Diwali Lights

by Rina Singh

Every year in October or November people come together to celebrate Diwali. Diwali is the biggest and the brightest of all Hindu festivals. The stories woven into the festival of Diwali celebrate the victory of good over evil and light over darkness, and people celebrate this festival of lights by lighting clay lamps and candles, sharing sweets, exchanging gifts, offering prayers to gods and goddesses and watching fireworks. Introduce your little one to the awe of this brilliant festival through dazzling photographs and Singh's lyrical prose.

Genres: Picture Books, Holiday, Childrens, Hinduism, Photography

24 pages, Board Book

First published August 28, 2018

About the author

RINA SINGH was born in India and immigrated to Canada in 1980. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Concordia University and a teaching degree from McGill University. Before moving from Montreal to Toronto, she taught creative writing to gifted children. She has since written several critically acclaimed books for children. Her book A Forest of Stories has been translated into several languages, her poems and short stories have appeared in several Canadian literary journals, and she has exhibited photography in many Toronto galleries. Rina Singh teaches art and drama in Toronto, where she lives with her restaurateur husband and their two children.

Reviews

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a simple, cute book about Diwali celebrations for young children. The book is not about the reason for Diwali, it is about the colours, lights and celebrations that occur around this holiday. The text is done in rhyme and it is very simple. At the back of the book, there is an explanation about the holiday if you are reading this book to older children. All the illustrations are photographs of babies or young children enjoying the sights and sounds. A cute book to use in pre-school or kindergarten classes when learning about celebrations or for a family library who celebrates Diwali. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

[Stephanie ((Strazzybooks)) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was happy to find a book on Diwali with accessible language, as I teach an intermediate ESL lesson on Indian holidays and culture. I only wish the pictures chosen better matched the text/holiday-specific vocabulary and that they had labels to help readers better understand.

I did like that the book was split into two sections - the first, a rhyming story with short sentences for beginning readers and younger children, and the second, informative longer sentences about Diwali.

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This colourful board book about the greatest annual festival for Hindus was as divinely delightful as I had imagined!

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute little book about Diwali for very young children. The basic text is rhymed , but at the end of book there is a short explanation of what Diwali is about. The photographs of babies and young children all celebrating Diwali are sweet. I think this may well make a nice gift for a child celebrating Diwali or if book on the subject is needed for a preschool story time, I think this one would suit. Good story!

[StylesPlenty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to read Diwali Lights for free from Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a great explanation and example of what Diwali is all about. This would be perfect for young children to learn about Diwali. The photographs of babies and young children shows how they can also have fun while celebrating the best annual Hindu festival.

[Kitty Maschan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a cute and fun way to introduce Diwali and all the fun it brings! The photographs are of real babies and they are bright and clear. I love that there is so much color in the pictures too. It's not at all too wordy and will be perfect for my Diwali themed Stories for Babies at work this November. I've already put in a preorder for my library and look forward to adding this beautiful book to our collection. I definitely recommend it for any library, board book lover, or parent!

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Realistic photos depicting the text, celebrating traditions. Good representation. Each page of text is a different color, which gives opportunities for engagement and interaction. Big text, simple sentences or phrases. 1 page of back matter describing Diwali.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet board book about the Indian festival of Diwali. Photography is beautifully done and the text is simple but effective.

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction for younglings to introduce them to the festival of Diwali.

[Aarvik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful read!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great simple board book for toddlers about Holi!

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Photography based board book about Diwali.

[Tallmadge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clear, loving and with beautiful photos of babies (that should draw other babies in)

[Andrés · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative book about Diwali with real photos.

[Sonny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was not a fan of how much of the text was not depicted in the pictures at all (for example, they talk about henna and rangoli sand on a single page, then only show a photo of mehndi). It's presented as a board book for babies, but written like a picture book for older children.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED the pictures. They were so colorful and the babies were so cute! I wish that some of the terms had been explained in the back of the book for adults unfamiliar with the terminology. It really was great.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple board book of a baby on Diwali. There is a page at the end that explains Diwali, at a toddler level. It works, and is a beautiful book. Just not enough for a Diwali novice.

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diwali Lights by Rina Singh is a board book for newborns and toddlers. Through simple, sweet rhyme, and gorgeous pictures, it introduces Diwali, the Indian Festival of Light, to young minds. At the very back is a more detailed explanation of Diwali for older readers sharing the book. As an anthropologist, and strong proponent of cultural awareness, I highly recommend this book for daycare reading, and of course, for anyone with small children.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Orca Books for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This board book touches briefly and lightly on the festival of Diwali.