Holidays

Grades PreK-1 (23-24)

NO PEEKING AT PRESENTS

Alastair Heim and Sara Not

Everyone knows there’s no peeking at presents before Christmas morning. But what if there’s a very, very good reason to take a look? It’s Christmas Eve and the three kids in this story are trying their best to go to sleep, but something keeps waking them up. And it’s not just their excitement for gifts. Or, at least, not only because they’re excited for gifts. (from the publisher)

Audience: grades Prek-1

TWELVE DINGING DOORBELLS

Tameka Fryer Brown

Every holiday, aunties, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and neighbors come over to eat, sing, and celebrate life. But all our main character can think about is the sweet potato pie Granny makes just for her. As tables fill with baked macaroni and cheese, chitlins, and other sides a-steaming, she and Granny move the pie to keep it intact. (from the publisher)

Curricular Use: 1st grade social studies family unit.

Audience: grades PreK-1

THE TWELVE CATS OF CHRISTMAS

Feather Flores

Celebrate the holidays with twelve adorable cats—and one kitten—with this festive feline take on the classic carol The Twelve Days of Christmas! (from the publisher)

Curricular Use: study of felines, animal interest

Audience: grades PreK-2

IT'S DIWALI!

Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal

Count up to ten and back down again to the tune of “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe” while learning about the traditions that make Diwali a fun-filled festival! (from the publisher)

Audience: grades PreK-K

MEASURING A YEAR: A ROSH HASHANAH STORY

Linda Elovitz Marshall

It’s Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year! How did you grow and change in the past year, and how will you continue to grow in the next? During the Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), Jews around the world take measure of how well they have hit their marks, and set goals moving forward. (from the publisher)

Audience: grades PreK-1

Grades K-5 (23-24)

RAAGA'S SONG: A DIWALI STORY

Navina Chhabra

In a modern folktale about courage, Chhabria leans into the Hindu mythology that underpins celebrations of Diwali across India. (from the publisher)

Audience: grades K-4

GIVING THANKS: HOW THANKSGIVING BECAME A NATIONAL HOLIDAY

Denise Kiernan

All across the world, among hundreds of cultures and across centuries, people have come together to give thanks. But Americans didn’t have an official Thanksgiving holiday until the 1800s. The holiday Americans know today exists because of a woman named Sarah Josepha Hale, a spirited letter-writing campaign, a sympathetic president, and a civil war. (from the publisher)

Audience: grades 1-5

CHLOE'S LUNAR NEW YEAR

Lily LaMotte

It's almost Lunar New Year, and Chloe can’t wait to celebrate! But first, Chloe and her family must prepare for the new year. They buy new shoes, lay out good-luck oranges in a bowl, decorate the red envelope, and make a crispy turnip cake. (from the publisher)

Audience: grades 1-3

FEASTS AND FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD: FROM LUNAR NEW YEAR TO CHRISTMAS

Alice McGinty

From South Korea to Nigeria to the USA, come celebrate festivals throughout the year! People around the world are celebrating. In Australia, it's Christmas in summer with barbecues on the beach. In Thailand, they're celebrating Songkran, the famous Buddhist water festival. Rhyming text and graphic illustrations pair perfectly and invite young readers to explore the world through mesmerizing festivals. (from the publisher)

Audience: grades PreK-3 but lots of ties up to 5th grade.

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