#496 - Mathe-Magical Diwali
by Anita Jain and illustrated by Risabh Banshkar
“Mathe-Magical Diwali” by Anita Jain and illustrated by Risabh Banshkar. Published by Notion Press. A charming book exploring the concepts of budget and shopping list while getting ready to celebrate a festival with grandparents.
The story starts off with little Dipu arriving home to be with his grandparents. His Nani (grandmother) asks him to get ready soon to go shopping for Diwali. Dipu is elated at the prospect. Nana (grandpa) declares his budget while Nani asks Dipu to make a list of things that they need to buy. From flowers to diyas to lantern to colours for making rangoli. And Dipu & Nana slip their own secret items to the list :) Secrets that Nana and Dipu share among themselves to Nani’s annoyance.
Dipu has an enjoyable visit to the market next to the train station which has been transformed into a Diwali Bazaar. They find shops and keep referring to their list to continue shopping. As they shop, there are calculations to be made and checks to see if they are sticking to their budget. And of course, the joy when Nani realises that the secrets were crackers and sweets without which Diwali is not complete :) Read the delightful story to get a glimpse into the beautiful bonding between a child and his grandparents while navigating through a festival market.
The heartwarming story kept me and my nine year old glued. We felt like we were with Dipu and his Nani making all those calculations of prices of each of the items in the list and checking if they all fit in their budget. My son enjoyed doing the calculations and looked forward to what they would do next. Their walk through the market and their bonding has been portrayed so well. The bright and cheerful illustrations added to the visual appeal of the narrative. We read the book just in time for Diwali. The author has written the book based on shopping at a Diwali bazaar with her nephew.
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 7/8 and above.
Disclaimer - We received this book from the author, Anita Jain, for review. Thank you for sending across the book Anita!