Holiday Nonfiction

Every year you probably celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December. Someone may have told you that this is the day of Jesus' birth. But nobody actually knows when he was born! The Bible does not give us a date for the birth of Jesus. So early Christians took the date of important ancient festivals and placed Christmas around the same time.Before Christianity, the Romans had a winter festival called Saturnalia, which took place for one week in mid-December.

Christmas trees and Christmas cards seem to be an essential part of the holiday season. So it may surprise you to know they are both relatively recent traditions in the United States and Britain!

In 1620, the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock and made friends with Wampanoag people who gave them corn. RIGHT? WRONG! It was months before the Pilgrims met any Wampanoag people, and nobody gave anybody corn that day.

Young listeners learn about the early traditions which have led to our present-day celebration of Thanksgiving.

Do you crack open a piñata on your birthday? Do you eat long noodles? Learn all about different birthday customs of children around the world.

It’s time to celebrate Kwanzaa! Light the kinara. Eat a big feast with your family. During Kwanzaa, people come together. They celebrate African-American heritage.

How many candles will be on your birthday cake this year? What flavor of cake will you eat? Learn all about cakes you can enjoy on your special day.

What kind of games will you play at your birthday party? From musical chairs to sack racing, games make birthdays fun. Learn about indoor and outdoor games to play on your special day.

Every November, the United States celebrates Thanksgiving Day. But what actually happened at the first Thanksgiving? And when did it happen? Discover the facts and find out the fiction surrounding one of America’s favorite holidays.

In September 1620, 102 brave travelers and their crew stepped upon a ship called the Mayflower in England. Most were members of a religious group now known as the Pilgrims. They were bound for North America to start a new life. They endured many hardships and made many tough choices. Now the choices are yours. Would you rather suffer from seasickness or from skin sores caused by scurvy? Would you rather have been a crew member navigating the ship in stormy seas or cramped into the living quarters just along for the tumultuous ride? It's your turn to pick this or that!

This is an excellent Halloween audiobook for kids who love to be spooked. Be prepared for some eerie ghost stories and spooky Halloween tales! These campfire tales are excellent for listening aloud with friends and family.

Happy birthday! Let's celebrate! All around the world people are turning another year older. What are some ways birthdays are celebrated in Asia? Or in South America? Discover the ways people celebrate birthdays in this engaging series that develops kids' understanding of our diverse global community and their place in it.

Keep Jesus in the center of your family’s Christmas celebration with this beautiful nativity storybook from one of the world’s most loved and trusted Bible scholars, Professor N.T. Wright.

A vast array of poems old and new joyously celebrates each special day of the year, telling of New Year's resolutions, Valentine's Day love, Easter parades, Fourth of July fireworks, and more. Featuring verse from favorites like Walt Whitman, Jack Prelutsky, and Langston Hughes and poetic lyrics from the likes of Cole Porter and Oscar Hammerstein, plus heartfelt introductions by Julie Andrews describing favorite family holiday moments, this is the perfect collection for families to share together.

Christmas is almost here and the excitement is all around. The twinkling Christmas lights and the aroma of freshly baked cookies fills the air. You and your child will enjoy these special Christmas stories about Tinsel the Christmas elf. Each story is about Tinsel and his fun-filled adventures. Tinsel loves Christmas more than any other elf and wants to spread the holiday cheer with all the boys and girls in the world!

Christmas is almost here, and the excitement is all around! The twinkling Christmas lights and the aroma of freshly baked cookies fills the air. You and your child will enjoy these special Christmas stories for kids. Each story is about Santa Claus and is great for early and beginning listeners. Also includes Christmas jokes!

Whether it's Halloween or just an opportune time for home theatricals, every so often an occasion calls for fake blood. But how do you make fake blood? We have the recipe.

Beginning with Creation, The Advent Storybook invites your family on a beautiful, chronological journey through ancient stories, tracing God’s faithful promise to send a Rescuer—Jesus. Each of the 25 Bible stories begins with a key verse and ends with a thoughtful question, helping you and your children think and talk about the reason we celebrate Jesus’ birth. This year, begin a new Christmas tradition. Create memories your family will cherish.

Fun Christmas Riddles and Trick Questions for Kids and Family is a fun riddle book that contains 300 riddles and tricky brain teasers of easy to hard difficulty. It’s perfect for families, parties, or even youth group events! These brain teasers will challenge the wits of children of different age groups and we promise that adults will enjoy them as much as their kids will! A friendly warning for the parents to keep in mind: don’t be surprised if your kids outsmart you!

This December, spend a few moments of each day leading up to Christmas helping your family focus on the true joys and meaning of Advent with 25 Days of the Christmas Story: An Advent Family Experience. This is a devotional perfect for families of all shapes, sizes, and schedules. Each of the 25 days highlights a different person, place, or object from the Christmas story - from the prophet Isaiah to Baby Jesus, from the Christmas star to the gift of frankincense.