I have been seeing more representation of Indian and Indian American people and celebrations in children’s literature in the United States the last couple of years, which is a good trend that I hope continues. From what I could see, there were 6 new Diwali books in the last 2 years alone! Considering that Diwali, a celebration of good over evil, is “India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year” & “is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians,” it is definitely one we should want students in the United States to learn about (National Geographic Kids). If you share books about any Christian or U.S. holidays, you should also be sharing books about holidays from the many cultures & beliefs of the global majority. As one of the big Festivals of Light, these types of celebrations can be a starting point into connecting to other cultures and religions for kids, but we should not limit just to stories of holiday & celebrations, but ensure we balance with everyday representation as well.
And this timely reminder to be extra aware of how we may incorporate activities related to holidays in our classrooms, especially those that may not be from our own culture, to ensure we are not being disrespectful or dismissive of the importance of them from a religious standpoint:
Picture Books to Celebrate Diwali
Diwali in My New Home
Diwali Lights
Shubh Diwali!
Binny’s Diwali
My Diwali Light
It’s Diwali!
