The Kwanzaa Story: Celebrating Culture through Community

Gr 3-7–Readers travel through history and into the current celebrations of the Kwanzaa holiday. Starting with a brief dip into the Watts Rebellion of 1965 before jumping back to a time before slavery and then continuing up through the Civil Rights Movement, this book does not shy away from the difficult realities of Black history. Despite the pain of those times, Agostini keeps her audience in mind, and presents difficult material in an approachable way. Throughout the story, important Black historical figures and their contributions to society are featured. Readers will get an in-depth look at the Black Power organization US, which was inspired to research and create the Kwanzaa holiday. Agostini presents the symbols included in Kwanzaa celebrations, the ideals on which it is founded, and the way it spread from a small group in Los Angeles across the entire nation. Through pleasing digital illustrations, bright colors combine well with simple linework and creative shading to bring a large cast of characters, both historical and modern, to life.