Holidays

Below are lists of picture books that can be used to introduce holidays from around the world. The holidays are in order of when the occur in the calendar year.

Kite Festival in Rajasthan, India

• Farmer Falgu Goes Kite Flying is by Indian-born Chitra Soundar, illustrated by Indian artist Kanika Nair, and is published by Karadi Tales.

Lunar New Year

• Every Month is a New Year by Marilyn Singer & Susan Roth, published by Lee & Low Books
• Lunar New Year by Hannah Eliot & Hong Kong native Alina Chau, published by Simon & Schuster
• Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin, published by Alfred A. Knopf
• This Next New Year by Janet S. Wong (of Chinese and Korean descent), and Korean illustrator Yangsook Choi, published by France Foster Books
• The Nian Monster by Andrea Wang & Alina Chau, published by Albert Whitman & Co
• The Lunar New Year Surprise by Jade Wang and Tammy Do, published by Soaring Kite Books
• Playing With Lanterns by Chinese author Wang Yage, translated by Helen Wang, illustrated by Chinese artist Zhu Chengliang, published by Amazon Crossing.
• If you are looking for a unit study, check out the one from Wildflowers by Sarah.

Also suggested by sources I trust:

• Nian, The Chinese New Year Dragon by Virginia Loh-Hagan & Timothy Banks
• The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale by Ying Chang Compestine and Sebastia Serra
• A Gift by Yong Chen
• Maisy’s Chinese New Year by Lucy Cousins (for toddlers)
• Ruby’s Chinese New Year by Vickie Lee and Joey Chou
• PoPo’s Lucky Chinese New Year by Virginia Loh-Hagan & Renné Benoit
• Hiss! Pop! Boom! by Tricia Morrissey and Kong Lee
• Tet Together by Alice Trinh
• The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin

Basant

• King for a Day by Pakistani author Rukhsana Khan, illustrated by Christiane Kromer, and published by Lee and Low Books, Inc.

Holi

• Festival of Colors by Surishtha Sehgal, Kabir Sehgal, illustrated by Vashti Harrison
• Our Holi by Aditi Wardhan Singh, illustrated by Suja Dinesh

Spring Equinox

• In the Park by Cambodian-American Huy Voun Lee  ~ includes Mandarin Chinese symbols      
• Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by American Kenard Pak
• And Then It’s Spring by Americans Julie Fogliano & Erin E. Stead
• A New Beginning: Celebrating the Spring Equinox by Americans Wendy Pfeffer & Linda Bleck ~ a trip through time and place exploring Spring Equinox traditions around the world ~ nonfiction
• When Spring Comes by Americans Kevin Henkes & Laura Dronzek ~ a fun young for our youngest listeners
• It’s Springtime, Mr. Squirrel by German Sebastian Meschenmoser & translated by David Henry Wilson ~ we have adored other books by this author!
• Snowman – Cold = Puddle: Spring Equations by Americans Laura Purdie Salas & Micha Archer ~ we’ve had so much fun with this one in my 4th grade math classroom.
• Spring Blossoms by Americans Carole Gerber & Leslie Evans
• Good-bye, Winter! Hello, Spring! by Japanese author/illustrator Kazuo Iwamura, translated by David Henry Wilson from the German edition, which was translated by Rose Pflock, published by North South

Ramadan

• The Gift of Ramadan by American living in Qatar Rabiah York Lumbard, illustrated by Laura Horton, and published by Albert Whitman & Co.
• Under the Ramadan Moon by Sylvia Whitman, illustrated by Sue Williams, and published by Albert Whitman & Company
• Hannah and the Ramadan Gift by Qasim Rashid, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel, and published by Viking.
• Moon Watchers: Shirin’s Ramadan Miracle is by Iranian-American Reza Jalali, illustrated by Anne Sibley O’Brien and published by Tilbury House.
• Night of the Moon: A Muslim Holiday Story is by Pakistani-American Hena Khan, illustrated by Julie Paschkis, and published by Chronicle Books
• The White Nights of Ramadan is by Kuwaiti-American Maha Addasi, illustrated by Ned Gannon, and published by Boyds Mills Press
• Ramadan is by Suhaib Hamid Ghazi, illustrated by Omar Rauuan, and published by Holiday House
• Ramadan Moon by Scottish-Zulu author Na’ima bint Robert, illustrated by Shirin Adl, published by Francis Lincoln Children’s Books
• A Ramadan to Remember by Marzieh A. Ali, illustrated by Najwa Awatiff, published by Soaring Kite Books
• Ramadan on Rahma Road by Razeena Omar Gutta, recipes by: Faaiza Osman, illustrated by Atieh Sohrabi, published by Barefoot Books [2025]

Eid al-Fitr

• Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices – a collection of short stories by S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed, illustrated by Sara Alfageeh, and published by Amulet Books
• The Best Eid Ever by Asma Mobin-Uddin & Laura Jacobsen, published by Boyds Mills Press
• Amal’s Eid by Amy Maranville, illustrated by Joshua Stevens, published by Mascot Books
• The Perfect Gift by j. Samia Mair, illustrated by Craigh Howarth, published by The Islamic Foundation
• Rashad’s Ramadan and Eid-al-Fitr by Lisa Bullard, illustrated by Holli Conger, and published by Millbrook Press.
• Eid for Nylah by Nizrana Farook, illustrated by Zelma Firdauzia, published by Nosy Crow [2025]

