The Seven Days of Kwanzaa - Hardcover

Grier, Ella

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0670873276 ISBN 13: 9780670873272

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers, 1997

Synopsis

Lively illustrations framed by painted kente cloth borders illuminate a story that celebrates and honors the richness of African-American culture and traditions, and includes lyrics to songs and four simple recipes to make a holiday feast.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 2. Stiff pages in progressively gradated widths, each trimmed with an African design, are used to describe the African-American harvest festival. A double-page spread is devoted to each of the seven days of Kwanzaa. It features a full-page painting on the verso and the date and a symbol on the recto along with a song excerpt, a short verse, or an activity related to the principle of the day. Four recipes are appended. Unfortunately, the presentation is uneven. For example, the text for the Third day, which has the principle of "Ujima" (working together), states: "We sweep the yard./We paint the gate./Everything looks better./We are pulling together." But on the Fifth day, with its principle of "Nia" (purpose), the connection is not so obvious: "Here's how we light the candles./First the black, next a red,/then a green, then another red,/and then another green." The verse is followed by an excerpt from "This Little Light of Mine." Like Harriet Ziefert's Eight Days of Hanukkah (Viking, 1997), this book is bright and accessible. Donna L. Washington's The Story of Kwanzaa (HarperCollins, 1996) and Andrea Pinkney's Seven Candles for Kwanzaa (Dial, 1993) both offer lengthier explanations of the holiday for a slightly older audience. A serviceable addition.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0670873276
• ISBN 13: 9780670873272
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 8
• Illustrator: Ward John William