We ­Celebrate the Light

K-Gr 3–The common themes of family and celebration are woven through this masterfully illustrated glimpse into seven fall and winter holidays. Whether hanging Christmas lights, playing with a dreidel, or sharing a meal with friends on the shortest day of the year, all people have many things in common: loved ones, hope, traditions, and looking forward and back while always celebrating the light. Mother-daughter duo Yolen and Stemple pair with Chen to create a visual masterpiece where the text flows across holiday illustrations, linking them through prose. Diwali, Solstice, Christmas, Chanukkah, Kwanzaa, Bohdi Day, and Lunar New Year are each given two spreads, showing differing friend and family units celebrating and a one sentence summary of each holiday. The text, which is full of phrases like “we celebrate our homes. Where we live today and others that hold memories,” may hold deeper meaning for older readers, but even the youngest readers will delight in the artistic depictions. Richly detailed digital illustrations portray people of all colors and sizes, as well as two people using wheelchairs, a person accompanied by a service dog, a child wearing a hearing aid, and a child helping with decorations while sitting beside their leg braces. Various family units are depicted, including two dads, multiracial families, and multigenerational households. Back matter includes brief, but specific, descriptions of each holiday and some common traditions. On the dedication page, the creators thank a group of expert readers who weighed in on the accuracy of each holiday’s portrayal.