Special days are times for fun and togetherness. They also link us to the Earth's seasons, and they help us keep track of how time passes. Most of all, they are deeply rooted in folk tradition. Learn more about: the winter holidays, like Christmas and Hanukkah; spring celebrations like Easter and Asian New Year; fall festivals, like Halloween and the Day of the Dead; and summer celebrations, like the Fourth of July. Holidays and festivals draw us together. They remind us of who we are, where we come from, and what we believe. As we travel through the year, folk festivals give us strength. And they make life more fun!
Mrs. Gumm finds a turkey egg and raises the poult for Thanksgiving dinner, but will her new friend become her dinner or a guest?
When a very large baby is left on the steps of Town Hall, the villagers decide to raise the girl as their own. Oversized, but not under loved, Valentine wonders if there's a match for her anywhere in the world.
Hazel and her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother all go to visit each other on Mother's Day. But where's great-great-grandmother?
It is Alicia's birthday and as she walks through her Latino neighborhood all her neighbors and friends help to make the day very special.
Margie's bossy older brother thinks that believing in Santa Claus is humbug--and he plans to prove it by trapping him. But in the end, he's not so sure.
A young boy and his abuelo push aside their Christmas preparation to rescue a beautiful cardinal during a blizzard. The bird quickly responds to their kindness, regains it strength, and flies off. The cardinal sweetly and unexpectedly rewards the boy, his grandfather, and their entire village with a lifetime of Christmas cheer. The "For Creative Minds" section contains instructions to create a bird-friendly backyard, simple bird feeder crafts, a "Cardinal Numbers" math game, and information on what to do if you find an injured bird. Encourages children to care for animals.
From Chinese New Year to the Fourth of July, readers will learn about various holidays around the world and the activities that make them so much fun. The connection to language arts is made through important vocabulary words that help describe the customs of different cultures and the holidays that accompany these customs.
In 1935, a nine-year-old boy's family held a forbidden Potlatch in faraway Kingcome Inlet. Watl'kina slipped from his bed to bear witness. In the Big House masked figures danced by firelight to the beat of the drum. And there, he saw a figure he knew. Aboriginal elder Alfred Scow and award-winning author Andrea Spalding collaborate to tell the story, to tell the secret of the dance.
A hardworking cat, an ingénue dog, and a collection of familiar and unfamiliar Mother Goose rhymes combine in this charming Valentine picture book. Our romantic leads meet, court, propose, and wed, then honeymoon to London to visit the Queen. Careful readers will notice the little mouse (sometimes obvious, sometimes hiding) in every illustration.
Popular holidays throughout the year are highlighted for the emergent reader with engaging text and matching photos.
Children experience the joy and magic of the season with this festive holiday book! The classic Christmas song becomes a favorite children's story!
From pre-Columbian times to the present day, Native Americans have enjoyed celebrating holidays and other special occasions. Tribes celebrated festivals and ceremonies throughout the year. These included everything from significant events in a person's life, the changing of the seasons, the arrival of special people or places, and elements of nature. This book discusses the important festivals and ceremonies celebrated by tribes in specific regions, outlining the form of the festival and how each was celebrated.
According to Mexico's official Secretariat of Tourism, each year more than 5,000 officially recognized fiestas, or holiday celebrations, are observed in the country. These fiestas include religious feasts like Easter in the spring, and the Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe in December. They also include national and local holidays like Independence Day and Cinco de Mayo. Some Mexican festivals pay homage to the special foods and crops of the nation; other special events are held for birthdays, baptisms, weddings, and graduations. This book provides information about many of the most popular and important festivals celebrated in Mexico today.
In Kwanzaa, early readers will learn about the African-American holiday of Kwanzaa and the ways people celebrate it. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage emergent readers as they explore this unique holiday. A labeled diagram helps readers understand the symbols of Kwanzaa, while a picture glossary reinforces new vocabulary. Children can learn more about Kwanzaa online using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Kwanzaa also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, and an index.
In Hanukkah, early readers will learn about the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and the ways people celebrate it. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage emergent readers as they explore this unique holiday. A labeled diagram helps readers understand the symbols of Hanukkah, while a picture glossary reinforces new vocabulary. Children can learn more about Hanukkah online using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Hanukkah also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, and an index.
In Easter, early readers will learn about the Christian holiday of Easter and the ways people celebrate it. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage emergent readers as they explore this unique holiday. A labeled diagram helps readers understand the symbols of Easter, while a picture glossary reinforces new vocabulary. Children can learn more about Easter online using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Easter also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, and an index.
In Christmas, early readers will learn about the Christian holiday of Christmas and the ways people celebrate it. Vibrant, full-color photos and carefully leveled text will engage emergent readers as they explore this unique holiday. A labeled diagram helps readers understand the symbols of Christmas, while a picture glossary reinforces new vocabulary. Children can learn more about Christmas online using our safe search engine that provides relevant, age-appropriate websites. Christmas also features reading tips for teachers and parents, a table of contents, and an index.
Everyone has a birthday. Young or old, we all like to celebrate with friends and family.
Today is Rabbit's birthday. Join Rabbit's animal friends as they arrive with special treats.
Birthday parties are fun. What is your favorite thing about birthday parties?
Children will join in the balloons, clowns, cake, and fun of a birthday party. Lively photographs highlight the story told by the child who is having the birthday.
This illustrated dictionary introduces readers to early celebrations of Christmas in North America and around the world. Beautiful illustrations focus on Christmas customs and traditions in the Victorian era, especially those practiced by the early settlers in North America.
Will he or won't he see his shadow? That's the big question on Groundhog Day, an annual winter event on February 2nd to predict how soon spring will arrive. Young readers will learn about the ceremonies and traditions that take place on this special day.
The celebration of a bar or bat mitzvah is a recognition that a young Jewish boy or girl has reached the age of responsibility. At the age of 13 for boys and 12 for girls, children take lessons to prepare for the ritual ceremony of reading from the Torah, the Jewish holy book. Readers will learn about the different ways boys and girls are prepared, as well as the traditional family celebrations that go along with the religious celebration.
