• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

What Do We Do All Day logo

  • Start Here
  • Books
    • Classics
      • 20th Century Classics
    • Early Chapter Books
    • Easy Readers
    • Folktales
    • Holiday Books
    • Middle Grade (8-12 years)
    • Nonfiction
    • Picture Books
    • Read Aloud Chapter Books
  • Games
    • Traditional Games
  • Kids Activities
    • Arts and Crafts
    • Literacy & Writing
    • Math
    • Playful Activities
    • Science
    • Toddler
  • Parenting
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Books for kids
  • Games
  • Indoor activities for kids
  • Parenting
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Books / Multicultural Winter Holiday Picture Books

     

    Multicultural Winter Holiday Picture Books

    1523 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The winter holidays are always a wonderful time to slow down, spend more time with the family and engage in favorite traditions whether they be taking walks in the snow or drinking hot cocoa by the fire. No matter what holiday you are celebrating this year, it's always fun to learn about other traditions, which is where these multicultural winter holiday picture books come in handy!

    It's likely your children have friends from a variety of religious and cultural backgrounds and they are curious about the different holidays. These books will introduce them to diverse celebrations from Christmas to Las Posadas to Tu B'Shevat to Solstice and more!

    Collage of winter holiday picture books

    I've listed the holiday books in a rough order of when they fall on the calendar. As several winter holidays are based on lunar calendars, the dates shift every year, but you get the idea. It was truly a pleasure discovering more about new holidays and I know you will love reading these diverse picture books about winter holidays around the world as much as we did.

    Note: this list contains Amazon and Bookshop affiliate links. Purchases made through these links may earn a commission for this blog. Bookshop also supports independent bookstores.

    Winter Candle book cover

    WINTER CANDLE by Jeron Ashford, illustrated by Stacey Schuett

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    I'm starting the list with a book which touches on many different winter celebrations. What links most winter holidays is the celebration of light in the darkest hours. In this story, a diverse group of neighbors live in an urban apartment building. Each family needs a candle to light up their celebration and a lumpy stick of wax makes it around the building before finally lighting the way for a new tenant to find his way home. This is a fantastic book to illustrate the beauty of community in a multicultural, diverse world.

    Divali Books

    Divali, sometimes spelled "Diwali" is a Hindu festival of light is really more of a fall holiday, celebrated in October or November. It is a festival of harvest and new year.

    My Diwali Light book cover

    MY DIWALI LIGHT by Raakhee Mirchandani, illustrated by Supriya Kelkar

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    This holiday picture book offers a delightful narrative, while also teaching the reader about different Diwali traditions. Devi loves the vibrant Diwali celebrations and looks forward to the holiday preparations and festivities with her family. However, first things first, she must clean her room in anticipation of the arrival of the goddess Lakshmi! During the festivities, Devi's family invites curious neighbors, sharing food and explaining traditions.

    Prince of Fire book

    PRINCE OF FIRE: THE STORY OF DIWALI by Jatinder Nath Verma, illustrated by Nilesh Mistry

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    This is a short chapter book version of the epic story, The Ramayan. I'll admit, there were a lot of players to keep track of but this is an adventure full of colorful characters and suspense.

    MORE: Folktales from India

    St. Lucia Day Books

    One of my favorite holidays is celebrated on December 13th in Sweden.

    Lucia Morning in Sweden book cover

    LUCIA MORNING IN SWEDEN by Ewa Rydaker, illustrated by Carina Stahlberg

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    I wish there were more picture books about St. Lucia Day, but for now, this is a good introduction to the holiday. A family goes through the excitement of getting ready for Lucia morning. There is background information as well as ideas, crafts and recipes families can use to create their own celebration.

    MORE: Swedish holiday and winter books for kids

    Winter Solstice Books

    Learning about the winter solstice doesn't have to focus on pagan celebrations. A look at the history and science of this time of year will give kids an appreciation for why so many holidays are celebrated on and around the shortest day of the year.

