Independence Day, or the Fourth of July, is one of the most important days in the history of the United States of America. Millions of Americans celebrate this national holiday each year. Parades, barbecues, and fireworks have all become staples of the celebration. Learn the importance of this national holiday to the people of the United States, then and now.
Each year during the beginning of spring, millions of Indian people celebrate Holi, also called the Festival of Colors. This two-day celebration includes important Hindu rituals and traditions. Students will love this fascinating introduction to one of the most colorful celebrations in the world!
Veterans Day is a time to honor the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Young readers will learn about the soldiers this holiday celebrates and how the occasion is marked across the country on November 11th.
From New Year's Eve to New Year's Day, people around the world have different customs to welcome in the new year. Learn the history of New Year's Day, and read about the fireworks, resolutions, and parades that make it so much fun!
Hanukkah is a Jewish festival of lights that celebrates the re-dedication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Hanukkah is observed over eight days by lighting a candle on the Menorah, a special candelabrum, once each day. After lighting the candle, Jews recite blessings and sing special hymns.
Each year on October 12th, millions of people in the United States celebrate Columbus Day. Easy-to-read text and colorful images help describe the events of Christopher Columbus' voyage, the discovery of the New World, and the activities and celebrations associated with this holiday.
Come inside and learn all about this popular seasonal celebration, from its ancient Christian roots to the holiday extravaganza it has become today. Young readers will learn all about Christmas, including its beliefs and customs.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar during which Muslims across the world observe daytime fasting for a whole month. It is believed that it was during this month that the first verses from the Koran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Ramadan ends with Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the most important festivals in the Islamic religion. The practices observed throughout this holy month are detailed in a simple and informative manner.
Kwanzaa is an African American festival that celebrates family, community and culture. It began in 1966 and based on various African harvest festivals in an attempt to bring African Americans together and remind them of their roots.
Kung hay fat Choy means may you prosper and is a greeting heard often during Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year, sometimes called Lunar New Year, is celebrated in Chinese communities throughout the world. Children will love this colorful and easy-to-understand introduction to this famous holiday.
El Da de los Muertos is the Mexican equivalent of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. During this festival, people build altars to loved ones who have died and gather around it to rekindle happy memories of that person. Graves and altars are decorated with bright flowers like marigold. Offerings of food and anything else that the deceased liked are also made.
On May 5, 1862, a small group of Mexican forces defeated a powerful French army at the Battle of Puebla, one of history's most memorable fights for freedom. It is this victory that Mexicans, especially those settled in the United States, celebrate as Cinco de Mayo, (Fifth of May). Colorful parades, music, folk dances, and reenactments of the famous battle mark the celebrations.
The festival of lights is one of the most popular festivals in the Hindu calendar. Like most Hindu festivals, Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil. According to one legend Diwali is observed to mark the return of Lord Rama to his homeland.
Its time to carve the turkey and give thanks! Thanksgiving explores in colorful detail this national holiday, from mashed potatoes and gravy to the religious observances. Learn the history of Thanksgiving, from its first pilgrim celebration in 1621, to its celebration in modern day.
Ghouls and goblins take to the street in Halloween! But theres more to this spooky celebration than carving pumpkins and trick-or-treating. Halloween explores the history behind this yearly custom, including its roots in ancient Celtic tradition, as well as the costumed and candied evening it is today. Wonderful color photographs bring this celebration to life for young readers.
Theres more to Easter than hunting for eggs and stuffing ourselves with chocolate! Come inside Easter to learn the history and ancient customs of this Christian festival. Wonderful color photographs bring this celebration to life for young readers. Inviting design and color photos make this topic fun to learn.
Passover looks at this major Jewish spring festival celebrating the freeing of Israelites from Egyptian slavery. Come inside Passover and learn the history behind this holy observance and how it is celebrated today. Vibrant photographs and easy-to-read text brings this celebration to life for children.
Commemorating the birthday of this champion of civil rights, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebrates the accomplishments and efforts of Dr. King. This compelling new title from Crabtree looks at Martin Luther King, Jr., his life, and the different celebrations in his honor every year. Full color photographs and detailed text bring to life the story of a great man.
A collection of authentic stories from the years around 1492. These tales have been carefully crafted to sound as exciting and mysterious as they were when first told five hundred years ago by sailors around a lantern on a ship, shared by explorers reclining around a campfire, enjoyed by Native Americans in a grass hut, whispered inside a stone palace in the Totonac city of Zempoala, or fondly remembered by an adventurer back home in Europe.
When a story shares a universal message, it finds its way into that pantheon of tales that is shared with many diverse cultures. These classic 33 tales, collected from Brazil, China, Korea, Russia, Tibet, Africa, from America's native peoples, and other lands, are chosen for their timeless shared values.
This collection of fifty folktales and parables was selected from diverse story traditions such as Sufi, Zen, Taoist, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, African, and Native American. Comprised of ancient plots both poignant and comical, this anthology contains simple truths, common sense, and the promise that we can benefit from past generations' experience. Wisdom tales offer useful insights into life's joys and sorrows that all of us experience.
Throughout history, Eastern Europe has been a battlefield, a crossroads, a place of conflict, and a place of resolution. The folk stories in this collection tell about challenges and obstacles as well as the strength, wit, hope, and courage necessary to overcome them.
Although the 46 tales in this collection are as varied as their origins, nearly all of these stories have been passed on by immigrants to America. As a result, this collection is a world tour between two covers, but not at the expense of the unifying element common to these stories: their uniquely Jewish flavor of doing the right thing, on surviving by cleverness and kindness and on the need for keeping a good sense of humor." Sherman's collection includes magical tales; stories about clever folks; tales of ghosts, gilguls, and other strange things; fables that deal with doing the right thing; and stories about the delightfully silly Wise Men of Chelm. Entertaining and illuminating story notes give additional information on the origins and different versions of the tales.
Maybe it's the king who spills honey, and then says it is not his problem - until it causes a war. Or maybe it's some sandpipers and whales who get into a foolish fight that almost destroys their homes. Perhaps it's the man who thinks that a gun makes him strong or the monkeys who follow their leader into water that's too deep. Peace Tales contains more than three dozen folktales and proverbs that illustrate these choices. Always fun to read these stories also prompt us to think about the seemingly minor events that lead to war and the little events that can also lead to peace. Stories from across the globe are accompanied by generous story notes, source information, and suggestions for further reading on the topic of peace.
When she was a young girl, Barbara McBride-Smith was introduced to the ancient Greek myths but she didn't quite hear right. When her teacher told her they lived in the cradle of western civilization, young Barbara thought she said Western civilization - as in central Texas, around about Waco, where they seemed to fit right in. Ol' Man Zeus, after all, was a gun-totin' Big Daddy, sort of the J.R. Ewing of Mount Olympus. You know Aphrodite, the school basketball queen or Pandora the debutante, the best guitar picker around was Orpheus - Tom T. and wasn't Medusa the one who started the fashion trend known as Big Hair? With her incurable Texas drawl, feminist sympathies, and cheerleader's do-right attitude, master storyteller Barbara McBride-Smith spins the Greek myths as you've never heard them before.
