The Festival of Diwali welcomes the new year and honours the goddess Lakshmi. Meaning the ‘Festival of Light’, it celebrates the victory of light over darkness and during the celebration of Diwali, many homes light lots of special diya lamps. 

Diwali is a very important religious celebration that takes place every year, is traditionally celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs, and can be celebrated by people from other religions as well.

During Diwali, the traditional Hindu story of Rama and Sita is told. The story tells of a famous warrior, Prince Rama, and his beautiful wife Sita, who were banished from their home by the King. Living nearby was a terrible demon king called Ravana. He had ten heads and twenty arms and was feared throughout the land. 

When Sita was kidnapped by Ravana, Prince Rama, with the help of many animals, searched for his wife. He fought a mighty battle and the whole world rejoiced when Rama eventually killed the evil Ravana, using a magic arrow. 

Here, to celebrate Diwali, we have collected a selection of books to celebrate this very special time of year.

Rama and Sita: The story of Diwali is the perfect picture book to introduce children aged 6+ to the story, with text by award-winning author Malachy Doyle and stunning, colourful illustrations from Christopher Corr. Perfect for a gift or a simple introduction to the Diwali story to share with your children, this beautiful book, now reissued in a larger picture book format, is ideal. 

Peek into the magic of Diwali in The Best Diwali Ever, a heart-warming picture book about Diwali, siblings and how very special this celebration can be.

In Little Glow, we observe families celebrating, lighting up dark nights with love for Chinese New Year, Diwali, Hannukah, Ramadan and Christmas. Revelling in comfort and light, this story was made to be shared in the winter nights while its message of hope and togetherness will warm hearts all year round.

Diwali Magic Painting Book is an activity book filled with images showing different aspects of the Diwali festival of lights, from families enjoying sparklers and gifts to scenes of Diwali sweets and temple offerings, rangoli patterns and diya lamps. Just brush water over the black and white designs to reveal an uplifting array of vivid colours. A mess-free way to keep children entertained. 

Happy Diwali! Shubh Deepavali! Wishing you the happiest of Diwalis this year. May the Diwali lights guide you on your path.