One Diwali Day

PreS-Gr 2–A bright, beautiful celebration of family and love on Diwali, this moving story centers one child’s anticipation of the holiday as he waits for his big sister, Dida. Ronak desperately attempts to distract himself, drawing a rangoli, greeting his grandparents, eating rasgullas and chaklis, and watching fireworks burst across the sky. Each time he’s anxious Dida isn’t there, he thinks, “Arré, arré! No, no!/ Now what will I do?” He then ruminates and refrains with, “So I let my worry fly away.” The text is clean and easy to read, using ellipses to create pauses, size for tone, and cursive for important moments. Literary devices, such as repetition and onomatopoeia, are used well. Mixed-media art pops with colors of vibrant pink, green, orange, and blue, revealing items discussed in text and blurring background objects to redirect focus on the main character. Ronak’s demonstration of balance in the face of worry, with the repeated mantras offset in bold, offers a second story besides Diwali; it shares the very real concerns of a young boy who loves his sister and how he finds comfort through his family and religion. This is a refreshing and vibrant take on Diwali and the importance of family. Back matter includes recipes for making Diwali pedas and instructions for how to make a Diwali lantern, accompanied by illustrations and easy-to-find ingredients and materials. Both activities are simple enough for parents to do it with their children, and the ingredients and materials won’t break the bank.