Interfaith Holiday Books for Kids
This is a wonderful time of year to teach children about other holidays and traditions and how to be respectful of them. Respecting someone else’s celebration doesn’t diminish from your own. In fact, as these books show, it can enhance it! These interfaith holiday books, several of which are inspired by true stories, show children how we can support each other during this special time of year.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Interfaith Holiday Books for Kids
Enjoy these interfaith holiday books, which teach children to respect other traditions and to support each other +during this special time.
The beautiful board book Happy Allidays is a simple introduction to the major holidays celebrated this time of year – Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa – sometimes in one family! The joyful illustrations of diverse families show young readers that everyone celebrates the season in their own way but always with love and good cheer for all.
Red and Green and Blue and White is inspired by a true story that took place in Billings, Montana, where a community stood up to hate and showed that they would not stand by when others were hurting. When a rock is thrown through the window of a Jewish home on Hanukkah, one little girl across the street puts a drawing of a menorah in her window to show her friend he is not alone. Soon others do the same, until windows throughout the city display menorah drawings, showing solidarity with their Jewish community members. A wonderful lesson in being an UPstander instead of a BYstander, and teaching children that it only takes one person (one child!) to make a difference and change their community. We were lucky enough to hear the author speak at our last Multicultural Children’s Book Club!
The Christmas Mitzvah, winner of the Sydney Taylor Honor from the Association of Jewish Libraries, is also inspired by a true story! Al, a Jewish man, is moved when he hears the story of a Christian man who has to miss Christmas Eve with his family because of work. From then on, Al volunteers to do the work of a Christian stranger every Christmas Eve so they could be with their family. For years he does mitzah (a “good deed”) every Christmas, inspiring others to do the same. When he is finally too old to continue, his community finds a special way to celebrate the season with him and thank him for all he has done.
Related Posts:
Children’s Books About the True Holiday Spirit
Children’s Books About Hanukkah
Diverse Christmas Books for Kids
