“Classroom Connections” aligns Classroom Standards with comics, graphic novels, manga, and picture books that students will want to read. All titles are available in Comics Plus.
The Winter holiday season is a time of familiar traditions, festive food, and meaningful relationships. These elements reflect the behaviors, beliefs, and values that shape and represent our own cultures but, as we grow, gain experience, and engage with other cultures, we may begin to ask deeper questions of ourselves and the world around us.
This curiosity invites us to identify and explore similarities and differences, reminding us that each person, and groups of people, create and experience culture in unique ways. Over time, we come to understand that our behaviors, beliefs, and values can change in response to the needs and concerns of the cultural groups we belong to and engage with. This new understanding provides us with the opportunity to make more informed decisions and foster mutual appreciation of each other and our cultural similarities and differences.
Every holiday is a meaningful time to observe not only our own religious or secular beliefs, but also the traditions of our extended families and communities. It’s a time to celebrate while also deepening our understanding of the diverse perspectives that shape our interconnected world.
Reflecting the NCSS Theme: Culture, our K–12 librarians have curated a selection of stories that celebrate diverse traditions and shared values surrounding the Winter holidays from our curated feature list, Celebrating Christmas & Global Holiday Traditions.
Young Readers
Kwanzaa Candles by Megan Borgert-Spaniol and Susana Gurrea (Lerner)
NCSS Theme: Learners will understand concepts such as: similarities and differences, beliefs, values, cohesion, and diversity.
In this early reader, Megan Borgert-Spaniol shares the meaning of the Kwanzaa candles in short, easy-to-read sentences for beginner readers. With the multi-generational family gathered around the table, we learn about the beliefs and values symbolized by each candle’s color: black for unity, red for hard times, and green for hope.
Susana Gurrea’s illustrations are bright and colorful, featuring a holiday table that depicts the decorations and food enjoyed during the holiday while showcasing traditional African patterns in the family’s clothing. Each 2-page spread highlights the importance of family and their relationships.
Introducing Kwanzaa Candles to young readers will lay the foundation for future study of the similarities and differences between other December holidays. Readers will understand the importance of family traditions, beliefs, and values that the holidays hold while learning about other cultural traditions and perspectives. You can pair this title with the nonfiction early reader, Holiday Fun (Lerner), which explores the way different holidays are celebrated.
📚Also consider: Common Core ELA Standard. With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
- Comics Plus Collection(s): Elementary, Children’s Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
The Little Kids’ Table by Mary Ann McCabe Riehle and Mary Reaves Uhles (Cherry Lake)
NCSS Theme: Learners will understand how culture may change in response to changing needs and concerns.
A picture book celebrating all the fun antics and silliness of the holiday kids’ table, the narrator tells of her observations of the adults’ longing to join the fun, offering insights into family relationships, and her wishes for future gatherings. The story begins with the setting of the table, followed by the chaotic introduction of Grandpa’s dog, Daisy, and culminating in the enjoyment of dessert.
Mary Reaves Uhles’ illustrations are hilarious, portraying Mary Ann McCabe Riehle characters’ individualistic personalities — even the twins. From the details of small messes at the kids’ table to the physical traits shared by family members, readers will spot plenty of humorous and relatable moments that capture the essence of family gatherings.
Everyone will want to participate in a lively discussion, sharing their personal experiences of family gatherings and holiday celebrations. Students will learn that traditions evolve as we grow older and our roles in life shift, and the way they choose to celebrate life’s accomplishments, each other, and holidays is shaped by their beliefs, values, and traditions, which may also evolve over time.
After reading, you can have students illustrate and present a scene from one of their own fun-filled family meals, celebrations, or holidays!
📚Also consider: Common Core ELA Standard. Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).
- Comics Plus Collection(s): Elementary, Children’s Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Everybody’s Tree by Barbara Joosse and Renée Graef (Cherry Lake)
NCSS Theme: Learners will understand “Culture” refers to the behaviors, beliefs, values, traditions, institutions, and ways of living together of a group of people.
