Celebrate in Southeast Asia

From School Library Journal Grade 3-5?These two books explore the reasons and ways different people celebrate. South Asia describes holidays in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Southeast Asia looks at Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Through the books' focus on specific geographical areas, readers are reminded of the amazing variety in our world. People are shown joining together to demonstrate their faiths as they celebrate Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and Muslim holidays; mark the passage of time as they honor their pasts; and anticipate new beginnings with joyful displays. The holidays are described in a paragraph or two, giving just enough information to explain the accompanying photographs. The excitement and splendor are conveyed through the photos, which are colorful and rich in detail. Offering a sense of the spirit of the people, these titles successfully pass along the festive moods and the important values expressed.?Susan Middleton, LaJolla Country Day School, CACopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Kirkus Reviews This is truly a fascinating and highly accessible survey of religious holidays and community festivals in India (Holi and the Pushkar Camel Fair), Sri Lanka (Esala Perahera--an astonishing procession honoring Buddha's tooth relic--and Wesak--Buddha's birthday), Bangladesh (Baishakhi--the Bengali New Year), Pakistan (Eid-ul-Fitr--breaking the Ramadan fast), Bhutan (Paro Tsechu--a dance festival), Myanmar (the Shwedagon Pagoda Festival), and Nepal (Tihar--the Newari New Year). Relatively few children in the US will have experienced these celebrations. Viesti and Hall's concise descriptions are a vivid mix of respectful reporting enlivened by kid-pleasing details. In a typical entry, describing Holi, they observe: ``Unlike most festivals in Asia, during Holi everyone wears their worst clothes'' because ``people take to the streets and throw gulal [colored powder] onto one another's faces.'' Three full-color photos offer exhilarating glimpses of Indians of all ages gleefully celebrating. Curious readers will find even more information in the photo captions. Fact-filled, congenial fare. (map) (Picture book/nonfiction. 5+) --