April 1, 2017
K-Gr 2-Basic introductions to widely celebrated holidays. Spreads are composed of one to three sentences and full-page photos. There are several weaknesses to note. Most photos feature children, but many are generic stock images recognizable from other series. Christmas and Hanukkah provide perfunctory explanations of their religious origins and lasting significance, but readers will have to consult the glossary to learn why Hindus celebrate Diwali. Hanukkah includes photos of dreidels on the cover and throughout the work yet fails to mention or define the word, merely calling them -tops.- VERDICT Little improvement beyond what is already published, supplemental at best.
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2018
These blandly written, small-format easy readers include appealing pictures but omit all context of why and where the festivals are celebrated. The most basic information is left out: for instance, Hinduism (�cf2]Diwali�cf1]) and Islam (�cf2]Ramadan�cf1]) are mentioned only in the glossaries, and there's no indication of the holidays' origins. Knowledgeable parents or educators could expand on these flawed texts. Reading list. Glos., ind.
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