Does your family celebrate Kwanzaa? How much do you know about this unique holiday? Find it out in Once Upon a Kwanzaa, co-authored by activists Nyasha Williams and Sidney Rose McCall. Enter to win a signed hardcover copy plus a complete Kwanzaa Celebration Kit!
My Review:
Bursting with joy and festivity, Once Upon a Kwanzaa provides an in-depth introduction to the celebration of Kwanzaa, from family and cultural traditions to the principles that empower and unite the African-American community in the face of injustice and discrimination.
Seven is the magic number for Kwanzaa. The celebration spans seven days in honor of the Nguzo Saba - the seven principles of Kwanzaa - Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). The centerpiece known as kinara holds seven candles to represent the Nguzo Saba. This beautiful picture book features seven diverse BIPOC families celebrating the holiday in their own way.
Commemorating community bonds, cultural roots and cross-generational connections, the narrative revolves around the core principles of Kwanzaa, which boast the power to transcend the boundaries of countries and cultures and to light up the path to freedom, harmony and prosperity. While unequivocally embracing diversity, it champions the idea of using the seven principles to guide one's daily actions beyond the holiday celebration. The book's back matter thoughtfully includes a glossary and pronunciation guide to help those unfamiliar with the Swahili language to read and understand Kwanzaa-related words that have appeared in the main text.
The book's colorful, festive, and activity-packed illustrations well supplement its verbal description with an abundance of vibrantly portrayed cultural elements and expressions, such as ethnic clothing, fashion accessories, food, home decor, arts and crafts, and a lot more... Young readers can be easily captivated by these dynamic details as well as the infectiously happy and friendly faces of all the characters.
Charming and cheerful, Once Upon a Kwanzaa creates an informative and inspiring guide about the widely observed holiday, encouraging families and communities of all origins to treasure their cultural heritage and carry on time-honored traditions.
About the Book:
Ages 4-6 | 32 Pages
Publisher: Running Press Kids (2025) | ISBN-13: 978-0762487356
A celebration of the beauty, power, and faith of the African-American community as reflected in the principles of Kwanzaa, by the author of I Affirm Me: The ABCs of Inspiration for Black Kids.
Kwanzaa is a holiday steeped in ancestral traditions collected over generations of people across the Black Diaspora. Once Upon a Kwanzaa introduces communities of all colors to the interwoven history and lived experiences connected to this time of year when families and loved ones gather to celebrate, share, and reimagine the past, present, and future. Sawyer Cloud’s stunning artwork showcases seven different BIPOC families and highlights how different peoples of the Diaspora can celebrate in their communities, from setting the table and lighting the Kinara to sharing meals and gathering at events. The book includes a glossary and pronunciation guide.
Purchase links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop.org
About the Authors:
Nyasha Williams grew up living intermittently between the United States and South Africa. As a kindergarten teacher, she was inspired to continue work as an author, creator, and activist after reading her first book to her class when one of her Black students told her that mermaids could not be Black. Williams kickstarted her first picture book, What’s the Commotion in the Ocean, starring a Black mermaid who spreads a message of marine conservation. She is the author of four picture books with Running Press Kids, including the bestselling I Affirm Me, and is the author of RP Studio’s Black Tarot, as well as a board book series with Harpercollins.
For more information, check out nyashawilliams.online and nyashawilliams.substack.com. Follow her on Instagram.
Sidney Rose McCall is an historian and community intellectual who combines her academic work with her activism. Though the pandemic saw her complete her Masters in Applied Social Science far from the classroom, she turned her eyes to the community, building a platform through Patreon where she continues to share decolonized history lessons and virtual discussions. She also joined the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community, Inc. as a student-docent at the Zora Neale Hurston National Museum of Fine Arts and now serves as a member of their Academic Committee for the ZORA! Festival of the Arts and Humanities. Ms. McCall hopes to work alongside community bridge builders to bring integrative stories into our creative spaces of resilience and resistance.
For more information, check out linktr.ee/Rosecolored_Scholar. Follow her on Instagram.
About the Illustrator:
Sawyer Cloud is a freelance artist from Madagascar. Her passion for kids’ literature pushed her to turn it into a living. Sawyer loves sunny days and music. She dreams of owning a small cottage and traveling the world. She still lives in her native country, Madagascar, with her family and her two pets, Arya the dog and Potter the cat.
For more information, check out sawyer.cloud. Follow her on Instagram.
One Grand Prize winner will receive a hardcover copy of Once Upon a Kwanzaa and a complete Kwanzaa Celebration Kit containing a Kwanzaa Advent, Kinara, and ceremonial candles!
Five additional winners will each receive a hardcover copy of Once Upon a Kwanzaa!
Giveaway ends 11/3. Open worldwide. Please submit your entries below. Good luck!
Once Upon a Kwanzaa: Book GiveawayDisclosure: All views and opinions expressed are my own. icefairy's Treasure Chest is not responsible for winner selection or prize fulfillment.
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