CELEBRATE IN SOUTH ASIA

by Joe & Diane Hall Viesti ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 1996

This is truly a fascinating and highly accessible survey of religious holidays and community festivals in India (Holi and the Pushkar Camel Fair), Sri Lanka (Esala Perahera--an astonishing procession honoring Buddha's tooth relic--and Wesak--Buddha's birthday), Bangladesh (Baishakhi--the Bengali New Year), Pakistan (Eid-ul-Fitr--breaking the Ramadan fast), Bhutan (Paro Tsechu--a dance festival), Myanmar (the Shwedagon Pagoda Festival), and Nepal (Tihar--the Newari New Year). Relatively few children in the US will have experienced these celebrations. Viesti and Hall's concise descriptions are a vivid mix of respectful reporting enlivened by kidpleasing details. In a typical entry, describing Holi, they observe: ""Unlike most festivals in Asia, during Holi everyone wears their worst clothes"" because ""people take to the streets and throw gulal [colored powder] onto one another's faces."" Three full-color photos offer exhilarating glimpses of Indians of all ages gleefully celebrating. Curious readers will find even more information in the photo captions. Fact-filled, congenial fare.

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1996

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Lothrop

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1996

Categories: CHILDREN'S