Spooky Celebrations Around the World

You'll have heard of Halloween, and maybe Dia de Muertos, or Obon too, but did you know there are spooky festivals all over the world?

Across every continent there are festivals that celebrate and honor spirits. Children will delight in discovering the stories behind these 21 amazing celebrations.

With text that captures the joy in many of these festivals and the respectful nature of others, and stunning artwork with fun details to spot, children will learn all about the interesting ways these festivals are celebrated today.

This is a brilliant book for 5-8-year-olds that doesn't just celebrate Halloween but can be enjoyed year-round. The text builds on children's knowledge of recognizable festivals and introduces them to others they may not have heard of. With playful text that celebrates cultural traditions, this book encourages children to be curious about and respectful of the world around them.

Festivals featured: Awuru Odo (Nigeria); Basler Fasnacht - (Basel, Switzerland); Chuseok (South Korea;) Correfoc (Barcelona, Catalonia); Dia de Muertos (Mexico); Fastelavn (Scandinavia, Iceland, Estonia and the Faroe Isles); Fet Gede (Haiti); Fete des Masques (Mali); Gai Jatra (Nepal); Halloween (North America and Europe); Khamis al-Amwat (the Levant); La Festa di Ognissanti (Italy); Mari Lwyd (Wales); Matariki (Aotearoa New Zealand); Ouidah Vodun Festival (Ouidah, Benin); Pchum Ben (Cambodia); Pitru Paksha (South Asia); Samhain (Northern Europe); Setsubun (Japan); Walpurgis Night (Northern Europe); Zhongyuan (China). Ages 5-8 years

As featured in Smithsonian Magazine and Publishers Weekly 

‘A great read for kids who love Halloween or spooky things in general.’ – Book Riot

‘A high-interest title … Explores a fair number of holidays that aren’t always spotlighted in children’s literature.’ – Kirkus

‘Anyone curious about the world will enjoy this book.’ – TIME for Kids

‘ A great read for kids who love Halloween or spooky things in general.’ – BookRiot

‘This book will spark curiosity about different cultures and the ways people celebrate the spooky side of life.’ – Eco Kids Magazine

‘Children will love learning and being curious about so many of these wonderful cultural traditions which this book celebrates.’   – Just Imagine

‘Bright and inviting while still being spookily appropriate.’ – Motherhood Moment

‘Sure to leave an impression … Does a lovely job at presenting how interesting and different cultures can be.’ – Bookworm for Kids

British author Matt Ralphs writes children's nonfiction and middle-grade fiction, often with a focus on history, myths, and folklore. His previous works include Season of the Witch, Norse Myths, and Secrets of the Dead.

Ukranian-born, Vancouver-based Illustrator Veronika Kotyk is driven by her passion for creating captivating visual narratives. She has previously won the StartAward in 2017 and a gold medal at Mom's Choice for her work.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.