MY DIWALI LIGHT

An Indian American girl and her family prepare to celebrate a beloved holiday.

For Devi, Diwali is one of the best times of the year. She loves the colors, decorations, and food; Diwali is her “time to shine.” But as her family notes, before she can celebrate, she has to clean her room in preparation for the arrival of the goddess Lakshmi. After Devi is done, she watches her Nani (grandmother) and her father make puris and besan ladoos for the whole family to enjoy during the holiday. She’s particularly excited that she gets to try on all of the new clothes Nani brought for her from India for the days of celebration. Everyone celebrates Diwali in different ways, Devi notes, and she explains that she and her family “wrap up our ladoos in fancy boxes and deliver them to people we love” before throwing a party in their apartment. Neighbors stop by, curious about the festivities, and the family invites them to join in. Mirchandani’s simple, elegant text explains the holiday, vividly bringing to life a family that loves coming together to share traditions, while Kelkar’s bold use of color (particularly shades of purple, blue, and green) makes the illustrations pop. Characters—diverse in skin tone—are cartoonish, placed against backdrops that use attractive textures and patterns. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

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