The Best Diwali Ever

A rangoli contest and an exasperating younger sibling feature prominently in this straightforward tale about Diwali celebrations. Narrator Ariana is excited about the upcoming holiday, especially decorating the house, playing with cousins, and triumphing at the rangoli competition. Three-year-old brother Rafi, who is “always ruining things,” poses the only problem—his participation in sweet-making ends with a flour-coated kitchen floor, and Ariana’s new Diwali outfit becomes covered in his finger paints. For the school rangoli competition, Ariana has spent weeks creating patterns with colored powder, rice, and flowers, a design that gets smudged when Rafi falls backward into it. But the results help Ariana appreciate Rafi, and to muster the spirit of Diwali—fun, family, and light. Shah’s sibling-conflict plot ends gently, while Prabhat’s vivid digital illustrations offer myriad cultural details and expressive faces among the Indian-cued cast. A note on Diwali concludes. Ages 4–6. (Sept.)