Amma, Tell Me About Diwali!

My 3 year old asks me to read this to her constantly! At first, I thought this book would be a little long, which it could be for those with a shorter attention span, but my daughter not only listened to the entire story, I had to re-read it on request. It is nice, however, if you wish to break it up. The book has 3 "sections" that aren't clearly delineated, but easy enough to figure out as you read. First, it starts with how Klaka (the main character) celebrates Diwali with his family. Then, his Amma (mom) tells him about why we celebrate Diwali, about Rama vs. Ravana, etc. Lastly, he hears about Goddess Lakshmi and the importance of being a good person, not just doing the rituals of lighting diyas. The pictures are beautiful, the verses rhyme a bit loosely (I didn't even notice the rhyme my first time through the book), the message is great, the history is told in a simple way for young children. All in all, I love this book and most importantly, my daughter loves it too!

This book is a wonderful little package that covers all the highlights of Diwali. - Starts with sharing a perfect, happy & festive Diwali day to highlight the celebrations. - Then recaps the Ramayana in about 9 pages & 14 short paragraphs to share the reason for the celebration. - Finally ends with a story about Goddess Lakshmi, which has a beautiful moral that highlights the importance of honesty & hard work for kids. All in all: This book is a perfect little package that celebrates the festival, shares the reason behind the festivities - and all with the help of FANTASTIC ILLUSTRATIONS!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

It's really hard to find books and other materials that are appropriate for bicultural kids. My kids are growing up in Australia but I want them to understand their sub-continental heritage and books like this one and the others in the series are great. This book is particularly brilliant because of the spectacular illustrations. I have 'only' given it 4 stars rather than 5 because it's quite long, so although the language is pitched at an appropriate level for both my 3 and 6 yr old, it could be too long for some kids of similar ages.

I was looking for a picture book to introduce my 2.5 yr old to Diwali (I live in the US). This book is beautifully illustrated and the stories are short and simple (not easy to do with Indian mythology) and easy to consume for kids. I would recommend this for anyone looking for a fun way to share the rich world on Indian mythology with kids and highly encourage the authors to keep up the great work!

I gifted this book to my kids, as well as my nieces & nephews for Diwali (ages 1-4). I was very pleased with the quality of the book. The illustrations and stories are beautiful and even I learned a few things from the book. I was concerned that the book itself was paperback and not a hardcover book - though the pages are very thick and sturdy. The price tag was a little steep for me, but this book will be one that is read over and over again during the holidays.

Absolutely wonderful story and pictures that will delight young children and adults alike. I beelive my husband enjoyed it more than my kids!!! My kids loved the book and ask me to read it again and again. I bought it to teach my kids the story of Diwali and it truly did not dissapoint! I bought a few more to give as gifts. I even took it to my kids' school to teach the class about Diwali. Love it!

The illustrations were okay; a little dark, not bright and colorful. One page had a “scary” looking guy. But the main things was all the words. It was recommended for ages 2-8 years, but you’d have to skip a lot, to accommodate a 2/3 year old.

Had purchased a few other Diwali books and was unhappy with how straightforward the pictures and story was - they would not hold my 3 year-old's attention. Bought this book to read aloud to my 3 year-old and also to her preschool class. The beautiful pictures and simple rhymes kept her entire class of 30 engaged while I read to them. It is a bit long but I like that because I can read parts of it now, while she is younger, and keep reading more as she grows. I know we will enjoy this book for many years to come.

This is an excellent series of books to learn about Indian festivals. Our grandchildren enjoy them immensely. Every year, their grandmother has to read the whole story to them. They love the illustrations.

Excellent!!!!

beautifully illustrated, my 5yr old and 3yr old loves listening to it - easy to follow but also has an important message 'just praying isn't enough, actions need to be good!'

Expensive but a good read for kids

I have been reading this book to my 4 yr old since a few days right before diwali. Not only did she love the book, she learnt a lot from it as well. The beliefs, customs, rituals, festivities, everything is explained in a lucid story format which makes the book interesting. The story is fun with little kids as the main characters with whom the kids can relate. Really good way to teach young kids about the festival.