Divali Rose

When Ricki accidentally breaks off one of the two rosebuds on grandfather's new rose bush, on his way to school one day, he arrives home to discover that Grandpa blames the family of recent Indian immigrants who have moved in next door. Those "India people," as Grandpa calls them, are different from Ricki's own Indian ancestors, who came to Trinidad in the nineteenth century. Or so Grandpa believes. But Divali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, is around the corner, and a conversation between grandfather and grandson, a gracious gesture on Grandpa's part, and a confession on Ricki's, lead to a happy holiday resolution of this misunderstanding.

Addressing the tension between different generations of immigrants, often from the same part of the show more world, as well as the importance of making a new start, and healing quarrels, during this important time of year, Divali Rose is an engaging holiday picture-book with a believable young hero. Young readers will identify with Ricki's reluctance to confess what he has done, and rejoice when Grandpa finally relents, and visits his new neighbors. The story is written in a colloquial Trinidadian style that gives the story an authentic feeling, although some of the language usage may be unfamiliar, or appear incorrect, to speakers of Standard English. The illustrations, done in oil pastel, work well with the narrative, communicating Ricki's distress, when he has broken the rosebud, and his delight, when their new neighbors send a Divali gift.

All in all, this is an engaging holiday title, which I would recommend to anyone looking for good Divali stories for younger readers. show less

Divali is a Hindu festival celebrated during the shortest of days by "nearly one million Hindus worldwide." That reason alone, makes this a valuable children's book - a learning tool for Westerners and a bit of the homeland for those of Indian descent. It is the story of one family's preparation to celebrate the Divali holiday, but more than that, it is a story of how young Ricki learns honesty while his grandfather learns tolerance. Set in the author's native Trinidad (home to many people of Indian descent), the oil pastel illustrations reflect the warmth of the Caribbean, but lack much of its joy. Still, a good choice for those wishing to learn or read about the Hindu Festival of Lights.

I enjoyed reading about Divali and obtaining a snapshot of the festival. I also thought the theme was well done – meaningful but not overt.
Curricular connections can be made with first through fourth grades. This would be a good book to use in conjunction with a social studies unit to introduce Hinduism and have students examine different religions and cultures around the world; additionally, the story is a good jumping off point to discussing prejudice and how preconceived notions about people can be combated.