School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-These titles balance historical perspective with contemporary cultural significance in describing the holidays. Diwali focuses on the Hindu celebration in India but mentions observance by the Sikh and Jain faiths and also shows customs in four other countries. All texts capture well the spirit of the holidays, conveying in Ramadan, for example, the holy purpose of fasting and the shared joy in feasting. While the first-person plural texts create a mostly inclusive tone, they present Native Americans as "other" by using the third person to explain that Thanksgiving is a day of mourning for some Indians whereas others hold ceremonies of thanks. Each spread features up to three high-quality color photographs, a paragraph of body text, and a line of much larger text that creates a focal point and supports contextual understanding. Many cultures are represented through photos and captions, including five continents in Ramadan. Each book includes a map showing where the photos were taken, along with extras such as games, recipes, a prayer, or historical time lines, and ends with a page of additional cultural and historical information for adults. These visually appealing volumes would update any multicultural or holiday collection. Consider Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith's Celebrating Ramadan (Holiday House, 2001) and Laurie Halse Anderson's Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving (S & S, 2002) as companions.-Julie R. Ranelli, Kent Island Branch Library, Stevensville, MD (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
These books use short, simple sentences and large, colorful, well-captioned photographs to explain each holiday's customs and traditions. Written with a global perspective in mind, the text's use of the ""we"" voice (rather than ""they"") makes the information seem more authentic and respectful. Recipes are provided; Diwali includes a game. Both books feature an essay written by a religion professor. Reading list, websites. Glos. [Review covers these Holidays around the World titles: Celebrate Diwali and Celebrate Ramadan & Eid Al-Fitr.] (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
