Seven Candles for Kwanzaa

This is a wonderful book that takes the reader inside a life of an a African American family who celebrates the Kwanzaa holiday! This is a story of a family that is getting ready for celebrate their African heritage holiday. In the beginning of the book there is a complete explanation with a definition of what Kwanzaa is and why African Americans celebrate this holiday. On the pages of the book there are African inspired patterns and symbols that help you feel the culture. The one aspect of this book that is incredible are the illustrations. The illustrations are beautiful and filled with vibrant colors and detail. This book is a great for children to read and get lost in.

This book is a great introduction to the celebration of Kwanzaa. It is particularly useful for elementary school teachers because it starts off with a note to readers that informs us about the holiday. Kwanzaa is not talked about a lot in schools, so this book helps students understand everything about the holiday. Students can easily relate to the text and will enjoy the pictures. The book gives the pronunciation of difficult words in parentheses which is beneficial for students and teachers alike. The rituals and reasons for celebrating Kwanzaa are given in an easy-to-follow, storybook-like format, making this an excellent choice for a read aloud. Students will be able to learn about a new culture and holiday in this special book show more about the celebration of African American heritage. show less

I really liked this book for multiple reasons. This is a book that describes the origins and practices of Kwanzaa, the seven-day festival during which people of African descent rejoice in their ancestral values. The first thing I liked bout the book was the descriptive language. The language was descriptive enough but not too detailed to which young readers could follow along and know what the text was saying. The second thing that I liked was the characters of the book. The characters of the book were depicted by African American boys and I think that's significant because the holiday of Kwanzaa is celebrated by people from African decent. The third and final part of this book that I really liked was the informational plot. The plot show more centers around describing and detailed all that goes into the holiday known as Kwanzaa. I think it's a great way for children to learn about this special holiday and all that in tales. show less

SUMMARY
This book teaches readers about the African American holiday of Kwanzaa. They learn about the different foods, gifts, and traditions associated with the holiday. Readers are also taught about the seven candles and the significance and activities that are associated with each one.

REVIEW
I knew very little about Kwanzaa until reading this book. It was extremely informative. I love that the author provided me with a pronunciation key to help me pronounce the language that I was not familiar with. An example would be kikombe cha umoja (kee-kom-bay cha oo-moe-jah). I also appreciate that the author explained the meaning behind each of the seven candles since they were such a big part of the holiday tradition. The illustrations in this show more book are also very unique because you can see every single pencil stroke in the drawings. It definitely made me more engaged in the text. show less

I appreciate learning so much, especially the note that it is not a substitute for Christmas.

I do have quibbles, but they're unique to me, I'm sure. For example, why didn't the first lit candle burn down more than the last? Were they blown out immediately? And keeping track of red vs. green candles was confusing, too. And I've never been a fan of this art medium, anything that looks like woodblock just doesn't work for me.

Still, I recommend it.

SUMMARY: This book is an informational text that describes Kwanzaa, the history, the traditions celebrated now, and the importance of it to the African American culture.

REVIEW: This book's central message was to inform about the tradition of Kwanzaa. The book had African words with translations, which I believe made the information feel more authentic. I felt as the reader that someone of that culture was telling me a story in their own language.

This book takes the reader through the seven days of Kwanzaa, which is an African holiday. I found this book interesting and actually learned a lot myself from this. The illustrator for this book is Brian Pinkney. The pictures are unique and the way they are drawn reminds me of something you would see in Africa. This would be a great book for all ages.