My Diwali Light

by Raakhee Mirchandani (Author) Supriya Kelkar (Illustrator)

My Diwali Light
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

A charming holiday story following one girl's family as they celebrate their Diwali traditions with the ones they love.

Devi loves the Diwali season. It's a time to wear her favorite red bindi and eat samosas until she bursts! Makemithai and design rangoli with her Papa. And paint diyas with her nani--a reminder to shine her light brightly all year long.

This joyful story, with vibrant collage illustrations, follows one girl's Diwali traditions as her family celebrates their favorite holiday with the ones they love.

Select format:
Hardcover
$18.99

Kirkus

A warm, heartfelt ode to Diwali and the joys of family.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3--Many picture books about Diwali have recently been published; what sets this one apart is its mixture of both traditional and new ways to celebrate the holiday in a secular nation. Diwali is Devi's favorite time of year because that means there will be sweets, new clothes, jewelry, bindis, marigolds, diyas, rangoli, lights, and sparklers--but most of all, her family will be hosting a big party. The book has good pacing, starting from the ways in which Devi's family prepares for Diwali. Devi cleans her room and makes food with Nani, Papa, and Mama. Then, they commemorate by gathering and conducting a puja. The story presents both the celebration of Diwali and also the cleansing, prayers, and offerings involved. Mirchandani equates Diwali with collectivity, showing that the joy of the holiday can be shared with family and friends inside and outside of the culture. The illustrations are collage-style, which is fun and colorful for children, but may be a bit simplistic. Kelkar pieces together actual fabric patterns, but the intricacy of clothing like sarees and salwar kameez, and jewelry like tikkas and naths, are lost in these illustrations. Back matter includes notes from both Mirchandani and Kelkar, where they share their personal connections to the holiday. VERDICT The authenticity and flow of the narrative makes this a great addition to a South Asian collection. Fans of Jyoti Rajan Gopal's American Desi, also illustrated by Kelkar, will enjoy this book.--Paige Pagan

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Mirchandani equates Diwali with collectivity, showing that the joy of the holiday can be shared with family and friends inside and outside of the culture."—SLJ
Raakhee Mirchandani
Raakhee Mirchandani (raakstarwrites.com) is a journalist, children's book author, activist, and mom. Her work has appeared in Elle, Glamour, the Wall Street Journal, Redbook, HuffPo, Moneyish, the New York Post, the New York Daily News, and the Boston Herald, and her books include Hair Twins, Super Satya Saves the Day, and My Diwali Light. When she isn't writing or working on her podcast, Raakhee is either organizing her bookshelves, running races to raise money for the fight against pediatric cancer, or styling her very curly hair with new oils and potions. She lives in Hoboken, New Jersey, with her husband and daughter. You can follow her on Twitter @Raakstar and on Instagram @RaakstarWrites.

Chelsea Clinton is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World; She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History; She Persisted in Sports: American Olympians Who Changed the Game; She Persisted in Science: Brilliant Women Who Made a Difference; Don't Let Them Disappear: 12 Endangered Species Across the Globe; It's Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going!; Start Now!: You Can Make a Difference; with Hillary Clinton, Grandma's Gardens and Gutsy Women; and, with Devi Sridhar, Governing Global Health: Who Runs the World and Why? She is also the Vice Chair of the Clinton Foundation, where she works on many initiatives, including those that help empower the next generation of leaders. She lives in New York City with her husband, Marc, their children and their dog, Soren. You can follow Chelsea Clinton on Twitter @ChelseaClinton or on Facebook at facebook.com/chelseaclinton.

Gillian Flint (gillianflint.com) is an illustrator who has a passion for painting in watercolors. She has been drawing and creating characters for as long as she can remember. Her work has been published in the USA, the UK and Australia. In her spare time she enjoys reading and gardening at her home in the UK. You can follow her on Instagram @gillianflint_illustration.

Alexandra Boiger (alexandraboiger.com) has illustrated nearly twenty picture books, including the She Persisted series by by Chelsea Clinton; the popular Tallulah series by Marilyn Singer; and the Max and Marla books, which she also wrote. Originally from Munich, Germany, she now lives outside of San Francisco, California, with her husband, Andrea; daughter, Vanessa; and two cats, Luiso and Winter. You can follow Alexandra on Instagram @alexandra_boiger.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780316339339
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date
September 20, 2022
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV013030 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Multigenerational
JUV017090 - Juvenile Fiction | Holidays & Celebrations | Other, Religious
JUV074000 - Juvenile Fiction | Diversity & Multicultural
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Family life
Divali

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