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A young girl is very excited for Diwali and all the events that come with it, especially the rangolis competition. Her younger brother ruins all the preparations and events. For the rangolis competition, he spills powder on her design, but she ends up winning anyway because it is unique. She reflects that he is annoying, but recognizes that he is still a young child who is learning and in the end, she is happy he’s around. Ends with a 2-page summary of Diwali, including different reasons for celebrating and explains the cultural elements from the story.
Published: 2022
Originally written in French
Number of pages: 32
Recommended FSL Programs and Grades
Recommended FSL Programs and Grades
Core French grade 1-3
French immersion grade 4-5
Race/Ethnic/Geographic Information
Race/Ethnic/Geographic Information
Author: Both authors are Indian.
Characters: The characters are Indian. There is a young girl and a younger boy, plus a mom and dad who are the most featured. Extended family are present as well.
Notes from a teacher-reader
Notes from a teacher-reader
I don't think this book necessarily disrupts essentialism, tokenism, or stereotypes, but I don't think it reinforces them either. Because it is a very short book that does not engage beyond the celebration of Diwali and the 3 events Ariana is interested in, it could be seen as a bit essentializing.
This is a good introduction to Diwali and does a good job summarizing what the celebration can entail, while also pointing out that it is different in different areas. It is a short read and the pictures are very bright and fun.
This book is geared toward a much younger audience, so for core French I would not go above grade 5, they might find it feels too young for them; the takeaway message is very simplistic: be patient and tolerant.
Feel free to contact the teacher-reader, Marika Kunnas, at marika.kunnas@ubc.ca if you have questions about this novel.
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