Recommended Ages 5 - 9 years
When December comes around it seems like our neighborhood is full of festivities. We love that there are so many family traditions that we get to experience when we are with others. With our children, especially, introducing them to other cultures is important. It helps them see beyond their own worlds and understand there is more depth and richness than their own experiences.
Let me introduce you to a new holiday favorite book, A World of Cookies for Santa written by M.E. Furman and illustrated by Susan Gal. In this picture book, we take a trip around the world, stopping at several countries to look at some traditions children have this time of year, specifically desserts! Starting in Christmas Island and traveling west till we reach Hawaii, readers are treated to a brief lesson on the country or city. At the end of the book, Furman includes a list of recipes for some of the cookies mentioned in the book!
As you go through these insightful pages, I would make a note to your kids that these are still large generalities being made for many people in one country. Just like in our city there are many families who celebrate very differently, you should never expect one perspective to speak for all. However, that being said I think it could inspire your kids to seek more information or just use it as a stepping stone to a peek inside different cultures. I recommended pairing this book with National Geographic’s Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Christmas or with informative sites like Kids World Travel Guide about the history of multicultural view of Christmas from around the world.
However, you celebrate we hope you have a joyous time with family and Happy New Year and maybe some scrumptious bites of your favorite cookie!
Amanda is a preschool teacher, mother and avid Central Park picnicker. She values community and is an advocate for families in the foster care system. One day she hopes to publish a children's book of her own. In the meantime, you can follow her Instagram, Enchanted Literacy, which encourages imagination and passion for reading.
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