Celebrations (We Are Little Feminists #4)

PreS--This book features celebrations of all kinds for small children, including Adoption Day, Lei Day, Ramadan, Passover, Preschool Graduation, Diwali, and more. Each celebration is presented in an age-appropriate way, with a single photo featuring a child or children, and sometimes an adult, with one to four words underneath. For example, Day of the Dead shows a small child and an adult holding a framed photo; the words at the bottom of the page say, "and remember." All the photos lend themselves to discussion between children and adults. Back matter includes Family Discussion Questions and a glossary. The discussion questions are broken down for babies and toddlers, 2-4 year olds, and 4-6 year olds. "Talk to your little(s) about your own family celebrations," the Babies & Toddlers questions start. "Who do we celebrate with? What do we eat?" A glossary lists all the celebrations depicted. VERDICT This well-organized, beautifully photographed title is highly recommended as a way to introduce small children to diverse celebrations. It is also an excellent tool to spark discussion in families.--Robin Sofge

Love, joy, and wonder are palpable in all of the images of ceremonies and celebrations...Warmly celebratory and inclusive...This board book in the We Are Little Feminists series spotlights religious holidays like Ramadan and Obon, as well as family celebrations like adoption day and preschool graduation...People depicted are diverse in terms of family type, race, and religion. Two young Jewish children wearing yarmulkes celebrate Passover, a Black family lights candles for Kwanzaa, and a North American Indigenous child participates in a powwow.
- Kirkus

"The board book market offers vast, untapped opportunities to introduce babies, toddlers, and preschoolers to so many different kinds of people. I'm glad at least one series has the pluck and moxie to give kids a fuller first glimpse of the world.

...You just hit the board book jackpot."

Seriously, if you haven't taken a look at these books then I urge you to run, not walk, to your nearest library or independent bookstore and grab yourself some copies. Any baby shower you bring these to will instantly make you the coolest gift giver in the room.
- Elizabeth (Betsy) Bird, School Library Journal

This year, Little Feminist, the publishing house/children's book club subscription agency, has two more board books for us. Board books that essentially wipe the floor with the photos-for-babies competition. Oh. You thought your board book was inclusive? Uh-huh. Well, lemme see here. Let's look at How We Eat, where we're not just showing innovative methods of breast feeding, spoons, and chopsticks but IVs, feeding tubes, ports, and more. Essentially, we're normalizing the feeding process for everyone. As for Celebrations, powwows, pride parades, adoption days, and Obon make an appearance. On top of all that, the photos are really and truly magnificent. It's like I say, Little Feminist sort of wipes the floor with the competition. Check out these books yourself if you don't believe me. - Elizabeth (Betsy) Bird, School Library Journal

"These books are the most inclusive (and beautiful!) board books I have ever seen!...Each board book is full of beautiful photos depicting all kinds of kids and families from all different backgrounds, traditions, ages, shapes, and skin tones. The accompanying text in each book is pragmatic and joyful, creating a board book that transcends age. Seriously. I read this set of books to my 4^th graders and they were transfixed!
—Matthew Winner, The Children's Book Podcast