It's Diwali!

by Kabir Sehgal, Surishtha Sehgal, Archana Sreenivasan (Illustrator)

Overview

Count along in celebration of Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, in this luminous picture book from bestselling mother-son duo Surishtha and Kabir Sehgal.

Count up to ten and back down again to the tune of “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe” while learning about the traditions that make Diwali a fun-filled festival! Celebrated during autumn harvest, Diwali symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. From sweet treats to intricate henna designs to exciting firework displays, kids will delight in this vibrant glimpse into the Festival of Lights.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534453654
Publisher:	Beach Lane Books
Publication date:	09/06/2022
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	203,967
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD620L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 Months to 8 Years

About the Author

Kabir Sehgal started his class newspaper in second grade and has been writing ever since. A bestselling author of several books, he is also a jazz bassist and Grammy Award–winning producer. Kabir and his mother, Surishtha Sehgal, are a mother-son writing team whose books include Festival of Colors, illustrated by Vashti Harrison, and Seven Samosas and the New York Times bestselling A Bucket of Blessings, both illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong. He lives in Atlanta. To learn more about the Sehgals’ books, visit Bucket.art.

Surishtha Sehgal was a university professor for many years and now enjoys reading to children during story time. She is the founder of a nonprofit organization that promotes social responsibility among students, and she serves on the boards of two universities and a national arts center. Surishtha and her son, Kabir Sehgal, are a mother-son writing team whose books include Festival of Colors, illustrated by Vashti Harrison, and Seven Samosas and the New York Times bestselling A Bucket of Blessings, both illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong. She lives in Atlanta. To learn more about the Sehgals’ books, visit Bucket.art.

Archana Sreenivasan is an illustrator based in Bangalore, India. Her illustrations have been published in numerous magazines, children’s books, book covers, and comics. She studied animation film design at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, and participated in a summer residency at the School of Visual Arts in New York, where she studied illustration. She finds the natural world and people-watching most inspiring and is endlessly fascinated by cats.

Editorial Reviews

06/01/2022

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

School Library Journal

2022-09-28
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)

Kirkus Reviews