ALA Booklist (Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

Every year, dogs in Nepal are celebrated on Kukur Tihar, which takes place during a five-day festival of lights?. Nepalese dog-owners revere their pets with a red tika on the forehead, a garland of marigolds, and special treats to eat. They pray for the health and safety of their dogs and give thanks for their loyalty and friendship. Here a pair of dejected brothers roam the streets of Kathmandu looking for an unclaimed stray dog to honor, as they have none of their own. Award-winning poet Engle collaborates with Amish and Nicole Karanjit to tell this semifictional, heart-warming story of luck and love. Mixed-media illustrations reveal a bustling Kathmandu emerging from the rubble of a deadly earthquake, vibrant and determined to resume normalcy. Textile patterns layered over paint in the clothing of figures and backgrounds adds a unique cultural element. A happy ending will have readers cheering for the brothers and probably begging for a puppy of their own.

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

In Kathmandu during the Festival of Lights--called Swanti, Tihar, or Deepawali in Nepal (Diwali in India)--two brothers look for a kukur (stray dog) to honor during the celebration. Coauthor Amish Karanjit, Engle's son-in-law, lived through the 2015 earthquakes in Nepal, when rescue dogs played an important role in finding survivors. The interesting holiday story is illustrated with cultural specificity. Suggested activities are appended. Reading list. Glos.

Kirkus Reviews

Brothers Alu and Bhalu are celebrating Kukur Tihar, a special day to honor dogs during festival time in Nepal.The two young boys search the streets of Kathmandu for a stray dog to feed, remembering the brave search-and-rescue dogs that saved many lives after earthquakes devastated their country in 2015. Multiaward-winner Engle teams up with her daughter, Nicole Karanjit, and son-in-law, Amish Karanjit (who was born and raised in Nepal), to craft this tale based on a true story from another part of the world. The spare text is interwoven with authentic touches about Nepali family and culture, describing how "families chased away the darkness / by lighting lanterns on doorsteps, / rooftops, / and windowsills" and how the children strive "not to scatter / the rice flour / arranged in dazzling patterns / on the living room floor." Using a dark palette, Jeyaveeran's authentic illustrations add another layer of cultural knowledge, showing dark-haired, brown-skinned children and adults wearing traditional Nepali outfits and joyously celebrating the festival. While the resolution to Alu and Bhalu's search is successful and satisfying, the text may not fully convey to young readers the cultural depth of the brothers' actions, as they feed their new pet the festival feast meant for the family. The oversimplification of the climax diminishes the impact of this otherwise remarkable story set in another culture.A sweet sojourn in Nepal; though not perfect, it's nevertheless an important contribution. (glossary, further reading, activities) (Picture book. 5-8)