British author/illustrator team Jatinder Verma and Nilesh Mistry retell the story of the ancient Hindu epic, The Ramayana, in this lovely picture-book, chronicling the adventures of Prince Rama and Princess Sita, and their battle against the demon king, Ravana. As the title here suggests, this is the story of Divali - the Festival of Lights - and Verma includes a brief afterword in which he discusses some of the customs surrounding this time in the Hindu calendar, as well as touching briefly upon his source material, which in his case seems to be parental retellings of the 15th-century poem composed by Tulsidas...

Having enjoyed Prince of Fire: The Story of Diwali, Verma and Mistry's other retelling of this story, which was presented in chapter-book form, I was eager to track down The Story of Divaali. It's been a little over a year since I read the former, but it struck me that The Story of Divaali - which was published first - was quite similar to its creator's subsequent chapter-book telling of this story. I wish I had Prince of Fire to hand, so that I could compare the two, but based on memory alone, I would say that the chapter-book was simply a slightly expanded version of this picture-book. The artwork is gorgeous in both - full of color, with a beautiful fairy-tale feeling that is very appealing - although I think I preferred seeing it on larger pages, as it was presented here. As I noted in my review of Prince of Fire, I have never read The Ramayana, but this retelling has reminded me that I would like to - perhaps the version of Tulsidas? However that may be, I'd recommend this one to picture-book readers interested in the mythological story behind Divali, or in children's retellings of The Ramayana. ( )

It is too bad there aren't more books written about the Hindu holidays for Hindu and non-Hindu children alike to share and experience. I feel like this book does a great job illustrating important cultural concepts, but needs to steer away from some of the idealism. I realize the author does that because it's written for children, but since many fairy-tales are written truthfully I feel a child can handle a more bluntly told version of this story and holiday. ( )

Uma Krishnaswami (Children's Literature)
Of all the stories conveyed to generations of Hindu children through both direct narrative and anecdotal reference, none is more beloved than the Ramayana, with its rich history of multiple oral and literary renderings in many languages. Jatinder Verma retells the main tale of this epic in the context of Divaali (variously spelled 'Divali' or 'Diwali'), the festival of lights that is celebrated all over India, but which in the north is most closely linked with this vibrant and powerful story. Verma's rendering is drawn from oral versions he heard as a child, which in turn drew upon the work in Hindi of the 15th century poet Tulsidass. The narrative is simple and manages to present the complex tale without clutter, and within the bounds of the picture book form. Nilesh Mistry's art is lovingly detailed, faintly echoing both costumes and headdresses from the traditional dance of Kerala and the sensibility of modern India's popular poster and comic-book culture. Mistry pulls off this amalgam to create a sort of pan-Indian look that is most effective in the interplay of reds and oranges with the darker colors of the palette. The spread depicting the building of the land bridge to Lanka is both beautiful and compelling--an army of monkeys all straining together, pulling the eye toward the upper right-hand corner, where the city burns. When we arrive at the fall of the demon king Ravana in battle, words and image compete for the reader's attention--but with young listeners, the image will likely win. It is, of course, an ambitious undertaking to attempt to confine this large and sprawling story with its many moral nuances and ethical dilemmas to the page and scene limitations of a picture book. The book does not shy away from some of the more complicated twists and turns of this story, and leaves intact its embedding in the larger cosmological story of the incarnations of Vishnu. It simplifies without trivializing--and that in itself is a gift to young readers. Backmatter includes further information on the celebration of Divaali. 2002, Barefoot Books, $16.99. Ages 7 to 10. ( )