Anouther family favorite.
We (my son is 8) love knowing where our traditions came from. This book covers all religions and beliefs equally and with history. The stories are always pared with great pictures and not too wordy for elementary ages.
Not a celebration of the Solstice
I purchased this book thinking it would be a nice story for my son, who along with the rest of our extended family, celebrates the Winter Solstice. The book seemed to mock the traditions of this season. Especially of concern was how the book continues to refer to "Christmas" as a holiday "We" all celebrate. I dont recommend this book for any family that observes the tradition of Solstice, as it isn't a respectful view of our tradition.
Great for Modern Pagans--Read Critically!
Though the book is written from a Judeo-Christian perspective, it is an excellent book for educating children about the many ways the winter solstice is celebrated throughout the world. Some Pagans have criticized the book for not representing modern Paganism; however, I feel it is unreasonable of Pagans to presume that Judeo-Christians even know of our faith, let alone to expect them to write about it as if it were the truth. I take it for what it is, a very well-written children's book that is exploring... more info
Intense for kids
I got this and "The Shortest Day" by Wendy Pfeffer to try to provide a non-denominational explanation of Christmas to my toddler. I think "The Winter Solstice" is a little too dark and scary for young kids. It emphasizes the fears ancient peoples felt at this time of year as the reason for the mid-winter holiday. Talks a lot about driving away evil spirits and even human sacrifice. I'm sure it's very historically accurate, but "The Shortest Day" glosses over some of the darkest information and provides very... more info