    The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper book

    THE SHORTEST DAY by Susan Cooper, illustrated by Carson Ellis

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    Cooper's marvelous dramatic poem describing rituals surrounding dark and light, originally written for Christmas Revels, is a joy to read as well as to look at. The illustrations follow humans wish to shoo away the darkness and welcome the light from the time of hunter-gathers to today's multicultural gatherings. A must read.

    Lucia and the Light book cover

    LUCIA AND THE LIGHT by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Mary Grandpré

    Find it: Your library

    This book is not really about the winter solstice as a holiday, per se, but it fits right into the festivities. One winter, when the sun disappears, the intrepid Lucia sets out to free the sun, held hostage by a group of trolls. A wonderful story about a courageous and clever young girl whose commitment and love for her family help her succeed in her quest. Gorgeously illustrated by Mary GrandPré, whom you might recognize as the illustrator of the US Harry Potter book covers.

    Hanukkah Books

    Hanukkah, a minor Jewish holiday has been given its celebrity status due to its proximity to Christmas. Learn about the true meaning of the 8 day festival of lights with your kids. There are loads of wonderful Hanukkah picture books at your local library. Here are just two of them.

    Hanukkah Haiku poetry book

    HANUKKAH HAIKU by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated by Karla Gudeon

    Find it: Your Library | Amazon

    This is a fun take on telling the story of Hanukkah. Each night of the festival of lights gets its own short poem. The pages are stepped for each day which gives the book an interactive element. I love the illustrations which take the readers on a whirlwind tour while at the same time teaching us about the 8 day celebration.

    The Story of Hanukkah book cover

    THE STORY OF HANUKKAH by David A. Adler, illustrated by Jill Weber

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    Adler's text gives a clear and straightforward account of the miracle in the Temple of Jerusalem. After the account of the historical story of the Macabees, Adler ends with a brief look at how Hanukkah is celebrated today. This is a great book to read to introduce kids to the holiday.

    MORE: Hanukkah Picture Books

    Las Posadas Books

    Las Posadas is a nine day celebration running up to Christmas. It is celebrated in Mexico and by Mexican-Americans.

    Nine Days to Christmas book

    NINE DAYS TO CHRISTMAS by Marie Hall Ets, illustrated by Aurora Labastida

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    This book won the 1960 Caldecott. Ceci is so excited to choose a piñata for her first posadas celebration in Mexico. She choses the Star of Bethlehem but when it comes time to break it, she doesn't want to! It is finally smashed by the other children and when it opens a lovely miracle happens as the sky fills with stars.

    The Night of Las Posadas book cover

    THE NIGHT OF LAS POSADAS by Tomie dePaola

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    In Sante Fe, New Mexico, Sister Angie is helping to prepare for the nativity play during Las Posadas. Angie falls ill and cannot make it to the performance but it turns out beautifully with the help of a small miracle.

    Christmas Books

    There are hundreds of terrific Christmas books! I chose books that focused on the religious origins of the holiday, as well as one traditional holiday poem.

    Christmas is Here picture book cover

    CHRISTMAS IS HERE based on the King James Bible, illustrated by Lauren Castillo

    Find it: Your Library | Amazon

    Spare text from the King James Bible accompany terrific illustrations as we witness the gathering around the nativity both in Biblical times and in the present day.

    One Starry Night book

    ONE STARRY NIGHT by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Jonathan Bean

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    A poetic journey as the animals gather to meet the Christ child. I love the way Thompson uses two narrative lines - one for the visual gathering and another for the emotional sway of the story.

    The Night Before Christmas book

    THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Holly Hobbie

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    There are countless illustrated versions of this classic poem. I particularly like this one by the creator of the Toot and Puddle books.

    MORE: Multicultural and diverse Christmas books for kids

    Kwanzaa Books

    Kwanzaa is a 7 day end-of-year harvest festival celebrated in the African-American community. 

    My First Kwanzaa Book

    MY FIRST KWANZAA BOOK by Deborah M. Newton Chocolate, illustrated by Cal Massey

    Find it: Your Library | Amazon

    For those unfamiliar with Kwanzaa, this is a great primer. Learn about the key aspects of the holiday as you watch a family prepare for the celebrations.

