Amma, Tell Me About Diwali!

My 3 year old asks me to read this to her constantly! At first, I thought this book would be a little long, which it could be for those with a shorter attention span, but my daughter not only listened to the entire story, I had to re-read it on request. It is nice, however, if you wish to break it up. The book has 3 "sections" that aren't clearly delineated, but easy enough to figure out as you read. First, it starts with how Klaka (the main character) celebrates Diwali with his family. Then, his Amma (mom) tells him about why we celebrate Diwali, about Rama vs. Ravana, etc. Lastly, he hears about Goddess Lakshmi and the importance of being a good person, not just doing the rituals of lighting diyas. The pictures are beautiful, the verses rhyme a bit loosely (I didn't even notice the rhyme my first time through the book), the message is great, the history is told in a simple way for young children. All in all, I love this book and most importantly, my daughter loves it too!

This book is a wonderful little package that covers all the highlights of Diwali. - Starts with sharing a perfect, happy & festive Diwali day to highlight the celebrations. - Then recaps the Ramayana in about 9 pages & 14 short paragraphs to share the reason for the celebration. - Finally ends with a story about Goddess Lakshmi, which has a beautiful moral that highlights the importance of honesty & hard work for kids. All in all: This book is a perfect little package that celebrates the festival, shares the reason behind the festivities - and all with the help of FANTASTIC ILLUSTRATIONS!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

It's really hard to find books and other materials that are appropriate for bicultural kids. My kids are growing up in Australia but I want them to understand their sub-continental heritage and books like this one and the others in the series are great. This book is particularly brilliant because of the spectacular illustrations. I have 'only' given it 4 stars rather than 5 because it's quite long, so although the language is pitched at an appropriate level for both my 3 and 6 yr old, it could be too long for some kids of similar ages.

Absolutely wonderful story and pictures that will delight young children and adults alike. I beelive my husband enjoyed it more than my kids!!! My kids loved the book and ask me to read it again and again. I bought it to teach my kids the story of Diwali and it truly did not dissapoint! I bought a few more to give as gifts. I even took it to my kids' school to teach the class about Diwali. Love it!

I gifted this book to my kids, as well as my nieces & nephews for Diwali (ages 1-4). I was very pleased with the quality of the book. The illustrations and stories are beautiful and even I learned a few things from the book. I was concerned that the book itself was paperback and not a hardcover book - though the pages are very thick and sturdy. The price tag was a little steep for me, but this book will be one that is read over and over again during the holidays.

The illustrations were okay; a little dark, not bright and colorful. One page had a “scary” looking guy. But the main things was all the words. It was recommended for ages 2-8 years, but you’d have to skip a lot, to accommodate a 2/3 year old.

I was looking for a picture book to introduce my 2.5 yr old to Diwali (I live in the US). This book is beautifully illustrated and the stories are short and simple (not easy to do with Indian mythology) and easy to consume for kids. I would recommend this for anyone looking for a fun way to share the rich world on Indian mythology with kids and highly encourage the authors to keep up the great work!

As an American married to an Indian-American, I enjoyed reading this version of Diwali to our toddler. It details the festival in three parts providing brief background to the Gods and Goddesses. I want our toddler to understand this holiday but being far from my husband's family we do not get to celebrate it first hand with loved ones; so many -isms are lost. I am trying to recreate it in all its colorful, bright and lively glory. This book not only allows me as a parent to get a better idea of Diwali and how it is celebrated but allows our kid to have another form of exposure to this most special of holidays.

This is an excellent series of books to learn about Indian festivals. Our grandchildren enjoy them immensely. Every year, their grandmother has to read the whole story to them. They love the illustrations.

Excellent!!!!

beautifully illustrated, my 5yr old and 3yr old loves listening to it - easy to follow but also has an important message 'just praying isn't enough, actions need to be good!'

Bhakti Mathur in her new book, Amma Tell me about Diwali shares the stories about Diwali that kids are going to love. With beautiful illustrations and a crisp writing style, she shares the story of Lord Rama returning to Ayodhya and about Goddess Lakshmi coming to Earth on the Day of Diwali to bless the devotees. Both the stories and the essence of it is interestingly conveyed by the author. I liked the simplicity in the author's writing and how she captures the young reader's attention. It's important to know the significance of each festival and Bhakti Mathur's books are perfect for it. A short, quick and fun read. I enjoyed reading Goddess Lakshmi story the most.

Apart from the beautiful illustrations, the story line tells us the reason why and how Diwali is celebrated. There s also a good message in the end.