I think this is one of my favorite ones because it talks about how different cultures celebrate New Years. For some Cultures they celebrate New Years on a whole different day then we do. It even talked about why we celebrate New Yeas the way we do. Which was interesting because i had no idea there was an actual reason why we popped fireworks at midnight but apparently there is. It was believed that as the year grew weak and was about to die that demons would grow stronger and more dangerous then before, they believed the only way to scare them off was by making loud noises. Also in the 19th century cowboys when it hit midnight would go outside and fire off their pistols to make noise. ( )

This story of New Year is telling us about the different cultures' New Year and how they celebrate. It also tells us the different beliefs the cultures have about the New Year. The different cultures also have different symbols that represent certain components of New Years celebration. Though we are all from different parts of the world, we are all connected by some things. ( )

Happy New Year! tells about different cultures around the world and how they celebrate new year. Bernhard does a great job balancing being informative and keeping the reader's interest. The book is written on a level for young children to understand. ( )

Collections
Picture book
Grade: 3-6
Informational
I think that Happy New Year! by Emery Bernhard is an absolutely terrific and unique informational text. When I first looked at the cover of the book I did not think it was informational, but either realistic fiction or modern fantasy. The reason I had this misconception is because the book has drawn illustrations similar to storybooks. I feel that this unique appearance gives the book a friendly and inviting quality that many informational books lack. Another aspect I enjoyed about the book is the cultural variety. The book describes new year celebrations in multiple cultures from around the world. On every page there is a new beautiful picture and a detailed description. One of the cultures described in the book is West African, "In some villages of the West African savannah, the new year is welcomed when the dry season ends. People clean their houses and empty all the places food is stored. Then, everyone takes turns dancing, clapping, and singing while the men drum. The songs ask the gods for a good harvest of the beans, millet, groundnuts, or sorghum that will soon be planted" ( Bernhard). Some other cultures discussed in this book include Greek, Balinese, Ibo, and Jewish. ( )

The main reason why I really enjoyed this book was because it stated many different ways different cultures celebrated New Years. The reader was able to see all different aspects of culture. Not only did it characterize the American culture, but it also presented Roman, Nigerian, Chinese, Japanese, Jewish, Indian, Russian, and North American cultures as well. The appearance of all different cultures in the book allows young readers to understand that Holidays can be celebrated differently than their own. There are certain traditions that are specific to that culture. For example, while Americans waiting for the “ball drop” on the 31st of December (which marks the “new year” for us), the Jewish community celebrates their “new year”, Rosh Hashanah, in September. The variety of information portrayed was a good idea because the various cultures were easily differentiated and easy to follow. Readers will learn how and when cultures celebrate their New Years. The overall idea of the book is to inform the reader of the many celebrations of New Years. The message is to not be naïve of other cultures and learn some history. ( )