    Seven Spools of Thread book

    SEVEN SPOOLS OF THREAD: A KWANZAA STORY by Angela Shelf Medearis, illustrated by Daniel Minter

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    My kids and I really enjoyed this story, which is more a folktale than a story about Kwanzaa. There is a forward which explains the holiday, but the story focuses on how seven brothers learn to cooperate and invent a beautiful fabric that ends up inspiring the entire village.

    MORE: African folktales for kids

    New Year's Books

    Ring in a fresh start!

    Shante Keys and the New Year's Peas book cover

    SHANTÉ KEYS AND THE NEW YEAR'S PEAS by Gail Piernas-Davenpor, illustrated by Marion Eldridge

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    Eating black-eyed peas at New Year's is a southern tradition signifying good luck for the coming year. When Shanté goes out to her neighbors, looking for the requisite peas, she learns all about how other cultures celebrate New Year's.

    Feliz New Year Ava Garbriela

    FELÍZ NEW YEAR, AVA GABRIELA! by Alexandra Alessandri, illustrated by Addy Rivera Sonda

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    Ava is celebrating New Year's with her family in Colombia, but she is feeling shy. Her mother reassures her that her feelings are normal and slowly, Ava starts to gain self-confidence. I love how the story gives us a taste of Colombian New Year's traditions. Includes a glossary of Spanish words and phrases used in the text.

    MORE: New Year's Day Picture Books for Kids

    Lunar New Year Books

    NYC began honoring the importance of Lunar New Year in our ever-increasing diverse community by declaring it a school holiday. Lunar New Year is sometimes referred to as "Chinese New Year" but it is celebrated in many countries.

    Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin book cover

    BRINGING IN THE NEW YEAR by Grace Lin

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    This is a wonderfully vibrant and joyful book to read to your kids for the Lunar New Year. We watch a family prepare for the celebrations and learn about activities and food traditions. I particularly love the fold out dragon!

    MORE: 10 Favorite Lunar New Year Picture Books

    Sam and the Lucky Money with Chinese dragon and happy boy on book cover

    SAM AND THE LUCKY MONEY by by Karen Chinn, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    Sam is excited to be able to spend his lucky New Year money. He has four dollars and his mom has told him he can buy anything he wants. On their trip through the neighborhood Sam notices a homeless man with bare feet. As he contemplates how to spend his money he gets frustrated that the four dollars is never enough to buy what he wants. His mother reminds him to appreciate what he has. During a second encounter with the homeless man, Sam understands how he can best spend his money. 

    More: Chinese folktales for kids

    Tu B'Shevat Books

    Never heard of Tu B'Shevat? That's okay! Now's a great time to learn about this Jewish celebration of trees.

    Happy Birthday Tree picture book

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TREE! by Madelyn Rosenberg, illustrated by Jana Christy.

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    Joni wants to take care of her tree in the best way possible. At first she offers the tree sunlight, water, food but in the end she decides what the tree really needs is a friend! She and her family pick out a new tree and carefully plant it, even offering up a small prayer for the new life in their yard.

    Netta and Her Plant book

    NETTA AND HER PLANT by Ellie B. Gellman, illustrated by Natascia Ugliano.

    Find it: Your Library | Amazon

    In an Israeli preschool, Netta plants a seedling on Tu B'Shevat. She brings it home and over the years both Netta and the plant grow bigger and bigger until it's time to plant the tree in the ground.

    MORE: Jewish Folktales for Kids

    Ramadan Books

    Ramadan falls during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is not always in winter, and sometimes it is in very early Spring. I still decided to include it in this list of winter holiday picture books.

