A Year Full of Celebrations and Festivals

March 1, 2021

Gr 3-6-This title offers a broad scope of celebrations from major religions, traditional and Indigenous spiritual practices, social movements, and cultural traditions. Well-written descriptions present the origin of the holiday and how it is celebrated in modern times. Over half of the celebrations featured are observed primarily in Europe. The section about carnival festivals mentions Mardi Gras in Australia, which is "an LGBTQIA+ pride parade and festival, celebrated in Sydney every year." There is also a spread dedicated to June Pride celebrations. The real star of the book is Corr's astonishingly vivid gouache paintings which, with their evocation of folk art with a modern twist, capture a festive spirit. Playful pen-and-ink margin figures interspersed with splashes of color adorn the table of contents, pages introducing a specific season, and others. The characters are drawn with a diversity of skin tones. Holidays associated with a specific religious or cultural group (Ramadan, Gathering of Nations in the American Southwest) show individuals wearing traditional dress or with an architectural backdrop associated with a country of origin. A glossary is included in the back matter. VERDICT An excellent addition and welcome update to elementary nonfiction collections focusing on holidays and celebrations.-Courtney Lewis, St. Catherine's Sch., Richmond, VA

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