December 1, 2023
PreS-Gr 2-This volume presents the diverse Christmas traditions in 13 countries, including practices by people in India, the Philippines, Iceland, Ethiopia, and many more. These include customs leading up to December 25 and traditions taking place after. Readers are taken on a tour of celebrations all over the world. In Colombia, the festivities begin in December 7 with El D�a de las Velitas when candles line the streets. In Egypt, Christians have a vegetarian diet in the weeks leading up to the holiday and break the fast with a great feast, serving traditional foods like fatteh. Each spread depicts families of different skin colors and nationalities. There's also a factoid about a national custom on each page. The joyful illustrations are filled with smiling children and excited parents. The Christmas spirit is so palpable, it jumps off the page and is sure to inject anticipation in young readers. The bright colors showcase the liveliness of the event. The book opens and closes with scenes from the Bible's Nativity story. The back matter includes more background on each tradition. VERDICT A truly multicultural volume exploring holiday experiences that can be enjoyed by the entire community. Purchase for all Spanish-language collections and shelve alongside Marilyn Singer's Every Month Is a New Year.-Shelley M. Diaz
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