When children see their culture represented in books, it can promote inclusivity and self-worth. Being able to share parts of their lives at home and have others interested in the holidays they celebrate may make students feel more accepted and comfortable in the group.
When children learn about many cultures and different holidays, it helps them to appreciate the world and the people around them. Introducing your children to a variety of cultures, via the gift of reading, is one step to raising culturally sensitive humans.
Diwali is a major holiday celebrated by people of Hindu and other faiths, and is a major holiday in India, similar to Thanksgiving or Christmas in the US, according to National Geographic magazine. It is typically in late October or early November, November 12th in 2023. Here are a few titles to get started with at an early elementary, even preschool, level.
The Diwali Gift by Shweta Chopra and Shuchi Mehta (2015)
The characters get a gift from one character’s grandmother, Dadima, to celebrate the Hindu Festival of Lights, Diwali. This story explains some of the traditions of a Diwali celebration - it may help some students make connections to their holiday, which may not be a holiday we all know about. There is a wonderful glossary at the back that would be worth scanning first for key definitions. Children light up when they feel connections with a story - this would be a great story to help them shine and promote inclusivity .
Diwali (board book) by Hannah Eliot, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan (2018)
This is a great little book that shows the ways that Diwali is celebrated - gathering with friends and family, lighting the brightest lanterns, and praying for a bountiful season. The illustrations show the family cleaning, decorating, and making rangoli, which are beautiful sand paintings. Lighting diyas (candle vessels) and feasting are also integral parts of the holiday. Even though is looks like a simple board book, this book is packed with info and will explain the holiday, and help children make connections.
Although not about Diwali, my Diwali-celebrating friends really enjoyed this book, which highlights some vocabulary and customs, while setting it all to a “Wheels on the Bus” rhyme.
The Wheels on the TukTuk by Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal (2015)
The book has a great glossary to get up to speed on words that might be unfamiliar. Students can join in - it won’t matter what their cultural background is - and learn about each other in the process. Even the smallest students might want to sing along and in our case, lots of giggles and trying out pronunciations ensued!
The wala will drive you around in the tuktuk and you might get inspired to make your own tuktuk afterwards. My friends lined up some chairs and played tuktuk, checking their pronunciations with each other - adorable!
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There are several others books now available - these are just a small selection, as publishers have begun to respond to the need for more diversity in children’s books.
The family members who were consulted about book choice regarding Diwali and related culture were very animated and excited to see the books, which I love and appreciate! I wanted to make sure that the books I chose were accurate and acceptable - but what I learned was that being consulted was unexpected and very welcome. So, feel free to try this strategy with your village!
And - have fun!
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