Fiction - African American, Fiction - Holidays & Festivals, African Americans - General & Miscellaneous, African American Studies, Holidays (Non-Religious) - Social Sciences

Kwanzaa Kids

Name: Kwanzaa Kids
Author: Joan Holub
ISBN: 9780142301999

by Holub, Joan, Wilson-Max, Ken

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Overview

Kwanzaa is here, and there are so many fun things to do! Each day the children light another candle on the Kinara. Then they celebrate the Kwanzaa principle of the day-by working at Granny's market stand, making gifts for family and friends, playing African games, and even having a feast! A perfect way to begin teaching young children about the meaning and traditions of this joyous holiday.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly

Emily the bunny celebrates in her seventh lift-the-flap book, Merry Christmas, Emily! by Claire Masurel, illus. by Susan Calitri. The publisher uses an identical lift-the-flap format for the informative Kwanzaa title, Kwanzaa Kids by Joan Holub, illus. by Ken Wilson-Max

Children's Literature

This "Picture Puffin" introduces the African-American holiday of Kwanzaa to the youngest celebrants. Glossy paper and crayon-bright colors add to the appeal of opening a flap on each of the double-page spreads focusing on one of the seven Kwanzaa principles. Each day has its own special color on which is listed the day, the adult name for the principle, the Swahili name, and a short explanation for children. On the orange page, for example, appear: "DAY 4/Cooperative economics/Ujamaa/(oo-jah-MAH)/We support each other in business." A picture below shows which of the candles in the kinara would be lighted on this day, while the simple but effective illustration shows a market with Kwanzaa goods for sale, revealing African masks when the flap is opened. It's that simple, but neatly engineered, and should be fun for young readers to explore, with its black-outlined reds, greens, purples, and yellows catching the eye and leading to the cheery "Happy Kwanzaa!" on the last page. A short glossary of five Swahili words like Harambee and Mkeka is included. 2003, Puffin, Ages 2 to 6.
— Barbara L. Talcroft