Divali Rose

by Vashanti Rahaman, Jamel Akib (Illustrator)

The meaning of the Hindu "festival of lights" becomes clear to a young boy. Ricki is looking forward to Divali, the Hindu "festival of lights." He's also waiting for two special rosebuds to bloom—buds on the bush his grandfather had planted in the front yard. Grandfather promises that the roses will be the color of Divali, but Ricki can't imagine what color that might be. One morning, Ricki bends one of the rosebuds to get a closer look and accidentally snaps it off. When his grandfather believes the new neighbors have stolen his rosebud, Ricki must summon up the courage to confess what he has done. Set in Trinidad, this moving story reflects the significance of a festival that is celebrated by nearly one billion Hindus worldwide.

Genres: Picture Books, Aapi

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2008

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Ricki accidentally breaks off one of the two rosebuds on grandfather's new rose bush, on his way to school one day, he arrives home to discover that Grandpa blames the family of recent Indian immigrants who have moved in next door. Those "India people," as Grandpa calls them, are different from Ricki's own Indian ancestors, who came to Trinidad in the nineteenth century. Or so Grandpa believes. But Divali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, is around the corner, and a conversation between grandfather and grandson, a gracious gesture on Grandpa's part, and a confession on Ricki's, lead to a happy holiday resolution of this misunderstanding.

Addressing the tension between different generations of immigrants, often from the same part of the world, as well as the importance of making a new start, and healing quarrels, during this important time of year, Divali Rose is an engaging holiday picture-book with a believable young hero. Young readers will identify with Ricki's reluctance to confess what he has done, and rejoice when Grandpa finally relents, and visits his new neighbors. The story is written in a colloquial Trinidadian style that gives the story an authentic feeling, although some of the language usage may be unfamiliar, or appear incorrect, to speakers of Standard English. The illustrations, done in oil pastel, work well with the narrative, communicating Ricki's distress, when he has broken the rosebud, and his delight, when their new neighbors send a Divali gift.

All in all, this is an engaging holiday title, which I would recommend to anyone looking for good Divali stories for younger readers.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Divali Rose is a 2009 America's Award Commended Title. It is about a boy who lives with his grandparents in Trinidad. They are originally from India. In the story, the young boy is anxious to find out what color the roses on his grandfather's new rose bush will be. He accidentally breaks off one of the new rosebuds one day, and is afraid to tell his grandfather. The grandfather notices the damage to the rose bush and gets upset. He immediately blames the "new Indians" that have just immigrated to Trinidad from India. This book is full of themes, and my class pulled even more themes from this text than those that I had originally thought of! Always tell the truth and don't judge others because they are different were just a couple of the many themes portrayed through this lovely written story. I would highly suggest this for elementary school students!

[L13F_Jana Wilkening · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the 2009 Commended List...

Ricki is preparing to celebrate Divali, a Hindu festival of light, with his family in Trinidad. One day, he accidentally breaks off one of the Divali roses that his grandfather planted in the front yard. His grandfather immediately suspects the new Indian family who he claims are not like them, since they have been in Trinidad since their ancestors came long-ago while this new family just arrived from India. As Ricki summons the courage to admit his guilt, he and his grandfather learn valuable lessons in judgement and acceptance of others. The lovely illustrations accompany this sweet and simple story.

This would be an excellent resource for use in grades K-3. This would be a great "day 1" book to introduce students to the concepts of the harm in judging others based on their ethnicity.

[Alina Karapandzich · Rating 2 out of 5]

The storyline was neat and reflected the meaning of Divali pretty well. However, the illustrations and word choice were confusing in their connection (or lack there-of) to this holiday celebrating light and new beginnings. The illustrations were dark and chaotic, making it not a very Divali-feeling book visually.

[Jessica King]

Grandpa's roses are blooming in time for Divali, but Ricki and his Grandpa both have some lessons to learn before they are ready celebrate. Read my full review on my blog, Caribbean Children's Books.

[Emily Sharpe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book showcasing a different perspective on Diwali (Indo-Caribbean).

[Wendgard11 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great picture book about the festival of lights and it's meaning

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This interesting story takes place in the Indian (as in India) community of Trinidad. I was fascinated with the particular speech and customs of Ricki and the people in his neighborhood. I do think, however, that some young readers might find the native speech unusual enough that it would be distracting from the story, perhaps even confusing. The message of the story, to tell the truth and face the consequences of your actions, was perfect for the spirit of the festival, Divali. This story made me want to visit Trinidad and meet these people for myself!

[Kristyan Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story centers around a boy who is learning to understand his heritage through the Indian Festival of Divali. What makes this book very special is the surprise significance of the rose at the end of the story. I would use Divali Rose as an introduction to either Indian history or Trinidadian/Caribbean culture. Because the themes in Divali Rose are pretty complex, the story would be best suited for older middle-level students, although younger students would appreciate the illustrations and the general storyline.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet book on the Divali holiday.

[CML OSU]

jE
RAH

[Dora · Rating 3 out of 5]

2009 Americas Commended Title