Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Diwali: With Sweets, Lights, and Fireworks [Paperback]

Deborah Heiligman (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Holidays Around the World

Beautiful, dynamic photographs and brief, lively text introduce readers to the joyous holiday of Diwali, evoking the celebrations of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains around the world.

In Deborah Heiligman's inviting global odyssey of the Hindu holiday we learn that Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil, and of light over darkness. Although celebrated differently in different places, Diwali is universally viewed as a time of great joy, celebrated with fireworks, sweets, and gifts.

Celebrate Diwali brings to life the holiday's traditions, food, and celebration rituals. The informative back matter includes Diwali recipes, a glossary, a Diwali card game, a map, and a resource list of books and Web sites. Also included is a note to parents and teachers from the book's consultant, Dr. Vasudha Narayanan.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1–3—These titles balance historical perspective with contemporary cultural significance in describing the holidays. Diwali focuses on the Hindu celebration in India but mentions observance by the Sikh and Jain faiths and also shows customs in four other countries. All texts capture well the spirit of the holidays, conveying in Ramadan, for example, the holy purpose of fasting and the shared joy in feasting. While the first-person plural texts create a mostly inclusive tone, they present Native Americans as "other" by using the third person to explain that Thanksgiving is a day of mourning for some Indians whereas others hold ceremonies of thanks. Each spread features up to three high-quality color photographs, a paragraph of body text, and a line of much larger text that creates a focal point and supports contextual understanding. Many cultures are represented through photos and captions, including five continents in Ramadan. Each book includes a map showing where the photos were taken, along with extras such as games, recipes, a prayer, or historical time lines, and ends with a page of additional cultural and historical information for adults. These visually appealing volumes would update any multicultural or holiday collection. Consider Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith's Celebrating Ramadan (Holiday House, 2001) and Laurie Halse Anderson's Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving (S & S, 2002) as companions.—Julie R. Ranelli, Kent Island Branch Library, Stevensville, MD
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"These titles balance historical perspective with contemporary cultural significance in describing the holidays...These visually appealing volumes would update any multicultural or holiday collection."—School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books (September 9, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1426302916
• ISBN-13: 978-1426302916
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 0.1 x 9.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #762,250 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #8 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Religions > Eastern
  • #38 in Books > Children's Books > Religions > Eastern
  • #56 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Holidays & Festivals > Religious

More About the Author

Deborah Heiligman has written more than twenty books for children, most of them nonfiction, including three other biographies. She is married to Jonathan Weiner, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1994 for The Beak of the Finch.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice book, November 24, 2009

By 

A4Q96 "Gadget Lover" (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Diwali: With Sweets, Lights, and Fireworks (Paperback)

We purchased this book - Celebrate Diwali With Sweets, Lights and Fireworks, by Deborah Heligman - along with two others in preparation for a Diwali party with friends, as well as an introduction to Diwali at my daughter's school for her classmates.

This one is the most complete we have found in terms of pictures and content, about 30 pages in all. The kids at my daughter's school (4 and 5 year olds) liked looking at the pictures very much, but the text is aimed more at the 6-8 year old range.

All in all, a worthwhile purchase that my kids will grow into.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Celebrate Diwali:, August 28, 2007

By 

Kim "Kim" (Guwahati, India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Diwali: With Sweets, Lights, and Fireworks (Hardcover)

Author Deborah Heiligman has embarked on an ambitious "Holidays Around the World Series" with National Geographic

Aimed at 6-9 year old children the series is rich in photographs from around the world and lower on textual explanations, letting the pictures speak for themselves.

The pictures are amazing and well laid out. For someone who celebrates Diwali, the pictures will seem incomplete because there are so many more aspects than can be represented in a 32 page book. But for someone who has no idea about Diwali, this is a very good introduction.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Photographs, Great to Share, February 10, 2009

By 

Gita "http://www.TheMommyTree.com" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Diwali: With Sweets, Lights, and Fireworks (Paperback)

There are large vivid photographs, and large text and detailed text. The international coverage of Diwali in this book is unlike the others out there. That really makes this a global book. Check my blog on www.desimamma.ning.com to see how I used this book in the classroom.