The Kwanzaa Story: Celebrating Culture Through Community - Hardcover

by Alliah L. Agostini (Author), Olivia Smith H. (Illustrator)

Discover the history and importance of Kwanzaa, a week-long December holiday celebrated in Black, African, and African American cultures.

In The Kwanzaa Story, little Alliah (of The Juneteenth Story fame) is all grown up and, along with her husband LeVaur, teaches their children Daphne and Alistair why they celebrate Kwanzaa as a family and as a community. This beautifully illustrated storybook shares the origins of the holiday--rooted in Africa, born in Los Angeles--giving historical and cultural context on how a joyful celebration was birthed after the Watts Rebellion and during the Civil Rights Movement. The journey includes:

• The history of the holiday, complete with timeline
• Key figures of the Civil Rights Movement and their part in the creation of Kwanzaa
• The seven guiding principles of Kwanzaa, known as Nguza Saba
• The seven core symbols used during Kwanzaa rituals, including the kinara (candle holder) and the mishumaa saba (the seven candles in red, green, and black)
• How Kwanzaa is celebrated today
• And more!

2025 marks the 60th observance of Kwanzaa. The Kwanzaa Story offers Black, African, and African American children the opportunity to connect with their culture and the holiday in a meaningful way, and to see themselves and their family traditions represented on the page with accuracy and joy. This book also exposes children of different backgrounds to a new end-of-year cultural celebration, taking them on an engaging and educational journey about the principles and traditions of the holiday. This visually captivating guide to understanding Kwanzaa encourages young readers to connect with the holiday and its social impact.

Follow along as Alliah and her family discover the cultural significance of Kwanzaa's principles and symbols, providing a tangible element to the holiday that will allow kids and family members to fully and joyfully participate in its celebration. Readers of all ages will love learning about the amazing history and traditions of Kwanzaa through the wise and educational storytelling in The Kwanzaa Story.

The Holiday Celebration series from becker&mayer! kids honors the diverse holidays and milestones that shape the cultural fabric of the United States. Though these traditions may have originated elsewhere, brought to our shores by ancestors from around the world, they have endured and evolved to weave the vibrant tapestry of American life. The series includes picture books and their companion kid-friendly cookbooks that share stories uniquely representative of the American experience--an experience that is multilayered, eclectic, inclusive, and joyfully beautiful.

Also available from the series: The Juneteenth Story, The Juneteenth Cookbook, The Dia de Los Muertos Story, and The Dia de Los Muertos Cookbook.

Author Biography

Buffalo, New York-native Alliah L. Agostini writes to spread joy and truth, and to illuminate the breadth of childhood experiences. Alliah is the award-winning author of a number of books for young readers, including The Juneteenth Story, BIG TUNE, Oprah Winfrey: A Little Golden Book Biography, The Juneteenth Cookbook, and more. She resides in New Jersey with her husband and two children, and has an AB and an MBA from Harvard.

Olivia SmithH. began drawing at an early age, taking inspiration from children's books and cartoons. She quickly realized how fascinating it was to create whatever she wanted and has been doing so ever since with her paintbrush in hand. Olivia has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design from California State University, East Bay. Her favorite materials are digital paints, watercolor, and gouache. Often inspired by nature, fantasy, beauty, and reality, she has created many watercolor and digital illustrations and illustrated several children's books, including The Mess and A Father's Love. In her downtime, she enjoys exercising, cooking, writing, and spending time with family. Olivia is always excited to use her illustrations to help with education, bring joy, and make childhood dreams come true.