With winter and the holidays upon us, there’s no better way to experience the diversity of traditions around the world than through the magic of books. Check out these children’s books that tap into our sense of wonder while learning about how other families and kids celebrate the holiday season.
Winter Tales: Stories and Folktales from Around the World
Winter Tales is a hardcover picture book that celebrates various cultures’ rich diversity as they celebrate the wonders of the winter season. From Siberia and North America to Scotland and Norway, your child is sure to cherish this magical book that includes 18 stories, including “The White Bear King,” “The Mitten,” and “The Snow Queen,” and more. Written by Dawn Casey and illustrated by Zanna Goldhawk, this book opens your eyes to the stories and folktales that make our globe so diverse.
Winter Holidays Around the World
Winter Holidays Around the World, written by Heather Aliano, explores how Christmas is celebrated in Australia, Italy, Mexico, Germany, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It also explores St. Lucia Day in Sweden, Hanukkah in Israel, Diwali in India, Chinese New Year in China, Solstice in the U.K., and Kwanzaa in the U.S.
Filled with activities and challenges, this festive book offers map and atlas work, crafts, coloring pages, recipes, reading and response passages, and exploration of cultures and languages. Each country features six pages of content, with coloring book-style drawings for added fun. It’s geared for kids in grades two through five.
Let’s Celebrate!: Special Days Around the World
Explore 13 holidays from around the world, from the New Yam Festival in Nigeria to the Spring Festival in China. Take a journey brimming with lyrical text and bold illustrations with the kids. Let’s Celebrate! isn’t just about winter holidays but goes through the whole year to spark your young reader’s curiosity. Holidays from Japan, China, New Zealand, Peru, Iran, Brazil, Sweden, United States, Nigeria, Russia, Egypt, India, and Mexico are all featured. Plus, there’s a global festival calendar to keep track of the places you’ve “visited”.
Lights of Winter: Winter Celebrations Around the World
Lights of Winter, an engaging children’s picture book, explores several winter celebrations around the world, such as Solstice, Yule, Kwanza, Soyal, Christmas, Hanukkah, Teng Chieh, Diwali, Zagmuk, Las Posadas, and Saturnalia. It’s illustrated by DeForest Walker and written by Heather Conrad. This informative book has 13 color illustrations, geared to children ages three to nine.
A World of Cookies For Santa: Follow Santa’s Tasty Trip Around the World
This hardcover picture book is a multi-cultural celebration that takes readers across the globe to see all the treats awaiting Santa on Christmas Eve. In the Philippines, children put out puto seko cookies with ginger tea; in Russia, they leave out a honey-spice cookie; in Malawi, they leave Santa a sweet potato cookie. After you have a great time reading about all the different cookie traditions on Christmas Eve, you can try your hand at one of the many yummy cookies recipes that are included.
Joy to the World: Christmas Around the Globe
In Joy to the World, read about Christmas traditions celebrated in Ethiopia, Iceland, Colombia, Italy, Australia, Serbia, Mexico, India, Egypt, Argentina, Canada, Philippines, and Lebanon. Christmas, celebrated in many different and meaningful days around the world, is explored in depth from 13 countries. From Epiphany night in Italy to the Day of Little Candles in Colombia, the bright illustrations and rhyming text will capture the holiday season perfectly. Plus, it makes a wonderful gift for the holidays with its appealing gold foil cover.
Christmas and Winter Holidays Around the World
For kids and adults, this is a humorous read-aloud picture book about holiday traditions and gifts around the world. Learn how Christmas is celebrated in Germany, Australia, Finland, Scotland, Vietnam, Spain, Italy, Peru and Ecuador, Japan, France, Hungary, the United Kingdom, and the United States. A delightful Christmas story, Christmas and Winter Holidays Around the World explores cultures and languages, crafts, coloring, and traditional dishes. It’s ideal for kids ages 5 to 12.
Now that you’re armed with a variety of beautifully illustrated and educational books about holidays around the world, it’s time to cuddle up on the couch and get reading!
