Divali Rose
By Vashanti Rahaman
Boyds Mill Press, 2008

Review by Sandhya Nankani
From Kahani Fall 2008



Ricki’s grandpa is the proud owner of a rosebush that promises to grow roses “the color of Divali.” As the Hindu festival grows closer, Ricki snaps off one of his grandpa’s prized rosebuds by mistake. Will he allow Grandpa to blame the loss on their Indian neighbors or will he gather up his courage to confess his mistake? Jamel Akib’s chalk pastels create a lush, tropical, festive atmosphere in Vashanti Rahman’s Divali Rose (Boyds Mill Press, 2008), a sweet, multigenerational tale which examines the complex history of Indians in Trinidad.