Neal-Schuman Guide to Celebrations and Holidays Around the World: The Best Books, Media, and Multicultural Learning Activities by Kathryn I. Matthew, Joy L. Lowe, Joy L. Lowe

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Synopsis

In this reference for school library media specialists and classroom teachers, Matthew, a teacher and author, and Lowe, a former school and public librarian, offer information and activities for observing some 100 holidays from cultures around the world. Special attention is paid to integrating celebrations with curricular topics. Sections on each season and chapters on each month contain descriptions of specific holidays, then list book and media choices and outline activities for each holiday. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

School Library Journal

Access options abound in this hefty, comprehensive guide. Librarians can look up celebrations by month, season, country, or culture. They can explore familiar holidays such as Thanksgiving or learn about such lesser-known festivities as Itse Selu (the Cherokee Green Corn Festival). Both secular and religious celebrations are covered. The first section provides bibliographic information and suggested grade levels for titles on specific days. Sections that follow offer longer, more detailed explanations of the meaning and significance of a holiday and a helpful description of the content of each recommended book or media choice. "Explorations," or activities for sharing specific titles with students, are included; unfortunately, they are not particularly inspired. The few photographs and diagrams scattered throughout appear almost to be afterthoughts, as they do not particularly illuminate or add new information to the text. The four indexes (author, illustrator, title, and subject) are especially helpful. What the book lacks in style and imagination, it more than makes up for in information.-Sue Morgan, Tom Kitayama Elementary School, Union City, CA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.