Lighting a Lamp: A Diwali Story

by Jonny Zucker, Jan Barger (Illustrator)

Books in the Festival Time series describe the activities of typical families as parents and children celebrate some of their culture's major holidays. Attractive color illustrations on every page will appeal to younger children. The simply yet delightfully told stories describe the festivities while giving children background information about holidays in many different cultures. A two-page spread at the back of each book contains information for parents, and includes suggestions on ways to communicate the holiday's meaning to kids.

Diwali is the Hindu five-day festival of lights that welcomes in the lunar new year. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin, or Aasho, which occurs in October or November, depending on the lunar calendar. During the festival, parents tell stories that relate to the holiday, exchange gifts of sweets, light candles, and attend elaborate fireworks displays. The holiday is marked by an abundance of lights displayed in homes and businesses.

Genres: Holiday, Picture Books, India, Childrens

24 pages, Paperback

First published August 19, 2004

Reviews

[Nicoleta]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p_2X...

[Ariel Ortiz]

After completing an overview of world religions, diving into religious traditions from around the world will allow for students to begin to understand multiple religions and their practice. When diving into Hinduism, learning about particular practices and rituals allows for students to understand how religion is interwoven into all aspects of life in Hindu culture. Pairing "Lighting A Lamp: A Diwali Story" with a lesson on Diwali will provide students with one example of ritual used within a non-western religion. One great youtube video that allows for students to see this festival in action can be found on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPwmX.... After watching the clip and reading the book, students can mold their own pots and infuse art into the lesson.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative text for younger readers.
Zucker explains Diwali in simple to follow text.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good introductory overview if you, like me, know literally nothing about Diwali.

[Sarah Skepple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lighting a Lamp: A Diwali Story is a book about a young boy helping his family prepare for Diwali and all that is done in between to prepare for it. This book is perfect for young children and gives them awareness of the Hindu religion in a positive way. The words used can be understood by children perfectly.
The genre I would add this to is realistic fiction, because this could
The pictures are really cute, and very different than the usual illustrations in books.
I added this to my text set because of the information within it. There is a story here, but in the back it has the definition of Diwali and other cool informational definitions for the Hindu celebration.
This book is shows one culture group, but one that is not seen every day. It is a positive outlook on the characters, and the characters are convincing and positive. It is a cute family on a mission to have a successful Diwali, and I enjoyed reading it. I'm sure the children will enjoy the realities and genuineness of the characters in this book.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short, but informative story about the Diwali holiday. I thought it would be nice to share this story with our girls, to learn a little bit about a different religious holiday. The narrative is simple and the illustrations are colorful and cartoonish, so this book is appropriate for preschoolers and older. We enjoyed reading this book together.

[Christine Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow a family as they celebrate a Hindu tradition.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book that provides good information for kids and parents who want to learn about this Hindu ceremony. The back of the book has information for adults about it.

[Buxmont Uu]

PBWR 4