Days To Celebrate

In Days to Celebrate Lee Bennett Hopkins has collected an astounding array of information to show us that each day of the year gives us a reason to celebrate. For every month he has compiled a calendar of birthdays, holidays, historic events, inventions, world records, thrilling firsts, and more. And for every month he has selected surprising poems in honor of some of the people and events commemorated in the calendar. There are poems about the seasons and holidays, of course, but there are also poems about a "Flying-Man" (for February 4, Charles Lindbergh's birthday), birds (for April 26, John James Audubon's birthday), windshield wipers (patented November 10), and earmuffs (patented December 21). Beloved poets, such as Walt Whitman, Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Christina Rossetti, are joined by new voices in sixty poems that take us on a remarkable journey through a year -- and through the years. Stephen Alcorn's illustrations, based on the style of art found in old almanacs, are airy, whimsical, and thought provoking. They perfectly match the breadth and depth of this volume. Brilliantly conceived and elegantly illustrated, Days to Celebrate is a book that pays tribute to the people, events, and poetry that make up our past and will inspire our future.

Lyrical, sensory nonfiction text and vibrant illustrations invite readers to experience a child’s-eye view of 13 holidays around the world, such as the Spring Festival in China, Inti Raymi in Peru, Eid al-Fitr in Egypt, Día de Muertos in Mexico and the New Yam Festival in Nigeria. Includes pronunciation guides, a global festival calendar and educational notes about why we celebrate.

This book was written to help explain to preschoolers and primary school students why and how different holidays are celebrated. As a nursery school teacher, I found that three- and four-year-olds were very aware of the decorations, commercials, and special foods associated with the holidays, but they did not know the reason for the holiday. The children had many questions about what they observed. I couldn't find information written on their level to answer their questions, so I wrote my own stories. This book contains the stories I wrote. I hope this book will help parents and teachers who find themselves in the same situation as I was in, with explanations for their children.

How did Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday become a national holiday? Why do we exchange presents on Christmas and Chanukah? What do bunnies have to do with Easter? How did Earth Day become a global holiday? These questions and more are answered in this fascinating exploration into the history and meaning of holidays and rituals. Edited by Amitai Etzioni, one of the most influential social and political thinkers of our time, this collection provides a compelling overview of the impact that holidays and rituals have on our family and communal life. From community solidarity to ethnic relations to religious traditions, We Are What We Celebrate argues that holidays such as Halloween, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, New Year's Eve, and Valentine's Day play an important role in reinforcing, and sometimes redefining, our values as a society. The collection brings together classic and original essays that, for the first time, offer a comprehensive overview and analysis of the important role such celebrations play in maintaining a moral order as well as in cementing family bonds, building community relations and creating national identity. The essays cover such topics as the creation of Thanksgiving as a national holiday; the importance of holidays for children; the mainstreaming of Kwanzaa; and the controversy over Columbus Day celebrations. Compelling and often surprising, this look at holidays and rituals brings new meaning to not just the ways we celebrate but to what those celebrations tell us about ourselves and our communities. Contributors: Theodore Caplow, Gary Cross, Matthew Dennis, Amitai Etzioni, John R. Gillis, Ellen M. Litwicki, Diana Muir, Francesca Polletta, Elizabeth H. Pleck, David E. Proctor, Mary F. Whiteside, and Anna Day Wilde.

Fourteen holidays celebrated around the world come alive in this kid-friendly guide of how to celebrate each holiday. The wide-ranging collection of holidays includes Holi, Purim, Halloween, and more!

Looks at some of the ways the people of Canada celebrate their holidays and special days.

Updated information and unbiased, developmentally appropriate strategies and activities to celebrate, rather than exclude, diversity, traditions, and holidays. Many programs are establishing a "no holiday" policy, but this book shows you how to celebrate and adhere to school policy. Among other topics, it includes evaluating holiday activities for appropriateness, addressing commercialism and stereotypes, involving families, and developing inclusive policies. Julie Bisson provides training on subjects ranging from culturally relevant and anti-bias curriculum to holiday curriculum. Louise Derman-Sparks has worked for over fifty years on issues of diversity, social justice, and activism in early childhood.

Presents read-aloud stories, poems, playlets, art projects, ready-to-go games, easy recipes, literature links, and more to help teachers and their students understand and appreciate the traditions of Hanukkah, Christmas, Las Posadas, Kwanzaa, and Chinese New Year.