These selections from the History of Holidays and Festivals series dive into the meaning and history behind cultural and religious celebrations. For each, discrete chapters cover what the day symbolizes, its history and origin, and past and present observances. The straightforward text is supported by sidebars, graphics, charts, graphs, and full-color photos. Critical-thinking prompts encourage compare-andcontrast activities, digging deeper into topics, and writing exercises. Christmas and Diwali both offer ample information while emphasizing the influence of multiple cultures and blending of diverse traditions. Christmas touches on prehistoric winter-solstice observances, Roman Saturnalia festivities, and Christian traditions found in Iceland, Germany, Britain, and the U.S. Diwali shares the importance of this religious holiday to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists, providing examples of celebrations all over the world. Indigenous PeoplesХ Day profiles various games, celebrations, and observances, integrating historical perspective and activism for Indigenous rights (one concern: coverage essentially begins in 1492, with the arrival of Europeans). Juneteenth focuses on the history of slavery in North America. The initial chapter describes holiday observances, including the iconic Galveston Freedom Walk, and subsequent chapters address the transatlantic slave trade, the Civil War, the civil rights movement, and the establishment of Juneteenth as a national holiday in 2021. All titles include time lines, glossaries, and brief bibliographies, which should please report writers. These offer timely updates for holiday collections.

Young readers are treated to a thorough history of many of America’s popular celebrations. Each title answers the basic questions a novice researcher or curious mind would ask about a holiday. When did it start? How is it celebrated? Why is it important? A detailed history of each holiday is provided, along with vivid descriptions of traditional clothes, foods, dances, and activities. Readers will be able to trace the evolution of traditions through generations. Sprinkled throughout the text are primary source quotes and chapter ­questions that ask readers to put into practice strategies for reading informational text. The books conclude with a timeline, a glossary, an index, links to the publisher’s online resources, and critical thinking questions with writing prompts. VERDICT A strong presentation of research material with the added benefit of built-in information literacy exercises.