Holiday Nonfiction

How many candles will be on your birthday cake this year? What flavor of cake will you eat? Learn all about cakes you can enjoy on your special day.

Every year you probably celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December. Someone may have told you that this is the day of Jesus' birth. But nobody actually knows when he was born! The Bible does not give us a date for the birth of Jesus. So early Christians took the date of important ancient festivals and placed Christmas around the same time.Before Christianity, the Romans had a winter festival called Saturnalia, which took place for one week in mid-December.

Washington Irving published The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in 1820, introducing the eerie Headless Horseman character to readers worldwide. Readers were both scared and intrigued by the horrific character, who is the ghost of a soldier who had been decapitated during the American Revolution. Now, the character is an American classic, featured in movies, television shows, cartoons, comic books, and even video games, thanks to his chilling story of a lone horseman seeking revenge.

A yule log burns brightly in a fireplace. Children pop open Christmas crackers to get a surprise. Families enjoy treats such as mince pie and plum pudding. These are the sights and sounds of Christmas in England. Come explore the many English traditions that bring people of this country together at Christmas.

It's fall, and it's time to visit the pumpkin patch! Take a close look at pumpkins, learn how to pick a pumpkin, and have some fun on a hayride too. Kids will experience what it's like to visit a pumpkin patch.

It’s time to celebrate Kwanzaa! Light the kinara. Eat a big feast with your family. During Kwanzaa, people come together. They celebrate African-American heritage.

Star-shaped decorations called parols decorate walls. People gather for a feast called Noche Buena. Singing groups called cumbancheros fill the streets. These are the sights and sounds of Christmas in the Philippines. Come explore the many Philippine traditions that bring people of this country together at Christmas.

Briefly discusses the history and customs connected to the celebration of birthdays.

Happy Halloween! Do you think you have what it takes to listen to this entire Halloween audiobook full of spooky stories!? This is an excellent Halloween audiobook for kids who love to be spooked. Be prepared for some eerie ghost stories and spooky Halloween tales! These campfire tales are excellent for listening aloud with friends and family.

Christmas trees and Christmas cards seem to be an essential part of the holiday season. So it may surprise you to know they are both relatively recent traditions in the United States and Britain!

Briefly discusses the history and customs connected to the celebration of Valentine's Day.

Double Luck is filled with examples of how the human spirit can triumph over adversity. In the Chinese language, the word crisis is written with two symbols: one meaning "danger" and the other meaning "opportunity". Although Chi Fa's childhood was filled with crisis, he always looked for opportunity. His successful triumph over crisis after crisis is an inspiration for all who seek hope in the face of great challenges.

Known as the Thanksgiving Address, this Native American good morning message is based on the belief that the natural world is a precious and rare gift - from the moon and the stars to the tiniest blade of grass.

Decorations made of straw cover your Christmas tree. A girl dressed in a crown of candles sings songs as she visits people’s homes. People gather together to exchange gifts called julklappar. These are the sights and sounds of Christmas in Sweden. Come explore the many Swedish traditions that bring people of this country together at Christmas.

Kwanzaa is about celebrating! It honors African American heritage. Some people mark the holiday by lighting the kinara. Families and friends gather to eat a big feast. Listeners will discover how a shared holiday can have multiple traditions and be celebrated in all sorts of ways.

These spooky ghost stories are great for listening aloud with friends and family. You will creep everyone out and scare the living daylights out of them with these tales, which are especially great for campfires and to be heard late at night!

Young listeners learn about the early traditions which have led to our present-day celebration of Valentine's Day.

From opening gifts to visiting Santa, Christmas is a magical time of year. Get into the holiday spirit in J Is for Jingle Bells.

Look out, world - Llama Llama is a TV star! The beloved character, made famous by Anna Dewdney's best-selling picture books, is the star of his own original series, now airing on Netflix. In this episode-based book, Llama Llama is worried that his friends have forgotten about his birthday, but he's in for a big surprise when they throw him a party! Your little llamas will love relating to their favorite picture-book character as he faces new and challenging situations.

What kind of games will you play at your birthday party? From musical chairs to sack racing, games make birthdays fun. Learn about indoor and outdoor games to play on your special day.