Seven Candles for Kwanzaa [Hardcover]

Andrea Davis Pinkney (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

For more than 25 years, African-American families have celebrated Kwanzaa--a holiday, inspired by their ancestors, that celebrates the harvest season. With a rich, informative text and stunning four-color illustrations, this book will help young children to begin their own Kwanzaa celebration.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Although Kwanzaa commemorates an ancient African harvest ritual, it is a relatively new holiday in North America. Seven Candles for Kwanzaa comfortably explains the origins, language, and daily themes of this warm and festive seven-day holiday. Author Andrea Davis Pinkney's tone is that of a friendly, well-informed teacher, which is fine considering the purpose of the book. Ideas for daily Kwanzaa rituals abound. For example, on the fourth day, in honor of ujamaa (cooperative family economics), families can use the coins that they've saved over the year to buy a gift for the family "like a clock that chimes or a hallway mirror." Illustrator Brian Pinkney takes on the more colorful role of storyteller with his scratchboard drawings of a family in the midst of daily Kwanzaa activities and celebrations. Each domestic scene is framed in an earth-toned border of traditional African patterns--bridging the two continents page by page. The thoughtful details and human interactions in each drawing speak to the core meaning of the holiday, that of honoring one's family, community, and heritage. (Ages 7 and older) --Gail Hudson

From Kirkus Reviews

An introduction to the history, symbols, and customary celebration of this African-American holiday. Scratchboard illustrations stress the importance of Kwanzaa as a family event with warmly colored, harmoniously composed domestic scenes. Cultural cross-connections are drawn in the first two pictures (an American family exchanges gifts, including a length of kente cloth; then identically posed figures are transposed to a traditional African village) and enhanced by borders in African motifs. The author briefly discusses the Seven Principles, suggesting activities for Kwanzaa and through the year. Similar in information to Chocolate's Kwanzaa (1990) and My First Kwanzaa Book (1992), but the visual riches and less didactic tone here are superior. Useful four-item reading list. (Nonfiction/Picture book. 7-9) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial; 1st edition (October 6, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803712928
• ISBN-13: 978-0803712928
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,095,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #17 in Books > Children's Books > Holidays & Celebrations > Kwanzaa

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Seven Candles for Kwanzaa, December 19, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Seven Candles for Kwanzaa (Hardcover)

Seven Candles for Kwanzaa is a change from the original Cristams story. This Kwanzaa loving picture book is by Andrea Davis Pinkney. And the stunning pictures are by Brian Pinkney. This book is about you guessed it Kwanzaa. Seven Candles for Kwanzaa tells you everything from the traditions of Kwanzaa to the candles. The colorful illustratins help show what each of the candles specifically stands for and what is done on the days as they are one by one lit on the Kinara. Seven Candles for Kwanzaa gives any one who os not to sure what goes on during the Kwanzaa holiday a very in depth description of what goes on.
I would think twice before spending your hard earned money on this book. In my opinion Seven Candles for Kwanzaa was about 5 pages too long. I would make sure you are really into Kwanzaa before you get this book. And if you are this is the book for you. No mater what you celebrate, it is good to be familiar what other cultures do.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Kwanzaa Overview for Children, December 17, 2010

By 

K. Johnson (Menlo Park, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Seven Candles for Kwanzaa (Hardcover)

I used this book to teach a class of 19 students about Kwanzaa. The author did a great job explaining Kwanzaa to children at the elementary school age. Beautiful pictures too.