Beyond the traditional New Year's on December 31st, here is a list of Children's Books that Celebrate New Year’s Around the World. Come with KidLitTV to learn how people celebrate Nowruz; Persian New Year, Seollal; Korean New Year, learn about the traditional food of an African-American new year, Lunar New Year, Diwali; Indian New Year, and more.
• Children's Books that Celebrate New Year's Around the World •
TWO NEW YEARS
For this multicultural family, inspired by the author's own, two New Years mean twice as much to celebrate! In the fall, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, offers an opportunity to bake challah, dip apples in honey, and lift voices in song. In the spring, Lunar New Year brings a chance to eat dumplings, watch dragon dances, and release glowing lanterns that light up the sky.
With bright, joyful prose and luminous illustrations, Richard Ho and Lynn Scurfield invite readers of all backgrounds to experience the beauty of two New Year traditions, paying homage to the practices that make each unique while illuminating the values of abundance, family, and hope that they share.
Full of opportunities to reflect on the rich blends of cultures and traditions in our lives, this moving picture book is a beautiful reminder that, at heart, our celebrations might not be so different after all.
TWO BEAUTIFUL NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS: This book is brimming with opportunities for readers to learn about cultures different from their own–from Jewish readers learning about Lunar New Year, to Chinese readers learning about Rosh Hashanah, to readers from other cultures being invited to experience both!
TWO NEW YEARS
Written by Richard Ho and Illustrated by Lynn Scurfield
Published by Chronicle Books
LET'S CELEBRATE KOREAN NEW YEAR
Ring in the Lunar New Year with this sweet picture book by Emmy-winning TV host Michelle W. Park. This heartwarming story follows two sisters as they explore the Korean traditions of Seollal while learning about the importance of family. The author's own dumpling recipe and a fun activity are included at the end!
새해 복 많이 받으세요 Saehae bok mani badeuseyo!
Madeleine and Eloise are getting ready for their family's Lunar New Year party, and there's so much to do before the guests arrive! From putting on colorful outfits called hanboks and making Korean dumplings called mandoo, to setting up yutnori, a traditional board game, Madeleine shows her younger sister how to prepare for the holiday. But when Madeleine forgets to write a poem to share with the family, Eloise offers to help—and the girls realize that although each tradition is special, what matters most is spending the day together.
This festive picture book is a perfect way to learn about Korean New Year traditions, and features a glossary of Korean terms at the back, the author's own mandoo recipe, and a craft activity to create your very own charae-sang tablescape!
LETS CELEBRATE KOREAN NEW YEAR
Written by Michelle W. Park and Illustrated by Hyewon Yum
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
ONE DIWALI DAY
Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights and enlightenment, is a joyous occasion. There are rangolis to draw with colorful powders and chalk, new outfits to wear, delicious sweets to eat, visits from friends and family, and fireworks that light up the night. Only one thing dims Ronak’s enjoyment: wondering if his big sister Dadi will make it home in time to share in all the rituals and special details of the evening. Once she arrives, Ronak’s heart can rejoice fully and shine brilliantly. This warm, beautifully illustrated first story in a young series about festivals ends with Diwali-themed craft activities for readers.
ONE DIWALI DAY
Written by Dev Kothari and Illustrated by Aditi Anand
Published by Candlewick Press
WE ARE LION DANCERS
Celebrate Lunar New Year with the lion dance, bringing good luck and fortune to all.
In this story designed to engage early readers, charming characters combine with simple text, lively illustrations, and laugh-out-loud humor to help boost kids' confidence and create lifelong readers!
As Lunar New Year approaches, a colorful costume catches the eye of siblings Lily and Noah—the lion dancers are practicing for the parade! As they learn what the lion dance means, the duo dives into helping prepare, even making their own lion costume for fun.
Complete with even more facts about the legend of the lion dance in the back of the book, young readers will want to revisit this story again and again.
Exciting, easy-to-read books are the stepping stone a young reader needs to bridge the gap between being a beginner and being fluent.
WE ARE LION DANCERS
Written and Illustrated by Benson Shum
Published by Penguin Workshop
Black Eyed Peas and Hoghead Cheese
Know what I like most about Grandma's kitchen?
More than jambalaya? More than sweet potato pie? Even more than pralines?
Grandma's stories! Every meal Grandma cooks comes with a story.
