IT'S TIME FOR HOLI helps children gain an understanding of the Indian culture by learning more about Holi, the festival of colors. This story begins during the winter season, with a boy who is anxiously waiting for spring and the celebration of Holi to begin. When Holi day finally arrives, he can't wait to celebrate. He decides to use his colored powders-- before his family and friends arrive As he explores the different colored powders, he starts to relate the colors to what he sees happening in nature during springtime. Through his own exploration, he learns more about the significance of this colorful festival.

It's Time for Holi won the Kids Are Readers Too (KART) award for memorable content that enhances the gift of learning. A review of this book was published in the Journal Worlds of Words (Volume III, Issue 3) for highlighting issues of cultural authenticity.

It's Time for Holi was featured at the Children's Museum in Atlanta and was recommended by the San Francisco radio station KALW 91.7. Furthermore, this book has been integrated into the curricula of many schools in the U.S. and abroad under interdisciplinary units of "Mother Nature," "Changing Seasons," or "Multicultural Celebrations."

Dr. Amita Roy Shah enjoys teaching children about South Asian American cultures. She has spent her career in multicultural education and curriculum development. Currently, she is a professor at San Jose State University and serves as a consultant for various educational publishing firms.