It's Diwali!

by Kabir Sehgal (Author) Archana Sreenivasan (Illustrator)

Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

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.

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Hardcover
$18.99

School Library Journal

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

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes



Kabir Sehgal
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.

Jing Jing Tsong is a mom, musician, and surfer whose grown-up job is drawing pictures. Her technique, which layers color and texture, is influenced by her experiences working in traditional stone lithography and monoprints. She is the illustrator of Seven Samosas and the New York Times bestselling A Bucket of Blessings, both written by Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal, First Morning Sun by Aimee Reed, and Feathers and Hair, What Animals Wear by Jennifer Ward, among others. Jing Jing and her husband live on an island in Washington state. Visit her at JingJingTsong.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781534453654
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Beach Lane Books
Publication date
September 20, 2022
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV009030 - Juvenile Fiction | Concepts | Counting & Numbers
JUV030020 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Asia
JUV055000 - Juvenile Fiction | Nursery Rhymes
JUV017090 - Juvenile Fiction | Holidays & Celebrations | Other, Religious
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Stories in rhyme
Counting
Divali

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