The Night Before Holi
by Swapna Haddow, illustrated by Aditi Kakade Beaufrand
Interest age: 4 to 5
Reading age: 2 to 3
Published by Scholastic
About this book
It’s the night before Holi and a little girl and her family are preparing for the next day’s celebration.
They’ve piled up colourful powder paint, filled their water pistols, and helped Ammamma make her delicious mango lassi and barfi.
Meanwhile, Grandad and our heroine are sneakily planning their fight route. They always win the Holi powder challenge! And when the friends and neighbours come over the next day, everyone is soon covered with vivid colour!
As Holi celebrates colour, love and springtime, so does this joyous picture book. The bright, colourful illustrations reflect the vibrancy of the paint fight and the warmth of the love between the family and the friends.
Above all, the fun of the festival is captured brilliantly in the partnership between grandad and granddaughter and the smiling faces throughout. With a page explaining Holi traditions at the end, along with a recipe for mango lassi, this would be a fun addition to any topic on celebrations.
About the author
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Picture books with South Asian characters
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Books about celebrations and festivals
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