    Lailah's Lunchbox book cover

    LAILAH'S LUNCHBOX by Reem Faruqi, illustrated by Lea Lyon

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    by Reem Faruqi. It is the start of Ramadan and Lailah is finally participating in the daytime fast. Although she is excited that she is old enough to fast, she feels anxious that her new classmates will not understand. She goes to the school library during lunchtime where the librarian helps her express how she feels in a way that she can share with her classmates. Not only is this an excellent book to explain the Ramadan holiday, but since most children feel "different" from the peers at one time or another and the message in Lailah's Lunchbox will be understood by all.

    My First Ramadan book cover

    MY FIRST RAMADAN by Karen Katz

    Find it: Bookshop | Amazon

    Katz has several "My First Holiday" books. They are generally very good primers of information about a holiday and their vibrant illustrations are appealing to young children.

    MORE: Children's picture books with Muslim characters

    « Picture Books for Every Child's Interest (Gift Guide)
    Festive Books about New Year's for Children! »
    1523 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rachel says

      November 28, 2016 at 1:07 pm

      Love this list! Any recommendations for Eid and Ramadan?

      Reply
      • Erica says

        November 28, 2016 at 3:37 pm

        I had originally planned on including Eid books but then when I looked it up and asked around I discovered it's not a winter holiday! For some reason I thought it was. I read one book called Nabeel's Pants which I loved but it didn't really explain the Eid holiday. Still, a fun book!

        Reply
        • Rachel Fremmer says

          November 28, 2016 at 5:08 pm

          Yes, I saw that one when I searched the NYPL and I put it on hold. Also, my favorite Chanukah book is Oskar's Eight Blessings.

          Reply
          • Erica says

            November 29, 2016 at 8:53 am

            I love that one, too! It's on the interfaith holiday book list!

            Reply
    2. Julia says

      November 28, 2016 at 11:33 pm

      Would love a good book about St Nicholas Day

      Reply
      • Erica says

        November 29, 2016 at 8:53 am

        Try The Miracle of St. Nicholas by Gloria Whelan, or The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale by Aaron Shepard. Let me know what you think!

        Reply
    3. Mani Farhadi says

      December 15, 2020 at 1:21 pm

      Thank you for putting together this multicultural list. I had some comments.
      1) Eid & Ramadan in Islamic celebrations are based on the lunar calendar and no leap year, with 10-12 days less than the Gregorian calendar year. As such, they are not on fixed dates. Sometimes they occur in winter or spring or fall or summer. Its different in Northern & Southern Hemisphere. It’s not like Xmas or Hanukkah which are always in winter. Please try to include them in your list; so that Muslim children can feel included in your multicultural celebrations. More importantly it will help non-Muslims to learn and create a bridge of understanding, rather than by excluding them. People won’t learn if it’s not presented as part of a multicultural setting. If a Library or teacher or parent wants to collect a set of cultural holidays, it would be an omission and lost opportunity, which is the whole point of multiculturalism.
      2) Please consider adding Winter Solstice celebrations, such as Yalda, which Persians & Iranians celebrate on Dec. 21. Dating back to Zoroastrian religion, couple thousand years ago, they celebrate the power of light to overcome dark; for good to overcome evil. People stay up all night by reading stories & poems, eating dried fruits & nuts & pomegranate, sitting with family around a low table, until they greet the sun. I’m sure there are some books about it!
      3) My Japanese friend told me they also celebrate Winter Solstice sitting around a low table, so maybe that can be researched as well.
      Thank you again!

      Reply
      • Erica says

        December 21, 2020 at 8:46 am

        Thanks for your suggestion!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Erica! I believe parents can stay sane without giving their kids an electronic device. Learn how!

    More about me →

    Newsletter

    Join over 19,000 subscribers who said "Yes! I want to unplug my kids!" We'll send you 10 waiting games your kids can play anytime, anywhere. Join here -->

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About the Site

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and join over 15,000 other families finding ways reduce screen time.

    Other Stuff

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

    Copyright © 2023 What Creative Media LLC

    Want More Free Activity Ideas?
    Join our email list and as a thank you gift I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games that will make your kids smarter.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want your kids to love being unplugged?
    Join our newsletter and as a thank you, I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you keep using this website we will assume you are OK with that. Read our privacy policy for more.OKRead more