Review by Booklist Review
An empty house longs to be decorated with holiday lights. While other abodes in the neighborhood are adorned with colorful lamps for Diwali or flickering menorah candles on Hanukkah, House shivers and waits for "its turn to shine." Huda and her parents move in during December, and House hopes it will finally don festive lights of its own, but when none are put up, "its curtains drooped." At Christmas, House is warmed by the delicious aroma of cardamom rice and filled with joy by the arrival of Huda's extended family. The descriptive text conveys the house's heartfelt emotions and anthropomorphic gestures of affection. When Huda's parents go to work so others can celebrate the yuletide, House wishes "it could hug them too, so it blew warm air from the heater on them." A few months later, during Eid, House is aglow inside and out. Alam's detailed illustrations capture cozy indoor scenes of familial togetherness and twinkling, starry nighttime neighborhood vistas. An illuminating picture book about holidays and what makes a house a home.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Faruqi gives a longing voice to an unoccupied house watching as its neighbor residences are festooned in lights, including Diwali lamps and Hanukkah menorahs. When a family, portrayed with brown skin, moves in, the house hopes to be lighted up for the approaching yuletide. But the newcomers don't decorate, and though the house is filled with the mouthwatering smell of golden rice, the parents work through the holiday ("so our friends can celebrate with their families," they say). Even so, House feels cozy with its new residents and, months later, gets its lights--during Eid. Alam's spellbinding illustrations of suburban tranquility are populated with snow-laden rooftops, multicolored twinkle lights, and feelings of loving camaraderie in this holiday tale whose charming conceit is matched by the visible glow of the house, at last happily winking its lights. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author's note concludes. Ages 4--8. (Sept.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3--Faruqi and Chaudhry reunite to (indirectly) celebrate Eid after collaborating on Amira's Picture Day. The star here is House, initially empty, longing to be like other homes lit up with "colorful lamps for Diwali," "flickering menorah candles for Hanukkah," "glowing" trees for Christmas. When Huda and her family move in, House eagerly awaits "its turn to shine." Despite "the buttery cardamom smell of Amma's golden rice," House still feels "dull, dark, and dreary." The doorbell's ringing on Christmas Day makes House "giggle" as hordes of relatives arrive, although Amma and Abba leave for work "so our friends can celebrate with their families." The joyful energy almost lets House forget its lightlessness because inside, it is warm and cozy with its new family. Besides, House's turn to shine is coming--for Eid. VERDICT An enhancing musical background soundtrack complements Chaudhry's welcoming narration, hoping, promising, reveling.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
A house waits with anticipation for its new family to move in, envious of other houses' decorations for Christmas, plus Diwali and Hanukkah. But Huda's family doesn't put up Christmas lights when they arrive, and the house is a little disappointed. Gradually House grows to love the family, comforting and protecting them, and is content waiting until the family decorates for Eid. "A few months later, on a warm night under a new crescent moon, House TWINKLED." Soft illustrations feature a joyful Muslim family and welcoming neighbors in a gentle celebration of religious diversity. Monica de los ReyesNovember/December 2024 p.11 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
An anthropomorphic house learns that you don't need fancy decorations to feel loved. House longs to be adorned with twinkling holiday lights like its neighbors. It watched while a nearby house sparkled for Diwali; another had menorah lights in its window during Hanukkah. Christmas is drawing near, and House desperately hopes for lights of its own when young Huda and her family move in. The home fills with the aroma of cardamom-scented rice and the sounds of a family game…but no one decorates. When Christmas arrives, Huda's parents go to work so that others can celebrate. House is filled with the joyful noises of Huda's relatives, who have come to visit; though House may not be decorated, it's still happy: "I'm full of love and hope." When Huda's parents return home late that night, Amma tells a sleepy Huda that she can look forward to beautiful lights for their own holiday, Eid. House is delighted at the news. When the weather turns warm, it's House who is newly adorned with strings of glittering lights as it proudly hosts an Eid celebration inside and out. Making clear that Muslim celebrations are just as festive as holidays such as Christmas and Hanukkah, Faruqi delivers a refreshing twist on Eid tales. Brimming with details, Alam's welcoming illustrations capture the closeness of this family; scenes of the lit houses shining in the darkness are especially moving. Vocabulary and visual cues suggest that Huda and her family are of South Asian heritage. Simply charming. (author's note)(Picture book. 4-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
