In truth, I had never heard of Kwanzaa before I started this website because I didn't live in the United States at the time.

Kwanzaa was first created in 1966, and black communities in the United States celebrate it from December 26 to January 1. It is a way to remember their history and culture.

Family and friends come together for seven days to give thanks, sing, dance, and eat. Candles that represent unity, both now and in the future, are lit at the end of those seven days.

These beautiful children's books about Kwanzaa are a great way to teach your kids about this happy holiday.

Top 10 Children’s Books about Kwanzaa

My First Kwanzaa by Karen Katz

“Hooray! It's time to start getting ready for Kwanzaa now. My First Kwanzaa is a picture book that teaches young children about the seven days of Kwanzaa and shows them how important family, friends, and community are in Black communities. Babies and Toddlers

My First Kwanzaa Book by Deborah Chocolate

When it's Kwanzaa time, we should all be happy. Follow a family as they get ready for the celebrations, from dressing in African clothes and hanging up a map of the motherland, to lighting candles and sharing food, hugs, gifts and stories. When I read My First Kwanzaa Book, I feel like I'm celebrating the holiday with both words and pictures! ~ Preschool

Seven Days Of Kwanzaa by Melrose Cooper

“On the first day of Kwanzaa, / my people gave to me.. / A promise for Unity.” In a creative spin of a popular Christmas song, Seven Days of Kwanzaa celebrates each day of Kwanzaa, from the promise for unity to two drums-a-drumming, four spending dollars, five festive friends, and more. ~ Preschool

Together for Kwanzaa by Juwanda G. Ford

Kayla always looks forward to Kwanzaa, when her whole family will be together for the holiday. But this year, it looks like her brother Khari won't make it in time because there was a lot of snow. Do they think they can get together? A story called "Together for Kwanzaa" is a good one for kids to learn about the traditions and practices of the holiday. ~ Preschool

Young Kayla is worried that her big brother, Khari, won't be home for the holiday. No, they won't be able to have a party together. The story and illustrations are both sweet and colorful, and they teach the reader about the traditions of Kwanzaa and the value of family.

Kevin’s Kwanzaa by Lisa Bullard

They are celebrating the seven days of Kwanzaa, which Kevin's family does every year. A new word or phrase is learned each day. Everyone dances at a big party on the sixth day. Kevin's Kwanzaa talks about how people celebrate this holiday in different ways. ~ It's a story about a young boy named Kevin and how he spends Kwanzaa with his family. The book is broken up into sections, like how to prepare for Kwanzaa and how to light the candles. The text is easy to read, and the illustrations are brightly colored to help you understand what you are reading. There are also more in-depth explanations for adults and older people who read the book. The book also has a glossary of words and instructions for making a Kwanzaa drum.

Li’l Rabbit’s Kwanzaa by Donna L. Washington

This is the sweetest of all the Kwanzaa-themed books that we've put on the list for kids. Not very happy with Kwanzaa: Li'l Rabbit is not having a very good time this year. There will be no Karamu for Granna Rabbit this year because she is sick. That's the part of Kwanzaa that Rabbit likes the best. This is what Li'l Rabbit wants to do for Granna Rabbit. He needs help from his family and friends. This is Li'l Rabbit's Kwanzaa, and it shows the true meaning of Kwanzaa. Coming together to help other people. ~ Preschool

There are a lot of things that Li'l Rabbit doesn't like about Kwanzaa. To make Granna Rabbit feel better, he needs some help from his friends. In this story, there is a sweet message about working together and helping other people, and the illustrations are so cute, too!

Kwanzaa by Lisa M. Herrington

Photos and simple text in Kwanzaa show how this joyful African American holiday comes to life. This is a fun book that will keep young readers interested with "fast fact" text boxes, photo captions, arts-and-crafts projects, and a calendar. ~ Elementary School

The Story of Kwanzaa by Donna L. Washington

The author talks about the history of Kwanzaa, from ancestors in Africa to slavery and the civil rights movement, and how it came to be. The Story of Kwanzaa is a great book for kids to read because it has beautiful photos of modern African fabrics and fun mixed-media illustrations. Making your own cow-tail switch and baking benne cakes are some of the things that you can do. ~ Elementary School

Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Kwanzaa by Carolyn B. Otto

Celebrate Kwanzaa is part of the National Geographic Kids series. It teaches kids about all the different parts of the holiday. To help you learn more about Kwanzaa, this book has fun text and beautiful pictures. It explains how Kwanzaa came about and what it is all about. It also shows how to make fun crafts and recipes. ~ Elementary School

Seven Days Of Kwanzaa by Angela Shelf Medearis

There is a book called The Seven Days of Kwanzaa for kids who are in middle school and high school. There are recipes, ideas for making home-made gifts, and stories about African Americans who have been successful. It's a great resource. There are two types of schools: elementary and middle school.

That's what this book is about: seven brothers and the hard job their father gave them in his will. It tells their story. They have to make gold from seven spools of thread. The story has all seven of the Kwanzaa values in it, and the illustrations that go with it are bold and dramatic.

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