One Diwali Day: Festivals of the World

The text is clean and easy to read, using ellipses to create pauses, size for tone, and cursive for important moments… .This is a refreshing and vibrant take on Diwali and the importance of family… .An illuminating, must-have purchase for every library.—School Library Journal (starred review)Rather than simply explaining the customs of the holiday, the creators thoughtfully center the emotional experience of celebration… . The writing is gentle and evocative, inviting young readers into Ronak’s world with warmth and sincerity… . What sets this book apart is its ability to balance cultural education with universally resonant storytelling.—BooklistKothari’s sensitively written text —anchored with a refrain of “Arré, arré! No, No! Now what will I do?”—highlights the big and little rituals of Diwali while speaking to Ronak’s joys and uncertainties. A gentle reminder that the people we love are the main event in every celebration.—Kirkus Reviews[A] joyful celebration of Diwali, from snacks to friendship to explosions of light.—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Dev Kothari grew up in a sleepy hamlet near Mumbai, where she read obsessively, wrote furtively, and daydreamed endlessly. In 2018, she won the Commonword Diversity Young Adult Fiction Prize, then went on to earn an MA in writing for young people at Bath Spa University. Bringing Back Kay-Kay was her debut novel. Dev Kothari lives in North London.

Aditi Anand, an illustrator from India, was the winner of a Picture This! Illustration competition in the UK. She says, “My work passionately reflects my origins. I love working with mixed media and am drawn to stories with strong emotional undertones. I enjoy being indoors, sipping chai, and drawing everyday life in my sketchbook.” Aditi Anand lives in Cambridgeshire, England.