Kwanzaa Books

This is a wonderful book that brings people from different traditions together. It is high time that such a concept was written and illustrated in an entertaining way. Christmas after all is a amalgamation of different holidays that predated the Christians who co-opted the more ancient indigenous religions and customs of Europe. No one knows the real birthday of Jesus, it has been traditionally observed on December 25th. The date could have been chosen to incorporate the traditional solstice celebrations of the people who were conquered. It may have been chosen so they would not have to give up their christmas trees and belief in a crazy laplander tale of flying raindeer and Santa, a story that has a historical basis in the people who used to entertain and give out gifts from house to house in return for food and warm living rooms in the Scandanavian winters. This new twist in the winter holiday story incorporates a whole group of people who may have felt left out in years past. Culture is continuously changing.

The two editorial reviews that are already posted have missed that point. Instead they focus on minor points that are not valid or accurate. One says that he should have returned home on December 25, not the 26th. It doesn't take that much understanding or imagination to point out that he gets home at 11:59 pm, and then soon after they celebrate Kwanzaa. Another point is that the book assumes that the reader have some knowledge of Kwanzaa. Well, what is wrong with that? Is there only one book on Kwanzaa? Many people do have prior knowledge of Kwanzaa, and people who write for library journals should too. After all there are many books and movies that assume some knowledge of Christmas. It is important that this book is a part of every library, because the writing is original and funny (my friend and I laughed out loud even though we are 34 years old), and the illustration is beautiful. Critics at their best bring people to deserving material, at their worst, they lead people away from material that can make the world a better place.

I am a children's librarian who reviews children's books hither and thither. Thither and yon. Naturally, this job is awfully enjoyable, but it's also fraught with peril. Some of the peril is connected to the fact that as a WASP I view the books I review from a certain perspective. I sometimes have difficulty seeing things from other points of view. I'm mentioning this, you see, because not so long ago I heard of a challenge to Garein Eileen Thomas's charming, "Santa's Kwanzaa". It seems that someone in the world felt that this book was offensive. When I heard this, I was puzzled. "Santa's Kwanzaa"? Really? Really really? So I checked it out of my library branch, paged through it, showed it to countless librarians like myself, and we all came to the same conclusion. Say what you want about this book. Say it's a teensy bit cheesy or maybe it's rhymes don't always work out perfectly. But do not say that the book is offensive. It's a lovely little combination of two distinct holidays into a single amusing text that all sorts of kids can enjoy. But then, that's just my angle on it.

Christmas Eve is almost over and Santa's reaching the end of the night. He's just left the last house, chomped on the last cookie, and is returning back home to the North Pole at long last. On entering his house, however, something is up. He walks into his living room and SURPRISE!! It's his wife and his elves holding out his kente with a big banner reading, "Welcome Home, Santa Kwaz!". Santa relaxes after all his work and the elves give him some presents for Kwanzaa. After celebrating their roots (Santa, wife, and elves are all black, I should probably note) the jolly old elf is so pleased that he takes everyone up for a big old sleigh ride , lighting up the sky with colors (ala the Northern Lights) that wish everyone in the world peace and goodwill.

Neither the author nor the illustrator had done much that was well-known before the publication of "Santa's Kwanzaa". This was Garen Eileen Thomas's first book for children. Guy Francis, who should win an award solely based on how cool his name really is, had done some work but nothing too notable. With this title, however, he has given the illustrations a great deal of time and attention. According to his blog he did quite a lot of research on Kwanzaa before illustrating it fully. I was intrigued by Francis's decision to make Santa's ethnicity evident in a kind of slow reveal. It works, but it isn't something you necessarily expect. It is amazing how obvious it seems that Santa should have dreads though. After a couple readings of this book you begin to think to yourself, "Wait... doesn't Santa always have dreads? Or is that new?" Where Francis really excels, however, is in the clothing. You can see on the cover the elaborate patterns on Santa's mittens. As the book progresses, Santa's clothes grow more and more complex. His kente cloth is well-patterned, his robes lined with white fur are intricately detailed with green variations, and his shoes are faaa-bulous.

There are some slight inconsistencies here and there. If Santa just arrived home from giving out presents, how is it that it's now the 26th of December? Some other reviewers (of the more professional breed) have pointed out that if you are not familiar with the customs of Kwanzaa itself, this is not going to be the book that teaches you what the holiday is all about. I myself know relatively little about Kwanzaa, so the section in the back in which each elf is named and given a definition, (example: "Ujima is responsible for solving problems") passed way way over my head. I don't actually know what these words mean. So consider, "Santa's Kwanzaa" a complement to the holiday rather than a primary source.