Passover

• An Invitation to Passover by American Rabbis Kerry Olitzky & Deborah Bodin Cohen, illustrated by Russian artist Mariia Kolker, and published by Kalanoit Books [2023]
• Ellis Island Passover by Marissa Moss, published by Creston Books [2025]

Easter

• We’re Going on an Egg Hunt by English writer Goldie Hawk, illustrated by French artist Angie Rozelaar, published by Nosy Crow [2025]

Diwali

• Once Upon a Diwali by Anita Mishra, illustrated by Diah Chakraborty, published by Soaring Kite Books [2024]
• The Light Within You by Namita Moolani Mehra, illustrated by Indian artist Kamala Nair, published by Two Lions (Amazon Publishing) [2023]

Día de los Muertos

• Abuelita’s Gift: A Día de Muertos Story by  Mariana Ríos Ramírez, illustrated by Sara Palacios, published by Knopf Books for Young Readers [2024]

Hanukkah

• Hanukkah Around the World by  Israeli writer Tami Lehman-Wilzig, illustrated by Vicki Wehrman, published by Kar-Ben Publishing [2009]
• The Mexican Dreidel by Linda Elovitz Marshall and Mexican-American Ilan Stavans, illustrated by Spanish artist Maria Mola, and published by Kar-Ben Publishing. [2023]
• Hanukkah: The Festival of Lights by Bonnie Bader, illustrated by Joanie Stone, published by Penguin Random House [2020]
• Latkes, Latkes Good to Eat: A Chanukah Story by Naomi Howland, published by Clarion Books [1999]
• The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes by Linda Glaser, illustrated by Nancy Cote, published by Albert, Whitman & Company [1997]
• Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah by Susan R. Roth, published by Dial Books for Young Readers [2004]
• Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Erik Kimmel, illustrated by Trina Schart Human, published by Holiday House [1985]
• Hanukkah in Little Havana by Julie Anna Blank, illustrated by Mexican artist Carlos Vélez Aguilera, published by Kar Ben Publishing [2022]
• Hanukkah! by Roni Schotter, illustrated by Marylin Hafner, published by Little Brown & Company [1990]
• The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Gadol by Arthur A. Levine, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, published by Candlewick Press [2020]
• 10 Things I Love About Hanukkah by Natalie Barnes, illustrated by Aviel Basil, published by Tiger Tales [2024]
• The Light From My Menorah: Celebrating Holidays Around the World by Robin Heald, illustrated by Andrea Blinick, published by Pajama Press [2024]

Christmas

• Christmas in Lagos by Nigerian American Sharon Abimbola Salu, illustrated by Maria Nikla [2019]
• Evie’s Christmas Wishes by Irish author Siobhán Parkinson, illustrated by Shannon Bergin, published by Little Island [2022]
• One Christmas in Our Building: A Very Merry Mystery by German author Johanna Lindemann, translated by Polly Lawson, illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier, published by Floris Books [2023]
• Otto and the Secret Light of Christmas by Finnish author Nora Surojegin, translated by Jill G. Timbers, illustrated by Pirkko-Liisa Surojegin, published by Floris Books [2022]
• The Tomtes’ Christmas Porridge by Swedish author Sven Nordqvist, translated by Polly Lawson, published by Floris Books [2023]
• Little Fairy’s Christmas by German author Daniela Drescher, translated by Floris Books, Published by Floris Books [2022]
• Joy to the World: Christmas Around the Globe by Kate DePalma, illustrated by Sophie Fatus, published by Barefoot Books [2021]
• A World of Cookies for Santa: Follow Santa’s Tasty Trip Around the World by M. E. Furman, illustrated by Susan Gal, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt [2017]
• Walk this World at Christmastime by Zanna Davidson & Mary Sebag-Montefiore Debbie Powell, published by Big Picture Press [2016]
• Little Tomte’s Christmas Wish by Finnish author Inkeri Karvonen, translated by Floris Books,  illustrated by Hannu Taina, published by Floris Books [2023]
• How Kids Celebrate Christmas Around the World by Czech author Pavla Hanáčková & Mária Nerádová, published by Albatros [2021]
• The Nutcracker by German E.T.A Hoffman, translated and adapted by Anthea Bell, illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger, published by Picture Book Studio [1983]
• The Christmas Angels by German author Else Wenz-Viëtor, translated by Floris Books, published by Floris Books [2022]
• The Little Christmas Tree by Swiss writer Thomas Meyer, translated by Marshall Yarbrough, illustrated by Belgian artist Philippe Goossens, published by NorthSouthBooks [2024]
• Little Hare Finds a Gift by Ukrainian writer and artist Oleksandr Shatokhin, translated by Ali Kinsella, published by Red Comet Press [2024]
• The Christmas Snow Globe by Belgian writer and artist Sibylle Delacroix, translated by Polly Lawson, published by Floris Books [2024]