A Year Full of Celebrations and Festivals
2021 by
on Goodreads (96)
What’s inside...
Countless different festivals are celebrated all over the world throughout the year. Some are national holidays, celebrated for religious and cultural reasons, or to mark an important date in history, while others are just for fun. Give thanks and tuck into a delicious meal with friends and family at Thanksgiving, get caught up in a messy tomato fight in Spain at La Tomatina, add a splash of color to your day at the Holi festival of colors and celebrate the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
With fact-filled text accompanied by beautifully bright illustrations from the wonderfully talented Chris Corr, prepare yourself for a journey as we travel around the world celebrating and uncovering a visual feast of culture.
Why read this book
- Explores global celebrations, enhancing cultural awareness.
- Colorful illustrations captivate and stimulate visual learning.
- Encourages curiosity about diverse traditions and customs.
- Ideal for family reading, fostering shared learning experiences.
The Big Picture
- Promotes inclusivity and appreciation for global cultures.
- Enhances empathy through understanding diverse celebrations.
- Encourages discussions on life's milestones and joys.
Diversity & Representation
- Showcases global celebrations, promoting cultural awareness and inclusivity.
- Encourages understanding and respect among diverse cultures and traditions.
- Illustrates a variety of global customs, enhancing children's worldviews.
Book in series
#1
Age
4-10
Length
128 pages
Text complexity
intermediate
Character Compass
Discussion points
What festival did you find most interesting and why?
How do the celebrations in the book compare to the ones we observe in our family?
Can you think of ways we can incorporate new traditions from the book into our own celebrations?
What did you learn about how other cultures celebrate their special days?
Why do you think celebrating together is important in many cultures?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to express their feelings and thoughts about each festival, validating their insights and drawing comparisons to their own experiences.
Use the book’s illustrations to dive deeper into discussions about the cultural significance of various symbols and colors used in different celebrations.
Suggest creating a family project to explore further into one of the festivals that intrigued your child, such as making a craft or cooking a dish related to that festival.
Promote empathy and understanding by discussing the values and emotions linked to different festivals, like joy during a harvest or reflection during New Year’s.
Consider planning a family 'Festival Day' where you and your child can celebrate using elements from various festivals mentioned in the book, fostering a hands-on learning experience.
What parents love
Amazing cultural journey for kids!
Engaging, colorful, and informative!
Perfect blend of fun and learning.
Great for introducing kids to global traditions.
Key Lessons
Example Lesson: Cultural Awareness
Explanation: Through exploring various global celebrations and festivals, children learn about the diversity of cultures around the world.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this understanding by showing respect and curiosity towards different traditions and customs they encounter in their community.
Example Lesson: Empathy
Explanation: By learning about the significance of different cultural festivities, children can develop a deeper understanding and emotional connection with people from varied backgrounds.
Real-World Application: This awareness helps children in interacting empathetically with peers of diverse origins, promoting inclusivity and acceptance.
Example Lesson: The Importance of Tradition
Explanation: The book highlights how celebrations are tied to cultural and family traditions, emphasizing their importance in maintaining a culture's identity.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to value and continue their family traditions or even create new ones that can be passed down through generations.
Example Lesson: Seasonal Changes
Explanation: As the book covers festivals throughout the year, children get a sense of the seasonal cycle and how it relates to cultural events.
Real-World Application: This lesson can help children understand the changing seasons and how they affect the environment and activities in their daily lives.
Example Lesson: Understanding Time
Explanation: The organization of the book around a calendar year helps children understand the concept of months, weeks, and days and how time is structured.
Real-World Application: This knowledge assists children in learning how to plan, anticipate upcoming events, and manage their own schedules effectively.