Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited

Major Selling Points - Unique approach shows the common ways in which people around the globe celebrate, highlighting unity among societies, not differences. - Helps children understand and accept other cultures and their traditions. - An exciting look at seven distinctive indigenous cultures all in one book. - Ties in strongly with the "Culture," "People, Places, and Environments," and "Global Connections" strands of the Social Studies Curriculum Standards. (source: NCSS Standards publication) - Photojournalist Jan Reynolds' dynamic, fascinating photographs of native peoples in their unique environments will prompt children to visit and revisit the book. - The author/photographer has a wide following for her nature and environmental work, and is a popular presenter at schools, libraries, and conferences. - A map, pronunciation key, and Author's Note provide additional reference for readers.

"Far from a generic view of 'primitive' peoples, this photo-essay draws on Reynolds' experiences while she lived with a variety of families around the world. Beautiful color photos show how indigenous peoples everywhere 'mark changes, express thanks, and honor important people and events,' with feasts, costumes, music, and more-from the Tibetans in the Himalayas, the Tuareg in the Sahara, and the Yanomami in the Amazon rain forest to families across the U.S. With each photo, Reynolds includes a brief explanation of the source of the tradition and how it is celebrated now. It's a lot for one small book to handle, but the lively photos and the connections Reynolds makes will encourage children to go on to the titles in the appended bibliography and to the books in Reynolds' Vanishing Culture series. A world map establishes the general location of the communities introduced."
-Booklist

"The fascinating photographs are the strong point here, but the short paragraphs that explain the rituals and customs will tantalize readers to find out more."
-Kirkus Reviews

"Colorful, inviting photographs introduce readers to connections among cultures from around the world. A welcome addition to multicultural literature."
-School Library Journal

"From the Sami of Northern Europe to the Yanomami of South America, this engaging photo-essay introduces celebrations observed by indigenous peoples around the world, correlating age-old traditions with current-day festivities in the United States. Pairing clear text with vibrant full-color photos, Reynolds highlights each culture's unique customs, while emphasizing the commonalities that make us 'one human family."

-Curriculum Connections, School Library Journal

"Jan Reynolds's exploration of joyous occasions all over the globe is as enthusiastic as the celebrations themselves. Vibrant photographs of eight cultures, two of them Asian, shimmer on the pages of this book."
-The Asian Reporter

"This outstanding photo-essay by award-winning author and photographer Jan Reynolds explores the ways the human family celebrates across the globe, revealing how traditions observed in cultures in seven far-off lands share many similarities with customs practiced here in the United States. . . . Rarely has the subject pronoun 'we' been so beautifully inclusive."

-The Bloomsbury Review

"Celebrate! Connections Among Cultures by Jan Reynolds is a superbly illustrated descriptive survey of diverse cultures around the world, and the similarities many of them share."

-The Midwest Book Review

"Jan Reynolds gives readers a sneak peak into the cultural celebrations of seven indigenous cultures through descriptive short essays and vivid colorful photographs. The overall theme of the book resonates throughout the pages. . . . Readers of all ages will be captivated by this multicultural exploration."

-The Oneota Review

"Jan Reynolds' field work with indigenous peoples around the world has yielded a treasure of information and photographs in Celebrate!. . . . Reynolds' first person experiences and accompanying pictures add credibility to her work. Her open and nonjudgmental approach sets a positive and warm tone for kids who may have a natural hesitation about things that are unfamiliar to them. . . . In Celebrate!, Jan Reynolds offers young readers a wealth of information that's presented in a clear and engaging way that encourages kids to look for the similarities between cultures instead of focusing on the differences."
-The Imperfect Parent

"There is something fascinating about seeing the way people in other places live. Celebrate! Connections Among Cultures speaks to this fascination, but helps kids see similarities between different cultures - the way that no matter how different we are, we are essentially the same. . . . I loved the way Reynolds brought complex ideas to a level that young children in 1st or 2nd grade could understand. They can look at these pictures of people so different from ourselves and start to draw connections to their own lives. It's a beautiful book that children will look at again and again. It would also make a wonderful starting place for talking about the way we celebrate traditions in our own families."
-Great Kid Books

JAN REYNOLDS is an award-winning author and photographer whose work has appeared in numerous publications including National Geographic, The New York Times, and Outside magazine. Her Vanishing Cultures series of photo-essays for children was recognized as Kids' Pick of the Lists by American Bookseller and Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People. Reynolds is also an avid skier, mountain climber, and adventurer.