A Sweet Diwali

Ages 4 to 6, Grades P to 1

Join a young girl and her dog in this Step 2 reader as they joyfully prepare to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights! Perfect for readers ages 4-6.

Raina is excited to celebrate Diwali, a Hindu holiday that symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. Along with her family and her best friend, Lion (a little dog with a big sweet tooth!), Raina helps prepare for the celebration. She decorates the house with clay lamps called diyas, makes beautiful rangoli designs with sand, watches colorful fireworks, and shares sweet treats with Lion. It’s a Diwali to remember!

Step 2 Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories, for children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.

Story Locale:A small town in America

Series Overview: STEP INTO READING celebrates 40 years of helping children learn to read! Since 1984, Step Into Reading has set the standard. Random House was the first trade publisher to implement a leveling system that recognized the developmental stages of beginning readers; offer a reader series as original paperbacks; and publish a mix of original and licensed titles. The line includes exciting fiction and non-fiction, favorite characters and innovative line extensions such as Non-Fiction Readers, Comic Readers, Math Readers, Phonics Readers, Sticker Readers, and Leyendo a Pasos, readers translated into Spanish. Step Into Reading is a complete literacy program with something for every child.

Step into Reading is actively seeking stories for and by people from underserved backgrounds, raising standards of inclusivity and reflecting the lived experiences of our many readers. We have recently added more titles featuring diverse holidays, such as Rabia's Eid, Juneteenth: Our Day of Freedom, Grace's Chinese New Year--and now, A Sweet Diwali!

About the Author

Harshita Jerath (pronounced HER-she-ta) is a children's book author who draws inspiration from her memories of growing up in India and the colorful world around her. She is the author of picture books, "The Leaping Laddoo" (Albert Whitman & Co, 2022) and "Cooler Than Lemonade" (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2023). Her upcoming book, "A Sweet Diwali" (2024), is inspired by her childhood friendship with her dachshund dog, Dollar. She currently lives with her family in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Author Residence: Scottsdale, AZ

Geeta Ladi is a children’s book illustrator born and raised in Mumbai. As a child, she poured through storybooks, absorbing the rich illustrations and creating new imaginative worlds from them. India’s multicultural diversity has influenced her style, as her colorful work aims to share it’s unique energy with children all over the world. Geeta has combined her artistic knowledge with her personal experience of working with children in Indian schools. Geeta's hobbies are watching movies with her husband, playing with her energetic dog, and photography.

Illustrator Hometown:Mumbai