillet. The predictable pattern of two written-out numbers followed by a Diwali tradition, as well as a simple definition of the Hindi word make for a pleasant reading experience for preschoolers or new readers. An author's note offers additional information about the holiday. VERDICT Whether you have a plethora or a dearth of books about Diwali, this is an essential primer on the basics of the festival.-Rachel Owens
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September 15, 2022
Preschool-Grade 2 In this joyful picture book, a family in India celebrates Diwali by enjoying traditional foods and festivities. The text draws viewers into the experience through the familiar pattern of the "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" rhyme, rewritten to introduce aspects of the holiday, such as "Nine, ten . . . / it's Diwali again. / Ten, nine, / fireworks shine," and concluding with "Two, one, Diwali's so much fun!" Three children, presumably siblings, appear singly or together in nearly all the illustrations along with older members of their extended family. The kids admire mehndi designs drawn on their hands with henna, watch their mother light diyas (small oil lamps), and take delight in other aspects of the holiday at various family and community gatherings. An appended authors' note explains that during Diwali, which traditionally takes place for five days during the harvest in autumn, people clean their homes, wear new clothing, eat special foods, turn on lamps, light lanterns, and watch fireworks. Sreenivasan's vibrant, digital illustrations express the warmth and delight of the holiday. An appealing introduction to Diwali.
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October 15, 2022
Riffing on the nursery rhyme "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe," this picture book explores Diwali celebrations in India. The story opens, "One, two... // mehndi for you." Mehndi is defined below the text, and a colorful illustration depicts people showing off the mehndi on their hands. Once the book reaches 10, it starts counting backward ("Ten, nine" / fireworks shine"), continuing the rhyming pattern. The text defines Hindi words such as rangoli ("colorful designs made on the floor or ground using chalk and flowers"), diya (traditional clay lamps), and jalebi (a sweet made from deep-frying dough) as well as potentially unfamiliar English words, such as rickshaw. While not all the words are directly related to Diwali, most are common vocabulary used in northern India, rendering the book a child-friendly introduction to South Asian Hindu culture. Lush illustrations in a joyful, vibrant palette convey the feelings of India's festive season and feature characters with a variety of skin tones but mostly similar hair textures. While the authors' note acknowledges India's linguistic diversity--pointing out the holiday's alternative spelling of Deepavali--it calls Diwali an "Indian" holiday when it is actually a Hindu holiday. (This book was reviewed digitally; the review has been updated for accuracy.) An upbeat introduction to a Hindu festival. (Picture book. 3-5)
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