I can see how if the author had combined Hanukkah and Christmas that might be offensive to someone. In fact, it's been done numerous times in children's books with varying degrees of success. But as one co-worker of mine pointed out, many of the people who celebrate Kwanzaa ALSO celebrate Christmas. The two are not opposed to one another. And every person I've shown this to has loved it. It's big and bright and cheery. But of course, since I don't celebrate Kwanzaa myself, how can I truly determine whether or not its offensive to someone? Well, author Garen Eileen Thomas DOES celebrate Kwanzaa, and she knows her stuff. Obviously, this book is bound to please some and not please others. Still, I seriously think it leans towards the "pleasing" end of the scale for the most part. Definitely check it out before you purchase it, but know that it's a gorgeous booklet and a lovely lovely tale.

SANTA'S KWANZAA opens as an African-American Santa returns to the North Pole tired from the hard work of delivering Christmas presents. When he arrives, he is greeted by his wife, the elves, and the beginning of their Kwanzaa celebration. Each of the elves, named for the various principles of Kwanzaa, present Santa with their special gifts and share special meals as the family celebrates their rich heritage. At the end of the story, Santa, his wife and all the elves pile into the sleigh to share a special message with the world.

Some books are meant to teach while others are meant to simply be fun to read. SANTA'S KWANZAA will introduce readers to the principles of Kwanzaa, through the names of the elves, but beyond that it is simply a fun read. The story rhymes, with a meter similar to that of the classic Christmas story, "`Twas the Night Before Christmas," as a result. Unfortunately, there were times when the word choice seemed to be dictated by the need to rhyme versus the relevance to the story itself and this interrupted the overall flow of the story.

What I enjoyed most about the book was its illustrations, which were bright, vibrant and imaginative. Santa had dreads, once he removed his trademark cap, and the elves appeared so full of life I almost expected them to jump off the page. Pick this book up for a fun holiday read.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

A wonderful primer for anyone new to the ways and wonder of Kwanzaa.

Ford managed to teach about the Kwanzaa in an interesting way to children, and was not stereotypical. This is a great book to teach cultural diversity in the classroom, because it does not belittle any race or culture. Read it, and you'll see!!

This book was great! My son liked seeing images of people who looked like him. We made a poster/collage with the stickers in the book and hung it as a decoration on his wall. I think it's good for young children to read books with all colors of people especially their own. I give this book 4 stars!

Kids love this book and it is very useful in my ESOL class for teaching the winder holidays. Kids love to learn about them in my class then read about them in Horrible Harry. The Korean New Year hasn't been one that I have been teaching so I'd love more information and missed Diwali, which was not included. Good addition to the Horrible Harry series.

I have purchased and read quite a few of the children's books that are currently available on the topic of Kwanzaa. Explaining the seven principles of Kwanzaa (Unity, Self Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith)to children under 8 years old is extremely difficult. I have had the opportunity to present an 'age appropriate' program to my children's pre-school and Elementary School every year for the past 4 years, and have always struggled with how to make these principles make sense to these predominantly non-African American groups of youngsters. Kwanzaa Fun by Linda Robertson and Julia Pearson was the answer to my prayers this year! The book gives brief, simple explanations of the principles, excellent 'age appropriate' activities and receipes for a wonderful meal to be served at the Karamu. It is a must for families with young children who plan to celebrate Kwanzaa or just want to introduce the concepts.

I actually got a chance to hear Dr. Farrakhan give this lecture live, right after the Million Man March. This is one of my favorites, since it is shorter than most of his lectures, it is concise, and he covers some classic topics - including Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammad.

Love him or hate him, there's no denying Dr. Farrakhan's charismatic presence and wide-spread influence.

It was About Kwanzaa. The Seven candles and the kinara, mishumaa saba, and lots of cool stuff. I celebrate Kwanzaa every year.

As the summer 'merchandise mart' market approaches in Atlanta, where I live, thoughts are already turning to Christmas merchandise, and gift giving for the Holidays.

This short book makes an ideal 'stocking stuffer' or gift to someone who may not be familiar with Kwanza, or its close similarity to its Jewish and Christian models, or so is my perspective.

As many Christian churches become more 'inclusive and diverse' in their membership, the in-centering of African spirituality which is one outgrowth of the sixties 'consciousness' revolution, is often included in their formal or informal rituals of celebration. Thus, in the church I attend, Oakhurst Presbyterian, (see separte review O Lord Hold Our Hands: How a Church Thrives a Multicultural World, Stroupe and Leach), Kwanza is annually a part of our Holiday celebration.

