"Kwanzaa is Kayla’s favorite time of year. But this year, it looks as if a heavy snowstorm will keep her big brother, Khari, from getting home in time for the festivities! Will Khari miss the celebration completely? Or will Kayla and her brother somehow find a way to be together for Kwanzaa? A perfect introduction to Kwanzaa, this book will teach children all about the traditions and practices that make it a special winter holiday." www.amazon.com

This picture book uses the frame of a little girl waiting on her college-age brother to come home (he's stuck in a snowstorm) to illustrate the principles of Kwanzaa. It does a good job of introducing those principles and what they mean (and includes a pronunciation guide for the Swahili words, which is great). It is very focused on the information rather than the story, but as such is probably a good way of introducing and/or discussing Kwanzaa with slightly older kids. ( )

This story is about a young girl named Kayla whose brother Khari cannot come home to celebrate Kwanzaa due to a snowstorm. Throughout the book, it describes the different symbolism of Kwanzaa meals, the Kwanza candles, and the principles of the 7 days of Kwanzaa. On the 5th day of Kwanzaa the principle is purpose, so Kayla decided her purpose was to be a good sister. She created a scrapbook with pictures of all of the events Khari missed of that year's Kwanzaa. The overall message was to inform readers that Kwanzaa is a time of giving, and each day has a special meaning of life.
The pictures depicted African culture including their clothing, accessories, food, and Kwanzaa traditions. For example, on the page of the second night of Kwanzaa, it shows the background with the walls covered in African patterns. Kayla, her mom, and her dad are dressed in African gowns with headbands. On each page, the pictures explained the scene along with the text. I thought the way they arranged the text and the pictures was very beneficial for children because the text was brief but held a lot of information, and the pictures showed every aspect of the text. Especially in an informational book about Kwanzaa, the pictures helped with the new Kwanzaa terms.
I also liked this book because of the compassion Kayla shows throughout the holiday. She is constantly thinking about how much she wishes her brother was with them to spend Kwanzaa with them. I think this is a good book for any child to read because it helps them think about others and encourages them to be giving to others. It also helps them be more aware of other cultures and beliefs, and gives them an open perspective on diverse traditions. ( )

When a heavy snowstorm threatens a family being together for Kwanza, Kayla and her brother are determined to get together in time for the holidays.
Very good book to introduce the traditions of Kwanza to children who might not know much about the holiday.

A very cute, educational story. I appreciate that not only are the different parts explained, with examples, but that pronunciation guides are included in-text. The illustrations are nice, and this is a great introductory book for kids and adults alike. ( )