Gorilla Glass…Ultra Strong Glass by Corning

Back in 1962 corning came up with a super strong glass. Stronger than pyrex but marketing it was a bit of a problem. Back when it was develoed Corning was looking for a glass that would be as strong as steel. What was created was called Chemcor and it was used for car windshields and sunglasses but rival companies were able to compete with lower priced options. When LCD screens came into play Corning was the go to manufacturer to supply the needs of the Japanese electronics companies with their soda lime glass. This was used for laptops and TV screens.

Not long ago Chemcor was brought out and dusted off, as well as renamed Gorilla Glass. Not only is it very hard to break it’s scratch and dent resistant too which makes it perfect for handheld devices such as iPhones and other 3 and 4G devices. Corning’s stock price has increased a bit on this news. It will be interesting to see what comes of this…and what’s the melting temperature so we can use it for art too?

As if Diwali weren’t colorful and fun enough, The Festival of Lights: A Lift-the-flap Diwali Celebration by Namita Moolani Mehra, illustrated by Darshika Varm, makes it even more fun to read about with flaps and things to lift and pull to see more information or details in the illustrations.

The book is a story about a family getting ready for Diwali and what happens on the different days of the five-day celebration. There’s cleaning, shopping, crafting, food preparation and getting the home altar ready for the big day.

It covers decorating the outside of the house with rangoli, diyas and lanterns, buying sweets to share with family and friends, the sights and scents of the mandir (home temple), getting dressed up in new fancy clothes, the story of Diwali and celebrations with relatives.

Flaps (there are more than 140 in all) give you vocabulary words for different foods and definitions, as well as fun things like what’s inside the shopping basket or where the cat is hanging out. They also help illuminate the story of Diwali, which is the triumph of good over evil as Lord Ram defeated the demon Ravana to save his wife, Sita.

This pretty and colorful book helps kids understand what Diwali is and how it is celebrated, regardless of whether they practice it at home. This would be a nice book to keep in a classroom (it’s rated for kids ages 3-7) or to have at home to teach kids about Diwali even if it’s not something you celebrate. Where I live there are a lot of people from India so we are probably exposed to Diwali more than some other regions of America, but it’s a nice holiday to know about wherever you live.

Combine with the book Diwali and check out some fun lantern crafts and printables for kids to round out your experience.

About the book: 24 pages, hardcover, published 2025 by Wide Eyed Editions. Suggested retail prices $22.99.

Have you read?