My friend Isra who blogs at The Frugalette told me a few years ago how few Diwali books there are, so when The Diwali Gift floated across my email, I thought it would be nice to learn more about this Hindu holiday. My only impression of Diwali was that it was a festival of lights and that it involved feasting. There is much more to it I learned!
Diwali also known as the “festival of lights“, is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn every year. The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five-day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartik. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali night falls between mid-October and mid-November. From Wikipedia
My takeaway is that it is a spiritual harvest festival. But I also learned from National Geographic Kids that Diwali is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians! It also explains the 5 days of Diwali:
Day 1: Housewives consider it auspicious to spring clean the home and shop for gold or kitchen utensils.
Day 2: People decorate their homes with clay lamps or diyas and create design patterns called rangoli on the floor using colored powders or sand.
Day 3: This is the main day of the festival when families gather together for Lakshmi puja, a prayer to Goddess Lakshmi followed by mouth-watering feasts and firework festivities.
Day 4: This is the first day of the new year when friends and relatives visit with gifts and best wishes for the season.
Day 5: On the last day of Diwali, brothers visit their married sisters who welcome them with love and a lavish meal.
This year, Diwali is October 23, 2014.
The Diwali Gift by Shweta Chopra and Shuchi Mehta, illustrated by Anna Koan
The excitement of Diwali to children (as Christmas is to Christians) is palpable in The Diwali Gift. Three young monkeys get a package from their grandmother — Dadima — for Diwali to share and they try to guess what it is. Is it sparklers to light up on Diwali night? Is it bangles to go with a new lehenga (long skirt)? It is a diya (clay lamp) to decorate the rangoli (or alpanas; a traditional Indian art from using colored rice, sand or flower petals)?
You can use this picture book to introduce Diwali to your kids either by simply reading the story, or diving into the glossary in the back to learn more. [picture book, ages 2 and up]
Diwali with its multiple days of celebration reminds me of Hannukah, so I added this charming “new-but-feels -like-an -lden folktale” to my Picture Book of the Day recommendations.
Let’s Celebrate Diwali by Anjali Joshi, illustrated by Tim Palin
In the classroom, Harini and her friends share with their class how they celebrate Diwali. She finds out that even though five of her friends also celebrate this holiday, each does it in a different way. Harini tells her class at circle time about lighting diyas, eating sweets, and hearing the story of Ram, Sita and Lakshman. Her family is Hindu. Dhimen is Buddhist celebrates Diwali with the story of Ashoka. Urvi’s family tells the story of Prince Mahavira; her family is Jain. Amrit is Sikh and he has yet another Diwali story to share about a strong warrior named Guru Hargobind.
Learn about the similarities in world religions through Diwali, the Festival of Lights, in this delightful multicultural picture book. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
The Dreidel That Wouldn’t Spin: A Toyshop Tale of Hannukah by Martha Seif Simpson, illustrated by Durga Yael Berhard
The toy shop had the most beautiful dreidel and it was snapped up by a wealthy man and his daughter who got whatever she demanded. They returned it the next day, saying that it was defective. A woman and her spoiled son bought it next and they found that it didn’t spin for them either. The shopkeeper reluctantly let a family with patched clothes into his shop. Their son touched nothing but noted the wonders of each special toy. The shopkeeper was touched and gifted the dreidel to the boy. When he spun the dreidel, not only did it spin beautifully — longer than any dreidel they had ever seen — but the words on the dreidel transformed. It was miracle of Hannukah: wonders still occur for those who are ready for them. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Hannukah starts December 16 and ends December 24, 2014. To learn more about Jewish holidays and books to teach all kids about them, Books My Kids Read has a great post on books she uses with her kids to teach the true meaning of the high holidays.
p.s. I have a post on Bangladesh with Alpanas for celebrating Diwali here.
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Dear Mia,
Thank you for a lovely post that covers Diwali so beautifully. I have been looking for a way to simplify Diwali for our 3 year old and your suggestions on books and links have been a great help.
May the festive season bring you and your loved ones good health, joy and peace.
I’ve bookmarked your blog to visit again.
Very best,
Monica
Monica Deshpande recently posted…Hirve chicken or Green chutney chicken
Hi Monica,
I’m so glad you liked the Diwali book. It’s a lovely picture book and I’m told by the author that it will be back on sale as it sold out. I loved learning about Diwali which I didn’t know very much about. I hope you have a wonderful celebration with your family!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Author Jean Ramsden Being True to Yourself and GIVEAWAY!
Both of these sound like lovely books.
maryanne recently posted…Creative Fun with Peekapak!
Thanks Mary Anne!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Author Jean Ramsden Being True to Yourself and GIVEAWAY!
Oh, I love this story. It would have gone perfectly with my review of A TIME TO DANCE. My son is from India, and I grab every book I can find that helps me understand the culture better. Love the video. I wasn’t familiar with this festival.
Patricia Tilton recently posted…Bumblebee Bike
Hi Patricia,
I didn’t know your son is from India! How wonderful that you get to celebrate holidays from two cultures!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Author Jean Ramsden Being True to Yourself and GIVEAWAY!
Thanks for this timely post Mia…
My niece and nephew are half Indian and I have many Indian students here in Shanghai, they will be thrilled when I share this information with them. We do not have it in our collection with it being released so recently so I have ordered it; I never leave your blog empty handed.
Thanks for leading out on the #kidlitbloghop #wheredoyoufindthetime ???
I hope you and your family are feeling well and getting back to normal.
Kimbra Power
Barefoot Librarian
Kimbra Power recently posted…Fantastic Fun with Bump, Nosey and Tickle
Hi Kimbra,
Thank you so much for your kind words!! I’m so glad you liked the Diwali book! It does seem a shame that there aren’t enough of them given that it’s such an important holiday (and we all benefit from learning about it)! Thank you again for your well wishes too! As you can tell from the tardiness of my reply that I am way, way behind!!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Author Jean Ramsden Being True to Yourself and GIVEAWAY!
Renee @ MDBR
Thanks for teaching me a bit more about these holidays and for your great recommendations. Pinning!!
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Thanks so much Renee!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Author Jean Ramsden Being True to Yourself and GIVEAWAY!
Veena
Sounds like an absolutely amazing book for Diwali! Thank you for the review.
Thanks so much Veena! Glad you liked the review!
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