A time for joy and vibrant colors, Holi is a celebration of new beginnings! This beautiful Hindu festival is a tradition celebrated to welcome the coming of the spring season. Bringing together those from all kinds of backgrounds, Holi is a day for playfulness and is often called The Festival of Colors. Although this remarkable festival began in the 4th century, it is now widely celebrated across the globe in the modern day. We’ve created a list of children’s books that illustrate the colorful traditions of Holi that you won’t want to miss!
Maya’s Holi by Thrity Umrigar, Illustrated by Kamala Nair
This year, Maya is visiting her adoring grandparents and celebrating Holi with them in India! The family begins their day by eating a special breakfast of rasgulla dumplings and glasses of mango lassi. As they join the celebration, they dress themselves in colorful clothing and listen to the joyful music outside. Maya feels the magic of Holi within her on this special day, and as she travels back to America, the colorful spirit keeps her warm with hope, forgiveness, and love.
Holi Hai! By Chitra Soundar, Illustrated by Darshika Varma
With the time of Holi rolling around, Gauri is bursting with excitement to splash vibrant colors on her friends and family! But when she reaches for her favorite color and finds it missing, her excitement turns to anger. How can Gauri enjoy the celebration of Holi without the color she loves most? Despite her disappointment, she must find a way to let go of her anger and embrace the beautiful spirit of the festival. Read this stunning story to find out if she will be able to set aside her frustration to join the fun, or if her day will be overtaken by her feelings.
It’s Holi! By Sanyukta Mathur, Illustrated by Courtney Pippin-Mathur
Sameer is super excited to celebrate Holi with his family as they prepare for the beginning of spring! As they fill platters with scrumptious treats and powder rainbow colors all around, the family is ready for the bright and messy festivities to begin. However, Sameer starts to become nervous seeing water balloons and colors being thrown. When his family notices this, they come up with a silly solution to cheer him up and celebrate this exciting tradition.
Holi Colors by Rina Singh
Read this delightful story to experience Holi with every color of the rainbow! The festival of colors and love is a Hindu celebration that represents the end of winter and welcomes spring with the victory of good over evil. This is a time to get messy with friends and play with colors! Singh offers vibrant photographs along with playful rhymes, making this story a perfect edition for young ones to be captivated by the beauty of Holi.
Festival of Colors by Kabir Sehgal & Surishtha Sehgal, Illustrated Vashti Harrison
Holi, the Indian Festival of Colors, is almost here! Mintoo and Chintoo must gather flowers to create colorful powders and toss them during the festival. Join them on their journey as they gather with their friends and family for a celebration of new beginnings, forgiveness, and fun! This bright and colorful children’s story is the perfect way to learn more about Holi as we welcome the upcoming spring season.
Children’s books are an excellent way to introduce young readers to vibrant traditions, bringing cultural significance and a joyful time. Through these engaging and colorful stories, they not only celebrate Holi’s themes of love and new beginnings but also help young ones understand the deeper values of forgiveness and unity.
For more children’s books representing Hindu culture, click here.
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