Skip to Main Content

About The Book

Count along in celebration of Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, in this luminous picture book from bestselling mother-son duo Surishtha and Kabir Sehgal.

Count up to ten and back down again to the tune of “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe” while learning about the traditions that make Diwali a fun-filled festival! Celebrated during autumn harvest, Diwali symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. From sweet treats to intricate henna designs to exciting firework displays, kids will delight in this vibrant glimpse into the Festival of Lights.

About The Authors

Photograph by Lisa Miller

Kabir Sehgal started his class newspaper in second grade and has been writing ever since. A bestselling author of several books, he is also a jazz bassist and Grammy Award–winning producer. Kabir and his mother, Surishtha Sehgal, are a mother-son writing team whose books include Festival of Colors, illustrated by Vashti Harrison, and Seven Samosas and the New York Times bestselling A Bucket of Blessings, both illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong. He lives in Atlanta. To learn more about the Sehgals’ books, visit Bucket.art.

Photo courtesy of the author

Surishtha Sehgal was a university professor for many years and now enjoys reading to children during story time. She is the founder of a nonprofit organization that promotes social responsibility among students, and she serves on the boards of two universities and a national arts center. Surishtha and her son, Kabir Sehgal, are a mother-son writing team whose books include Festival of Colors, illustrated by Vashti Harrison, and Seven Samosas and the New York Times bestselling A Bucket of Blessings, both illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong. She lives in Atlanta. To learn more about the Sehgals’ books, visit Bucket.art.

About The Illustrator

Archana Sreenivasan is an illustrator based in Bangalore, India. Her illustrations have been published in numerous magazines, children’s books, book covers, and comics. She studied animation film design at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, and participated in a summer residency at the School of Visual Arts in New York, where she studied illustration. She finds the natural world and people-watching most inspiring and is endlessly fascinated by cats.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Beach Lane Books (September 6, 2022)
  • Length: 32 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781534453661
  • Lexile ® AD620L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

Browse Related Books

Raves and Reviews

"Lush illustrations in a joyful, vibrant palette convey the feelings of India’s festive season.... An upbeat introduction to a Hindu festival."

– Kirkus Reviews, 10/15/2022

"Whether you have a plethora or a dearth of books about Diwali, this is an essential primer on the basics of the festival."

– School Library Journal, 6/1/22

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

More books from this illustrator: Archana Sreenivasan