Come and Join Us!: 18 Holidays Celebrated All Year Long

K-Gr 5–On the opening page, a teacher and her students sit in a circle. They take turns describing holidays they celebrate with their families. The first holiday description acknowledges that these are celebrations that do not just take place in a certain part of the world, but wherever these families live: “Even though we are far from our families across the ocean, my cousins and I wear our hanbok and honor our ancestors.” Another valuable addition are questions on each page to encourage students to engage with the book and make personal connections. The uniqueness of this book is that it is not holidays around the world. Instead, it is holidays celebrated by families of different cultures, religions, and traditions. Prabhat represents 18 children and their celebrations in gorgeous color and detail that will engage young people. With a high reading level, this is a book to be shared with, not read by, early readers. A glossary in the back defines some of the terminology used in the descriptions of each holiday. VERDICT A beautiful book meant to be shared and inspire discussion. Purchase for all library shelves.

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