New Year

Children's Literature - Catherine Campbell Wright

This entry in the "World Celebrations and Ceremonies" series unites cultures from around the world in their celebration of the New Year. Some countries celebrate on January 1, while other countries do so at different times of the year, according to their own calendars. For example, China and Israel keep lunar calendars that determine their New Year, while the United States and many other nations follow a solar calendar. This book also explains the different New Year's customs and traditions of each featured country. Children in Nigeria slam doors to frighten the old year away, while in other cultures people go fishing, set off firecrackers, or eat special foods. Whatever the country, the start of a New Year is a time of hope and new beginnings. This book does a splendid job of embracing the holiday. Other books in this series include Birth, Coming of Age, and Harvest. Each of these books features the following countries: Mexico, Japan or China, Nigeria, Russia, Israel, India, England, Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the United States.

Childrens Book Watch

around the world; Birth (277-3 $14.95) considers different birth ceremony customs, and Coming Of Age (276-5 $14.95) reveals coming of age ceremonies. Each provides a balanced focus between different cultures and includes photos and maps.
—Childrens Book Watch