Binny's Diwali

Umrigar, T. N. (2020). Binny's Diwali. Scholastic Press.

Genre: Picture Book Fiction

    This book discusses the religious holiday of Diwali and its cultural significance. Binny is giving a presentation on the holiday Diwali in her class. She wears her new Indian outfit and her new blue suede shoes. She talks about how people will go shopping for gifts for loved ones during Diwali. In class, she starts out shy but remembers what her mother tells her about oil lamps called diyas. Binny tells her classmates about the traditions, lights, and fireworks during the holiday. In the author's note, Thrity Umrigar talks about his perspective of Diwali from India; saying that even though its a Hindu holiday, everyone of every religion celebrates it; including his Zoroastrian family. Umrigar talks about his own family's traditions during the holiday as well.