The holiday season is a beautiful time of year; the air is chilly and cozy, fairy lights blanket houses and trees in bright joy, and in every department store you walk into, Christmas music floods the aisles. It’s an era full of joy and celebration, but the diversity of this season often gets neglected. Christmas is always at the forefront of our society’s mind during the months of October, November, and December, but it’s important to remember that the holiday season is not only for Christmas time.
Despite contemporary culture prioritizing Christmas as a national holiday, there are many people who enjoy the holiday season with other cultural celebrations. While it is understandable that we would become wrapped up in the rush and popularity of Christmas, it’s vital that we also acknowledge the other celebrations taking precedence at this time. So, in a very Book Bears fashion, I have provided a list of books to teach children, and adults, about holidays that make this holiday season so beautifully diverse!
1. Rani Saves Diwali by Anita Badhwar
In this beautifully written children’s story about Diwali, the princess of a kingdom in India saves the day when the royal decorator has an accident the day of Diwali and is unable to perform his duties. This story is engaging, and reinforces the spirit of the festival!
2. Let’s Celebrate 5 Days of Diwali by Ajanta Chakraborty
This short but sweet children’s book shares the story of two young siblings visiting their aunt and discovering the festival of Diwali. They learn about Diwali’s history, and traditional aspects related to the festival.
3. Dia de los Muertos by Hannah Elliot
This charming book teaches the littlest readers about the traditions of Día de Los Muertos. In addition to learning about customs, readers will also learn Spanish words related to the celebration!
4. The Dead Family Diaz by P.J Bracegirdle
Angelito is a little skeleton who is not excited about celebrating the Day of the Dead with humans. Humans are so funny-looking and scary! But what happens when Angelito makes friends with an actual human boy? This is an excellent story about overcoming stereotypes and being willing to learn more about others.
5. Together for Kwanzaa by Juwanda G. Ford
In this sweet story centered around the holiday of Kwanzaa, Kayla is worried that her brother Kari won’t make it home in time because of a big snowstorm. Will they manage to be together for the holiday? This is a great book to teach children about the traditions and origins of Kwanzaa.
6. The Story of Kwanzaa by Donna L. Washington
From ancestors in Africa to slavery and the civil rights movement, the author explains the history leading up to the creation of Kwanzaa. With stunning photographs of contemporary African fabrics and joyful mixed-media illustrations, this is certainly an appealing book for young readers!
7. Latke, The Lucky Dog by Ellen Fischer
In this adorable story about Hanukkah, Latke the dog goes on a journey of learning his new owners’ holiday traditions on Hanukkah!
8. Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel
In this classic Hanukkah children’s story, Hershel finds a way to outwit the goblins that haunt the village synagogue and are keeping the villagers from celebrating Hanukkah.
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