CHRISTMAS PICTURE BOOK: Joy to the World! by Kate DePalma & Sophie Fatus
ABOUT THE BOOK
Explore Christmas traditions from 13 different countries! Rhyming text and detailed illustrations make the book accessible to younger readers, while educational endnotes about the 13 celebrations add interest for older children. Gold ink and festive illustrations capture the joy of the season and make this book a beautiful gift in itself. Engaging and informative for anyone who wants to learn about the holiday. Features Christmas traditions from *Ethiopia *Colombia *Australia *Italy *Serbia *Mexico *India *Iceland *Egypt *Argentina *Philippines *Lebanon *Canada
REVIEW
Reading about cultural traditions from other places provides a fascinating glimpse into the lives of other people. Some of the traditions highlighted in this book were familiar and others were new, but the lovely illustrations were appealing and fun. The use of mixed media with acrylic paint, collage, and digital techniques works well for making the book colorful and eye-catching. Each two-page spread introduces one tradition from the culture of each of the 13 countries included. Two couplets highlight each tradition with more information about the tradition included in the back matter. The Serbian tradition of tossing treats into straw for children to gather like chicks was especially intriguing. The most appealing tradition was the Icelandic tradition of exchanging and reading books on Christmas Eve night. The introduction and conclusion give a brief introduction to the beliefs associated with the Christmas holiday. An author's and illustrator's note included in the back matter provide additional background about the creation of the book. Each tradition was checked and verified by people from the associated country and culture. Overall, the book makes a great introduction to a popular holiday and the variety of different ways the holiday is celebrated. There is a variety of different types of cultures and families (traditional, extended, same gender couple, etc) depicted in the illustrations which makes this a truly diverse title.
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