★ “With youthful optimism and a can-do spirit, Prema creates an eco-friendly Ganesha statue, and other young people join her in reimagining how the holiday can be celebrated in a way that protects the river . . . A must-have for holiday collections” – School Library Journal, starred review During her town's Ganesha Chaturthi festival, young Prema is determined to protect the river from pollution. With creativity and persistence, she overcomes obstacles and rallies her friends to craft natural clay Ganesha statues to replace the plaster ones that harm the river. Created by an author and artist from different parts of India, this inspiring story of eco-friendly activism and teamwork is set in modern-day India and will empower young readers to make a difference. Celebrates sustainability and creative problem-solving - Endnotes include facts about Ganesha Chaturthi, a recipe for sculpting dough, and tips for making eco-friendly statues - Perfect for budding activists Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection! Prema loves to celebrate Ganesha Chaturthi! But can she figure out how to make Ganesha statues that won't hurt the river — and convince the town to help — in time for the festival? CBA Grad, and SCBWI and 12×12 member, Lakshmi Thamizhmani divides her time between her corporate tech job, daydreaming and writing. After moving from India to the United States, she began writing for newspapers, but then discovered a passion for creative writing instead. Lakshmi now writes beautiful, lesser-known stories to bridge cultures and transport children to new worlds to learn and celebrate diversity. Debasmita Dasgupta is an internationally published, Kirkus Best Prize-nominated illustrator, graphic novelist and screenwriter. She was born in Kolkata and lived in Singapore for more than a decade. Debasmita enjoys drawing both fiction and non-fiction for children and young adults. She has illustrated many picture books, comics and poems working with publishers in various parts of the world including China, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, the UK and the USA. As an art-for-change advocate, she tells stories of changemakers from around the world partnering with global non-profits. Debasmita also mentors aspiring and emerging visual storytellers in Asia. Today she lives in the United Kingdom. STEAM & Sustainability: The main character is a “maker” who innovates to create solutions that protect the environment. GLOBAL: Set in modern India, this story brings a fresh environmental and contemporary perspective to the ancient Hindu Ganesha Chaturthi festival. SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING: The caring protagonist perseveres through multiple obstacles to reach her goal. AUTHENTIC REPRESENTATION: An author and illustrator from different parts of India bring their combined experience together to create a distinct and unique portrayal of this festival, full of vivid cultural details. INCLUSIVE: One character has an amputation and crutch; another has a visual impairment and uses a cane and a service animal. ENDNOTES: Endnotes include information about Ganesha Chaturthi, a recipe for homemade sculpting dough and instructions for making an earth-friendly statue. Product Dimensions: 8.50 x 10.75 inches Page Count: 32 pages Age Range: Ages 5-9 years Leveling: O Grade Level: 3