A Calendar of Festivals Book

Did you know that when you go trick-or-treating on Halloween that you are taking part in an ancient Celtic festival? Or that many of the old Christmas customs were adopted from the Romans? This compelling collection takes us back through story and legend to the origins of many festivals celebrated throughout the world and traces some of the stories that are connected to them. Each festival comprises its own chapter with a historical introduction and the informative source notes at the end of the book provide even more intriguing facts.

Young readers will discover how a brave young girl saves her people from the wicked Haman in the Jewish tale, "The Story of Esther;" and in the magical tale from the West Indies, they will follow the Warau clan as they embark on a journey through a hole in the clouds. This cross-cultural collection also includes stories from the Russian New Year, the Indian Festival of Holi, the Moon Festival of China, and, of course, Christmas.

Children's Literature

Festivals are happy, joyful occasions. No matter where you live, or why you celebrate, a festival is a party to be enjoyed. Many festivals have certain customs such as fireworks, or special foods and costumes. Here we find the story associated with each of the eight highlighted festivals including the origin of Kwanzaa, Halloween, Purim and New Year. Each story is six to eight pages in length, and the country of origin for each festival is mentioned, making this book an excellent multicultural title for the elementary and middle school collection.