A warm, heartfelt ode to Diwali and the joys of family.
An Indian American girl and her family prepare to celebrate a beloved holiday.
For Devi, Diwali is one of the best times of the year. She loves the colors, decorations, and food; Diwali is her “time to shine.” But as her family notes, before she can celebrate, she has to clean her room in preparation for the arrival of the goddess Lakshmi. After Devi is done, she watches her Nani (grandmother) and her father make puris and besan ladoos for the whole family to enjoy during the holiday. She’s particularly excited that she gets to try on all of the new clothes Nani brought for her from India for the days of celebration. Everyone celebrates Diwali in different ways, Devi notes, and she explains that she and her family “wrap up our ladoos in fancy boxes and deliver them to people we love” before throwing a party in their apartment. Neighbors stop by, curious about the festivities, and the family invites them to join in. Mirchandani’s simple, elegant text explains the holiday, vividly bringing to life a family that loves coming together to share traditions, while Kelkar’s bold use of color (particularly shades of purple, blue, and green) makes the illustrations pop. Characters—diverse in skin tone—are cartoonish, placed against backdrops that use attractive textures and patterns. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A warm, heartfelt ode to Diwali and the joys of family. (author's and illustrator's notes) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-33933-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
Not enough tricks to make this a treat.
Another holiday title (How To Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Elkerton, 2017) sticks to the popular series’ formula.
Rhyming four-line verses describe seven intrepid trick-or-treaters’ efforts to capture the witch haunting their Halloween. Rhyming roadblocks with toolbox is an acceptable stretch, but too often too many words or syllables in the lines throw off the cadence. Children familiar with earlier titles will recognize the traps set by the costume-clad kids—a pulley and box snare, a “Tunnel of Tricks.” Eventually they accept her invitation to “floss, bump, and boogie,” concluding “the dance party had hit the finale at last, / each dancing monster started to cheer! / There’s no doubt about it, we have to admit: / This witch threw the party of the year!” The kids are diverse, and their costumes are fanciful rather than scary—a unicorn, a dragon, a scarecrow, a red-haired child in a lab coat and bow tie, a wizard, and two space creatures. The monsters, goblins, ghosts, and jack-o'-lanterns, backgrounded by a turquoise and purple night sky, are sufficiently eerie. Still, there isn’t enough originality here to entice any but the most ardent fans of Halloween or the series. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not enough tricks to make this a treat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72821-035-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
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These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.
The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.
Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781728276137
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2022
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