HAPPY HOLI!

A South Asian family observes a holiday that honors the coming of spring.

The family waits for the full moon that signals the beginning of Holi. To prepare, they collect wood for a bonfire, clean the house, and gather flower petals, fruits, and tea to make natural dyes. Later, the family tells stories around the fire; the next day, joined by friends and family, they playfully spray each other with the colored powder and dye they made yesterday. Drumbeats form the soundtrack to the celebration as they “dance away the afternoon.” The festivities end with a delicious lunch consisting of spiced almond milk, a sweet pastry known as gujiya, and more. The book concludes with a reminder to “praise the love of god today” and to enter the new year with a spirit of generosity, forgiveness, and abundance. This is a lyrical, ebullient introduction to an important Hindu holiday. Huq’s energetic illustrations, appropriately filled with color and movement, depict characters with a variety of skin tones and abilities (one character uses a hearing aid), their faces radiating love and joy. While a few rhymes seem forced, these moments are quickly forgotten in the midst of some particularly lovely turns of phrase. Soundar highlights the major elements of the holiday, while backmatter includes further information and a glossary; those unfamiliar with Holi will emerge enlightened.

Joyful, comprehensive, and poetic.