As a way to recognize this process and celebrate it, this thoughtful short book suggests a daily attention to this celebration. While not all have the time for daily meditation,
it is certainly worthwhile to suggest it, and is a welcome
contribution by this author to her other Kwanza books.

Certainly, it is a title that should have perennial Holiday interest for many, many years to come.

Howard M. Romaine

I think Sandra's book "Made From Scratch" is lovely. She told her life story without self-pity, bragging or anything negative. She worked very hard to get where she is and I don't think she stepped on toes to get there. Even people who deserved nastiness were written about with respect. It is amazing how far she was able to go with that childhood and I am impressed that she has kept her family so close. I don't care if the writing is perfect; it's a memoir not a work of literature (and I didn't think the writing was bad anyway).

I became interested in Sandra Lee's past after hearing others on the Food Network mentioning her hard life. Sandra made her own decisions growing-up to have a better life than her parents. Every time she was knocked-down, she got back up and moved forward. A riveting read.

With a childhood like Sandra had, you wonder how anyone could survive, let alone succeed. What an inspiration she is! I could not put this book down.

Reading about Sandra Lee's upbringing was very emotional and heartwrenching. Made From Scratch is a very apt title. Did not have any idea what a hardscrabble childhood she had. I was interested in learning that she lived in Sumner, just a town away from me. She worked so hard and kept a good head on her shoulders through horrors hopefully none of us have experienced. She truly deserves all the success she has enjoyed. I hope she continues to flourish. I did not know about her former Beverly Hills/jet-setting lifestyle either so it was interesting to get a peek inside that world. I recommend this book--you will have a better understanding of Sandra Lee and her semi-homemade empire.

This book was great! I read it ONE day and I'm not a fast reader, but I just couldn't put it down! Gratned, it's not the most well-written or gramatically correct piece of writing I've seen in a while, but who cares! The story is real and honest and so is the woman behind it! The way she tells her real-life story is engaging and inpsirational! k! While I agree that her tablescapes are not always "easy" or "inexpensive," and her food is often chemically ladden with all of the "starters," and artificial crap in it, it IS easy! I think Ms. Lee is a very savy, smart and intelligent business woman, who yes, happened to know the right people and be in the right places at the right times, but hey, she worked her butt off, literally, for years and years and obviously, still does! I can't help but admire a hard worker! I think Ms. Lee's heart is/was always in the right place and her charitable work is admirable! I also liked the fact that she so honest at the end with how this book came to be! She states she's not a writer and also shares some of the pain in re-visisiting these memories and writing this story. I also liked that she acknowledged her divorce and how painful that is, many people glide over that facet of their life, I appreicated her honesty! All and all, I have a WHOLE NEW RESPECT and admiration for Ms. Lee after having read this book; if you want a quick, fast, easy and highly inspirational, encouraging read, you've found it!

Even though the content of this book is relevent and to the point of multiculturalism in our schools and society today, the book is written more for a child than an adult and becomes tedious halfway through. Ms. Paley needs to hire a writer to convey her messages!

I am an education major and read this book for an assignment. I am very impreesed with this book. I love the idea of using continuious stories to encourage students to think and question. I am especially fond of the relation that Ms. Paley and her colleague Lorraine share. If only conversations like theirs were held between Black and White teachers at every school!

The author of this book doesn't even realize how poorly written this book really is. It is so unorganized, and makes so many references to so many different people that i loose grasp of what the heck she is trying to talk about. And talk about the most ignorant person in the world!! How can a full grown teacher NOT have ever heard of Kwanzaa? How could she not know that Young blacks use the "N" word with one another? I mean come on, this author has been living in a bubble and the stuff she discovers is nothing beyond what everyone knows already.

Currently, I am a college student majoring in education. I chose this book for a class assignment and I enjoyed it. The author brought forth issues in regards to race, religion and just the mere diversity of the classroom. I feel this was easy reading addressing very strong issues, waying out the pros and cons of the multi-cultural classroom. I recommend this book to teachers, parents, students and anyone who share the concern for our educational system and the product of students that rise up and out into today's society.

This book really stresses learning about diversity through dialog with others. Some of the examples she uses are a little idealistic and corny, but her main message is important. She points you that as a society we always find someone to stigmatize and stereotype. The way to get over these hurdles is to talk openly and learn from each other. Only then can diverse people feel truly comfortable with each other.