I lived in England until I was 22, when I married an American despite all warnings about portion size and heavy winters. My entire childhood was spent in the town of Walsall in the heart of the West Midlands. For many years my school was a few hundred yards away from my house, though in later years it was two towns and two city buses away. Within a mile of my house, I could walk to two fish and chip shops, a library, one Indian restaurant, and one Sikh temple. Expand to a few miles and you add in four more Indian restaurants, two churches, and another temple.
Of my two best friends in elementary school, one’s family was entirely from our small town and the other’s mostly still lived in Jamaica. My mortal enemy spent a year between the ages of 7 and 8 with his family in India, where he cheated prodigiously and passed me in math workbooks, or that is how my 8-year-old brain perceived it when he returned.
Living in Maine, I am aware that my kids are not exposed to the cultural diversity that I was. I was delighted to share with my daughter the latest addition to the Little Golden Books line of books Diwali: A Festival of Lights, as Diwali is a holiday that featured prominently in my childhood. While we held assemblies every morning that were heavy on the Church of England hymnal, we would also spend a few weeks of art class each year making little clay pots, and for a week at Diwali, our halls would be lined with little candles to celebrate the holiday. It was beautiful. Even without the candles lit, the colorful pots were so vibrant and plentiful that they are etched into my brain and my heart. Diwali: A Festival of Lights is written by Anita Yasuda and illustrated by Darshika Varma, and it showcases the joys and activities of this holiday while sharing with me the joyful memories of my childhood.
All Images: Little Golden Books
There are five days of Diwali, and this year they fall on October 31st through November 5th. Diwali is generally celebrated as the Hindu festival of lights, and variations of this are celebrated in other Indian religions. The celebration is a symbol of the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. I love everything about the nature of this holiday. For my many Sikh friends in school, this was a major holiday, and we joined in celebrating with them every year. The first field trip I ever remember going on (when I was around 7 or 8) was to the local Sikh temple. I can remember taking off my shoes and covering my head. I remember the people on their knees in prayer and the smells of strong spices coming from somewhere — -I assumed a kitchen.
Sharing this book with my 9-year-old daughter, I was delighted to talk to her about the different cultures that live and worship around us. The book gives just enough story, with the right amount of history and tradition for her to be thoroughly engaged with something so outside her usual understanding of holidays. She’s been asking a lot more questions about why we do things the way we do, and how it’s different from how I grew up in England. The story is told in such a way that it highlights the similarities with traditions she is used to — -lights, family, etc. — -and shows how similar we all are even though we each have our own cultures and faiths. I love that she’s beginning to develop her own critical eye for the societal constructs around her, just by asking questions from a storybook.
The narrative follows the intimacies of a family celebration, whilst the youngest member of the family tells us what they are doing, and also talks about the various things happening around the world as part of the celebration. We go from their living wheel to a Ferris wheel in England to Nepal. The artwork is beautiful, and I would dare to claim it goes a few steps beyond the usual Little Golden Books illustrations that I am accustomed to. Although the subject matter being a festival of light does lend itself to bright and vibrant illustrations. From clay lamps and vibrant rangoli designs to aromatic flowers and inviting foods, this new book helps immerse you in the hustle and bustle of this engaging holiday. It is a great way to learn about this culture and to open up wider conversations about the cultures around us.
GeekMom received a copy of this book for review purposes