What will today's story be?While visiting her grandma in Louisiana, nine-year-old Frances is excited to help prepare the New Year's Day meal. She listens as Grandma tells stories–dating back to the Atlantic Slave Trade–about the food for their feast. Through these stories, Frances learns not only about the ingredients and the dishes they are making but about her ancestors and their history as well.
A celebration of the stories that connect us, this picture book urges us to think about the foods we eat and why we eat them. This book was inspired by the author's own childhood and includes her family's very own recipe for pralines in the back!
BLACK EYED PEAS AND HOGHEAD CHEESE
Written by Glenda Armand and Illustrated by Steffi Walthall
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers
TOMORROW IS NEW YEAR'S DAY:
Seollal, a Korean Celebration of the Lunar New Year
From Korean American author-illustrator Aram Kim, Tomorrow is New Year's Dayfollows a little girl sharing the fun customs of Seollal–the Korean Lunar New Year–with her classmates.
Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year, is Mina's favorite day of the year.
Mina can't wait to share the customs of Seollal with all of her friends at school. She will show her classmates her colorful hanbok, demonstrate how to do sebae, and then everyone will make tasty tteokguk in the cooking room. Yum! Her little brother may even join in on the fun… if he can find a way out of his bad mood.
In this joyful book about sharing age-old cultural celebrations with new friends, Aram Kim has created a must-have book for the New Year's season. A glossary of Korean terms, with pronunciation guide, is included.
TOMORROW IS NEW YEAR'S DAY: Seollal, a Korean Celebration of the Lunar New Year
Written and Illustrated by Aram Kim
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
MEASURING A YEAR: A Rosh Hashanah Story
From award-winning author Linda Elovitz Marshall and illustrator Zara González Hoang comes this engaging picture book about celebrating Rosh Hashanah.
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur mark the beginning of the Jewish New Year. They offer a chance to think about the present and the past, to “measure” a year and ourselves.
This sweet and thoughtful picture book, perfect for reading aloud, invites young readers and their families to take stock of the happy times and the occasional regrets, as well as the new friends made and new skills gained over the year. Happy New Year! Shana Tova!
Written by Linda Elovitz Marshall and Illustrated by Zara González Hoang
Published by Abrams Books
THE 12 DAYS OF LUNAR NEW YEAR
Count out twelve ways to celebrate Lunar New Year! This fun-filled picture book inspired by The 12 Days of Christmas is perfect for fans of Natasha Wing's The Night Before series. Includes stickers!
This cheery addition to the 12 Days series celebrates tradition, culture, and family in the lead-up to Lunar New Year! Young readers and their caregivers will enjoy counting all the different ways they can engage with their communities and honor their ancestors. This simple rhyming story is paired with warm illustrations and a full page of stickers, making these books the perfect gift for kids.
THE 12 DAYS OF LUNAR NEW YEAR
Written by Jenna Lettice and Illustrated by Colleen Madden
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
THE MONSTER IN THE BATH HOUSE
How to Catch a Monster meets Persian myth in this engaging picture book set in a lively Iranian bathhouse the day before the Persian New Year as three boys encounter something unexpected.
The bathhouse is always busy the day before Nowruz. Everyone wants to be clean for the new year! As three boys enjoy their day at the bathhouse with their fathers, they hear a strange sound and decide to investigate. There's a big mess, and they hear the sound of someone–or something–large splashing in the baths. What could it be? An unruly guest? A four-legged intruder? Or perhaps…a monster?
Written and Illustrated by Sina Merabian
Published by Simon and Schuster
DIWALI IN MY NEW HOME 
Priya loves being with family and friends to watch fireworks and celebrate Diwali. But this year Priya and her parents are living in the United States, and no one seems to know about the holiday. Priya misses the traditions in India. But as she strings lights outside and creates rangoli art, Priya introduces the festival of lights to her neighbors. And even though the celebration is different this year, it's still Diwali.
A heartwarming story of celebrating in a new place and sharing the Hindu festival of lights with those unfamiliar with the holiday.
Bethany Edwards is an elementary educator as well as a reading and literacy
specialist. On Biracial Bookworms, she focuses on multiracial and multicultural resources for teaching literacy skills using reading, travel, and learning multiple languages. Additionally, she offers online and self-paced courses for parents and caregivers on Biracial Bookworms Academy.
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