Light the Candle! Bang the Drum!: A Book of Holidays around the World

Light the candles! Ring the bells! Dance and sing! Cultural and religious holidays are very important to children, marking festive occasions both at home and at school. This bright nonfiction picture book serves as the perfect introduction for the very young to celebrations around the world. Many of the holidays like Thanksgiving and Halloween are familiar to American children. Others, such as St. Lucia’s Day and Diwali, may be new to them. Each of the twenty-four holidays is illustrated with cut-paper pictures full to bursting with brilliant colors and bold shapes. Along with simple descriptions, they convey the mood, symbols, and incredible diversity of the festivities. Detailed notes at the end of the book tell more about each holiday.