Today billions of people across the world are celebrating Diwali. These two books from Scholastic will help readers enjoy the celebrations - or learn more about the festival if they don't celebrate it themselves. I used them to put on a Diwali themed evening at Rainbows this week, which we opened with The Best Diwali Ever and filled with crafts from All About Diwali.
The Best Diwali Ever
Ariana is determined to make this year's Diwali the Best Ever. From delicious sweets to beautiful clothes and fantastic fireworks, everything is going to be perfect - including the school rangoli competition, which she's determined to win. But her annoying little brother Rafi seems just as determined to make sure everything goes wrong!
This is a lovely story about celebrations, sibling relationships and spending time as a family. Its pages are full of colour and fun. My Rainbows were in awe of Ariana's beautiful rangoli pattern (and desperate to try making their own!) and Prabhat's colour scheme is really striking, making this book such a treat to look through. Ariana's frustrations with her younger sibling are relatable, and the story's conclusion - and the strength of her bond with Rafi - is really sweet. Its message of family and togetherness is even more poignant after a year when many celebrations took place without families able to come together.
At the back are two pages which explain what Diwali is - perfect for readers who don't know much about it - and the story itself is a wonderful introduction to the magic of celebrating Diwali, full of light, colour and fun.
All About Diwali
This brilliant book is packed full of activities, crafts and baking to help make Diwali celebrations The Best Ever. There's so much to do, it's a book that can be enjoyed year after year. It opens with some insight into Diwali - why and how it is celebrated and by who - making it accessible to readers who are interested in learning more about Diwali, as well as readers looking for crafts to make annual celebrations even more fun.
Yesterday we had a go at making Diwali lanterns from glass jars, drew our own rangoli patterns on paper (I wasn't sure the school we use as a venue would be pleased with us using sand!) and made some delicious coconut burfi. My daughter is also really keen to try the beautiful rainbow milkshake recipe and the vegetable diyas.
At the back is a Diwali journal, with space to record details of your own celebration, goals for the year ahead, and notes. It's a lovely addition and means this book would make a brilliant gift in the run up to Diwali celebrations.
The Best Diwali Ever is written by Sonali Shah and illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat
All About Diwali is written by Swapna Haddow and illustrated by Aditi Kakade Beaufrand
Thank you Scholastic for sending me copies of both to review