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Celebrate Durga Puja With Me! Children’s Book Honors Indian Culture

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book to review. All opinions are my own.

Durga Puja Book Cover

Passing down your heritage from generation to the next is a natural desire for parents. This may prove more challenging if the dominant environment your children are immersed in differs from the culture the parent seeks to promote. One traditional way parents have passed down their heritage is through story telling.

Shoumi Sen, a mother of Asian Indian descent, decided to write her own stories to teach her daughter about her culture. Shoumi created the “From The Toddler Diaries” series which started as poems she shared with her child and other children. Inspired by this interest amongst kids and encouraged by their parents, she decided to publish the collection.

Celebrate Durga Puja With Me!” is her most recent book which highlights the 10-day festival of Durga Puja celebrated in the fall. Ideal for children ages 3-8 years old, the book’s story of family and traditions is a universal one that kids from any background will be able to relate to.

Shoumi tells Bicultural Mama, “When I lived in India, Durga Puja was a huge part of my childhood. I currently live in the US with my husband and daughter. For the longest time I was looking for books that would explain to my then 2-year-old why she got to wear gorgeous Indian clothes on a certain weekend in October and how the essence of the festival is the victory of good over bad. I couldn’t find anything…so I thought ‘If you can’t find them, write them!’”

“Celebrate Durga Puja With Me!” is told in rhyme through the eyes of 3-year-old Riya. The colorful and vivid illustration by Abira Das captures the essence of the joyful festivities. Readers follow Riya as she learns about the celebration through music, dancing, food, colorful outfits and family. The artfully portrayed “5 Days of Pujo” — Shashti, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Bijoya Dashami –have a distinct Bengali connection, but are universal to Durga Puja celebrations across several communities.

Shoumi states, “My belief is that that children’s lives can only get richer when they learn more about different cultures either through travel or through books.” The book “Celebrate Durga Puja With Me!” does just that by presenting a story that helps children develop into global citizens though cultural awareness of the world around them.

For more information, please visit Shoumi’s website at www.shoumisen.com and her Facebook page From the Toddler Diaries. To purchase a copy, please visit Amazon.com.

 

 

 

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