Community Spotlight / Canadian Author Delights The Young & Young At Heart With Her Latest Book “‘Twas The Night Before Diwali”

Canadian Author Delights The Young & Young At Heart With Her Latest Book “‘Twas The Night Before Diwali”

Community Spotlight Oct 25, 2020

by Zenia Wadhwani

Canadian author Zenia Wadhwani wanted to create something so families can not only enjoy Diwali together but learn about the cultural traditions and history that come with this auspicious occasion. So taking a cue from the classic Christmas tale, she along with illustrations by Manon Larivière published her third book for the young and young at heart.

Our Business: ‘Twas The Night Before Diwali

Country: Toronto, Canada

Email: [email protected]

Follow us on: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter

Launched In: September 30, 2020

Target Market: : Children from 4 to 8 years of age and for their parents and grandparents.

What We Offer: A children’s book

Zenia shares her story.

Canadian Author Delights The Young & Young At Heart With Her Latest Book "'Twas The Night Before Diwali" — Canadian Author Delights The Young & Young At Heart With Her Latest Book *‘Twas The Night Before Diwali.*

‘Twas the Night Before Diwali is a new book to add to our children’s bookshelves — a wonderful, colourful and diverse re-telling of a classic Christmas poem. Whether you celebrate it or not, enjoy this adorable story of a family marking this festive occasion when all of sudden a surprise guest appears and the mithai start disappearing! Available in paperback on Amazon.

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons I wanted to write the book was because of the lack of diversity in children’s literature. While things are certainly improving, the statistics of diverse representation in children’s books is no where where it needs to be.

I have always been a strong supporter of literacy programs, an advocate for emerging writers — having co-edited three anthologies previously — and a lover of books so I suspect it was only a matter of time until I wrote a book of my own.

The character came to me nine years ago when I was pregnant and staring at a big tray of mithai but it took me nine years to find the right story for Mithai Monster to make its debut.

Perhaps my favourite part was seeing how my words were translated into illustrations. What’s particularly interesting about this is that the illustrator — Manon Larivière, who lives in Quebec, has not been exposed to South Asian culture very much and English is not her first language! But she and I found a way to work together and create this colourful and entertaining book.

I’m not sure why I chose that Christmas tale in particular but I knew that it would resonate with children and parents alike. Sometimes an idea just comes to you and you run with it!

Some of the reviews received so far …

“This book is much more than an adaptation of ‘Twas Night Before Christmas. This is a book that captures the spirit and traditions of Diwali while also introducing a new character to the lore of a holiday that is celebrated by billions around the world. There is something here for everyone; for the young ones, the beautiful illustrations and rhythmic couplets will be pleasing to both visual and auditory senses; for the not so young ones, the knowing winks and nudges will trigger fond memories of the holiday; finally, for the uninitiated, this is great introduction to understanding the history, ceremonies, and celebrations associated with Diwali. A great addition to the home book shelf or any classroom library!”

“What a gorgeous book. We could look at the illustrations for hours … so vivid and colourful! This story makes Diwali accessible to kids and allows for great conversations in a classroom about the celebrated traditions of Diwali.”

“We loved the twist on the classic ‘Twas the night before Christmas for Diwali! This is such a charming book with all of the rhymes and incorporation of the Diwali festivities. Loved the bright colors and illustrations as well. I would definitely recommend getting this book for your children!”

All Photos Courtesy of Zenia Wadhwani

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Canadian Author Delights The Young & Young At Heart With Her Latest Book “‘Twas The Night Before Diwali”

by Zenia Wadhwani

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