To continue our monthly series of book lists for youth, the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library would like to recommend the following titles.
November, 2007 -- Fall and Winter Holiday Non-Fiction
Gung Hay Fat Choy: Happy New Year by June Behrens. The Chinese New Year is a festival that may last for many days and include family reunions, ceremonies honoring ancestors, being thankful for good fortune, as well as an all-encompassing birthday party. K-3. Cassette book RC 42638.
Kwanzaa by Deborah M. Newton Chocolate. A picture book that looks at the week-long celebration in one African American household. K-3. Print/braille book BR 8911. Cassette book RC 33258.
The Story of Hanukkah by Amy Ehrlich. Retells the biblical story that is celebrated by the Jewish people in the feast of Hanukkah. K-3. Print/braille book BR 8929. Cassette book RC 33242.
Christmas Around The World by Emily Kelley. Christmas traditions are different from country to country. This volume looks at Christmas in Mexico, Iran, China, Sweden, Iraq, Spain, and Norway. Grades 2-4. Cassette book RC 31285.
Christmas Around The World, Volume 2 by Emily Kelley. Christmas traditions are different from country to country. This volume looks at Christmas in Mexico, Ethiopia, China, Germany, Lebanon, Sweden, Australia, and Russia. Grades 2-4. Braille book BR 15264. Cassette book RC 57498.
Christmas Trees by Kathy Henderson. Information about how Christmas trees are grown and how the holiday tree tradition started. Grades 2-4. Large Print book LP 8405.
Silent Night: The Song and Its Story by Margaret Hodges. Describes how the well-known Christmas carol was created and how it was spread around the world. Grades 2-4. Cassette book RC 48197.
Squanto and the First Thanksgiving by Theresa Celsi. A simple biography of the Patuxet Indian who helped the Pilgrims survive their early days in the Plymouth colony. Grades 2-4. Large print book LP 15281.
The Story of Thanksgiving by Robert Merrill Bartlett. Traces the history and customs of Thanksgiving, from the harvest festivals of the ancient world to American traditions in the twenty-first century. Grades 2-4. Braille book BR 13914. Cassette book RC 53181.
Thanksgiving by Alice K. Flanagan. Covers the tradition of harvest festivals and the first Thanksgiving celebrated by the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians in 1620. Explains why Thanksgiving is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November. Grades 2-4. Cassette book RC 54375.
Christmas Crafts from Around the World by Judy Ann Sadler. Fourteen things to make that symbolize Christmas in different countries. Grades 3-6. Braille book 15242.
The Stone Lamp: Eight Stories of Hanukkah through History by Karen Hesse. A story of each Hanukkah night from a child's point of view, exploring the celebration at various times in history such as the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the Holocaust. Grades 3-6. Cassette book RC 58358.
The Story of the Wise Men and the Child by Lisl Weil. The story of Jesus' birth is taken from the Gospel of Matthew and translated into modern language and straightforward sentences for young readers. Grades 3-6. 1/4" font (slightly larger than normal large print). Print/Braille book BR 5907.
Turkeys , Pilgrims, and Indian Corn: the Story of the Thanksgiving Symbols by Edna Barth. Traces the history of this American harvest celebration and how various symbols became linked with it. Grades 3-6. Braille book BR 13887. Cassette book RC 53631.
Holly, Reindeer, and Colored Lights: The Story of the Christmas Symbols by Edna Barth. Explains the long-ago origins of many Christmas holiday traditions. Grades 4-7. Braille book BR 13898. Cassette book RC 53940.
It's Kwanzaa Time! by Clay and Linda Gloss. A collection of stories, songs, poems, games and recipes associated with the seven principles of Kwanzaa, a week-long African American festival based on long-ago African traditions. Grades 4-7. Cassette book RC 42923.
The Truth About Santa Claus by James Cross Giblin. The history of Santa Claus from the legend of Saint Nicholas in 280 A.D. to the modern day figure associated with Christmas. Grade 4 and older readers. Braille book BR 6457. Cassette book RC 24670.
Beatrice Ojakangas' Great Holiday Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas. Well-known Swedish chef has gathered holiday recipes from around the world. The emphasis is on baking ahead, and some of the recipes are earmarked for baking with children. All ages. Cassette book RC 42591.
The First Christmas (Bible-King James version) . Story of Jesus' birth and the events surrounding it in the words of the King James version of the bible. Illustrated with paintings from the 15th -17th century, which are identified in the back of the book with tidbits about the painters. All ages. Print/braille book BR 9916.
Joy of Cooking Christmas Cookies by Irma S. Rambauer. More than 75 recipes for yummy holiday cookies. Also includes recipes for icings, glazes, and holiday beverages. All ages. Braille book BR 14554. Cassette book RC 55427.
To order these books and others like these, use the link to the "On-line Catalog (OPAC)" at www.wtbbl.org. Order these books or use keyword search or subject search to find more like these. You can limit your search by reading level and/or material format.
Link to previous Recommended Reads.