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Books about Holi Festival are an engaging way to learn about this special holiday.
Holi is a Hindu festival that celebrates the beginning of spring. Holi Festival is sometimes called the Festival of Colors, the Festival of Lights, and the Festival of Love. Holi is celebrated annually in India and around the world. Holi Festival is celebrated on the last full moon of the Hindu calendar. It is usually in March. While Holi (pronounced Holy) originated in India, it is now an international holiday celebrated by people around the world. Check out these colorful books about Holi for students to learn about this significant Hindu festival.
Books about Holi Festival
1. Festival of Colors by Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal
Learn all about Holi, India’s Festival of Spring and Colors, in this vibrant picture book from New York Times bestselling mother/son authors Surishtha Sehgal and Kabir Sehgal.
Spring is arriving which means it’s almost time for Holi, the Indian Festival of Spring, Colors, and Love. The book features two siblings Mintoo and Chintoo who are busy foraging for flowers to make gulal powder. Gulal powder is the special colored powder used to throw during Holi Festival. Enjoy the fun and lively celebration with their friends and family as they start a fresh new year together.
This book is perfect for a read aloud for younger children or an independent reading book for older students.
2. Holi Colors by Rina Singh
Experience Holi in every color with Holi Colors by Rina Singh. This Hindu celebration signifies the end of winter and the arrival of spring and celebrates the victory of good over evil each year. This messy and colorful holiday is perfect for any kid. Your kids will love exploring the many colors of Holi through the vivid photographs and fun rhymes in this book.
This book is perfect for younger children ages 2-7 for a fun read aloud.
3. Let’s Celebrate Holi, Maya and Neel’s India Adventure Series
Go on an adventure with Maya, Neel and their partner in crime Chintu the squirrel in Let’s Celebrate Holi! Maya and Neel learn all about Holi, the Indian festival of colors. Students will learn about the legend behind Holi, the colorful Holi markets, the incredible fun of gulal powder, delicious Holi food and some of the unique ways people in India celebrate Holi Festival. Plus, there are more than ten books about Holi in this series, so students can keep reading more about Indian culture and traditions.
This series is perfect for older elementary students in grades 3-5.
4. Why Do We Celebrate Holi? by Anitha Rathod
Why Do We Celebrate Holi by Anitha Rathod is about a young girl named Preeti whose Grandmother tells her the story behind Holi. Preeti celebrates Holi Festival with her friends and family. This engaging book reveals many interesting tidbits about Holi and Indian culture.
This book teaches about the mythology and ancient traditions that formed the celebrations of Holi. Why Do We Celebrate Holi helps kids discover the legend from which the Holi festival originated and also studies the rituals and traditions associated with Holi.
This book is perfect for elementary school students who can read independently.
5. Dev and Ollie: Colour Carnival by Shweta Aggarwal
The Dev and Ollie series teaches kids about holidays and festivals in India. In Dev and Ollie: Colour Carnival, follow Dev and Ollie around on their adventures in India. Dev and Ollie arrive in India to enjoy Holi, the Festival of Colors, where people celebrate by throwing vibrant, fun, colorful powders called gulal. See if Ollie can help Dev understand the cultural differences in this unique book.
This book is perfect for early elementary school students to learn about cultural differences and culture shock.
Explore More about Holi Festival
Videos are another fantastic way to bring Holi Festival alive for students. Explore 5 videos about Holi and Diwali here.
Pair these resources with our engaging Holi Lesson, which includes a Holi Festival narrative writing activity. Students will love the colorful activities and interesting reading in this lesson.