The Ultimate Diwali Booklist

This is a charming tale that takes young children through the five fun-filled days of Diwali celebrations. The cheerful colors, vibrant illustrations and the adorable elephant characters from the book are sure to win your childs heart.

Activity: Taking inspiration from the books elephant characters, Ram and Saanvi, trace out a drawing of an elephant on a paper. Get your child to fill it in with colors of her choice.

This book takes you on a journey as Neel and Mayaalong with their pet squirrel, Chintuvisit their Aunt Eesha to celebrate Diwali. Through this beautifully illustrated story, the book introduces its readers to the five-day festivitiesDhanteras, Choti Diwali, Diwali, Saal Mubarak and Bhai Dooj.

Activity: Get your child to paint and decorate earthern diyas (lamps) with poster colors, sequins and stickers. Once done, let the pretty diyas adorn your beautiful rangoli or kolam.

Join Gittoo and his family as they prepare for Diwali. The family is busy cleaning the house, making sweets and decorating the rooms for the festival. As Diwali arrives, Gittoo learns the magical stories behind the festivalhow Lord Rama defeated the evil Ravana and about Goddess Lakshmis visit to the earth. Heartwarming and engaging, this book is perfect to teach your child about the spirit of Diwali.

Activity: Get your child to make finger puppets of the main Ramayana characters, using chart paper, paint, glue, glitter and sketch pens. Get creative!

Narrated to Kalka by his Amma, the stories in this book are perfect for introducing young readers to Diwali. The book begins on day one of Diwali and includes all the celebrations associated with the festival. Then, Amma relates the story of the ancient epic, Ramayanathe defeat of the demon king Ravana and the homecoming of Prince Rama. The book ends with a story about Goddess Lakshmi, which highlights the importance of honesty and hard work.

Activity: Help your child make a miniature of Lord Hanumans gada (mace) using newspaper, glue, craft paper, glitter and an old ball.

The world is in the grip of the demon lord Ravana and only Rama, the Prince of Fire, can defeat him and restore the order of the universe. This action-packed retelling of the Ramayana will have its readers on the edge of their seats. While its faithful yet fresh perspective captures the true spirit of the story behind Diwali, the beautiful illustrations make Prince of Fire an unputdownable book.

Activity: Take a map of India and try to identify some of the important places where momentous events from the Ramayana took place. For example, you can help your child identify Chitrakoot, where Bharata met Rama and tried to persuade him to return to Ayodhya, or Panchavati, where Lakshmana is believed to have cut Surpanakhas nose.

Indra seeks the help of Lord Krishna to destroy the evil demon Narakasura, who is wreaking havoc on the universe. Krishna agrees to help, and descends on Narakasura while seated on the magnificent eagle, Garuda. Will he be able to defeat the demon? An evergreen classic by the legendary Anant Pai from the house of Amar Chitra Katha, this book is the perfect way to introduce your child to the story of Krishna and Narakasura.

Activity: Get your child to draw some pictures, with the story and illustrations as inspiration.

Created by artist and veteran Pixar animator, Sanjay Patel, Ramayana: Divine Loophole retells the story of the Ramayana through stunning and whimsical illustrations. Although the story of Prince Rama winning back his wife Sita from her kidnapper, Ravana, is pretty well-known, the amazing artwork breathes new life into the ancient tale and keeps things exciting.

Activity: Ask your child to narrateor writethe story of the Ramayana from the perspective of another character, such as Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman or even Ravana.

By bringing together various stories from Indian mythology, this graphic novel narrates the story of Krishna from his birth. Its beautiful illustrations take readers on a journey through the forests of Vrindavan, the city of Dwarka and the battlefield of Kurukshetra, the setting of the Mahabharata. Informative and accessible, this book is an excellent introduction to Indian mythology and the stories behind many of the Hindu festivals.

Activity: The game of ludo is traditionally traced back to the Mahabharata. Have loads of fun playing together as a family the modern version of the game!

VANI VENUGOPAL IS A FEATURES WRITER AT PARENTCIRCLE.