REVIEW: HAPPY DIWALI!

​Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated in either October or November, and this year (2022) it falls on October 24th. Whether or not you celebrate this holiday, I hope you’ll join me in reading about how one Indian girl celebrates Diwali in her new American home in: 

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​TITLE: DIWALI IN MY NEW HOME
AUTHOR: Shachi Kaushik
ILLUSTRATOR: Aishwarya Tandon
PUBLISHER: Beaming Books/2022
OPENING LINES: 

Today is Diwali, the festival of lights.
It’s Priya’s favorite holiday.
The colorful decorations, shimmering fireworks, and gathering of family and friends always fill her heart with joy.

But this Diwali is quiet.
Priya is almost nine thousand miles away from India.
Here, the streets are empty, and nothing is decorated. Everything looks dull.

Priya is new to the United States and misses her Indian traditions, especially when it’s time for her favorite holiday, Diwali. No one around her seems to know about The Festival of Lights. So, at home, she joins her parents to prepare for the festivities. Soon it begins to look, smell, and taste more like the holiday she loves. When her neighbors take notice, they all share in the celebration. Shachi Kaushik’s story relatable and informative and includes back matter with an author’s explanation about Diwali and a glossary of terms used in the book. Aishwarya Tandon’s illustrations are expressive, colorful, and inclusive. This heartwarming story is about cultural and family traditions, overcoming homesickness, community and family connection, and Diwali, of course. 
 
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