This is the story of a spruce tree planted by a little boy, which grows alongside him as he becomes a father and then a grandfather. Late in its life, the tree is chosen to be the centerpiece of the city’s holiday celebration; a symbol of unity and tradition, making it “everybody’s tree.” Through the tree’s journey, Barbara Joosse highlights the magic of the holiday season and the importance of community.
Renée Graef’s artwork is warm, textured, and full of depth, creating a cozy and welcoming atmosphere that supports Joosse’s emotional and lyrical tone. The visuals will draw children into the story, making each scene feel like an experience as Graef’s style blends detail with softness, giving the pictures a natural, hand-crafted charm.
Everybody’s Tree can be used as a powerful teaching tool to help students understand that culture includes the behaviors, beliefs, values, and ways of living as a group of people. In the story, the tree is more than just a tree; it becomes a symbol of the community’s traditions, memories, and celebrations over time. Teachers can use this story to show students how culture is shared, preserved, and passed down within a community of people.
After reading, students can discuss, draw, or write about special traditions or memories from their own families and cultures. Students will begin to understand that culture is about the things people do together, the values they hold, and the ways they celebrate and remember as a group.
📚Also consider: Common Core ELA Standard. Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
- Comics Plus Collection(s): Elementary, Children’s Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Middle Grade
Hanukkah Around the World by Tami Lehman-Wilzig and Vicki Wehrman (Lerner)
NCSS Theme: Learners will understand concepts such as: similarities, differences, beliefs, values, cohesion, and diversity.
The illustrated nonfiction book, Hanukkah Around the World, provides an engaging overview of the history and observance of Hanukkah. Tami Lehman-Wilzig takes readers on a global journey through Hanukkah traditions in Jewish communities across Israel, the United States, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Italy, Australia, Poland, and Tunisia, sharing stories, holiday customs, and unique recipes tied to the holiday’s central theme, the miracle of the oil.
Vicki Wehrman’s illustrations are beautiful, complementing the informative and accessible text. The book features full-color artwork that vividly depicts and brings to life the diverse Hanukkah celebrations in various countries, highlighting cultural customs, festive foods, and traditional ceremonies, and illuminating the unique spirit of Hanukkah. Wehrman also includes detailed maps that help readers visually explore the global journey of the holiday.
This book offers a straightforward and meaningful approach to helping students understand both the diversity and common values shared by people around the world through the celebration of Hanukkah. It demonstrates how Jewish communities in various countries observe the holiday in both similar and distinct ways, enabling students to appreciate cultural diversity within a shared religious tradition. By focusing on themes such as hope, resilience, and the miracle of light, the book emphasizes universal values that foster empathy and respect while sharing how Jewish communities maintain unity through their faith.
📚Also consider: Common Core ELA Standard. Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
- Comics Plus Collection(s): Elementary, Middle School, Children’s Public Library, Teen Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Teen & Young Adults
“The Gift of the Magi” (Graphic Classics Vol #11 O. Henry) by Tom Pomplun and Lisa K. Weber (Eureka Productions)
NCSS Theme: Learners will understand that culture is an integrated whole that explains the functions and interactions of language, literature, the arts, traditions, beliefs, values, and behavior patterns.
Graphic Classics Vol. 11: O. Henry is a graphic novel anthology featuring illustrated adaptations of O. Henry’s most memorable short stories. This volume includes well-known works such as The Ransom of Red Chief, After Twenty Years, and The Gift of the Magi, all of which highlight the author’s signature surprise endings and timeless storytelling. With a focus on the holiday season, “The Gift of the Magi,” adapted by Tom Pomplun, is the story of a young couple, Jim and Della, who each sell their most treasured possession to buy a special Christmas gift for the other.
Lisa K. Weber’s striking black-and-white drawings — featuring detailed line work and a straightforward, precise style — not only conveys the time period but also captures the atmosphere and tone of the story.
The study of classic literature and the arts provides students with the opportunity to connect the relationships between traditions, beliefs, and values in the story to their own lives; to envision the lives of the past; and to relate to one another across different cultures. After reading, teachers can have students identify and discuss the characters’ beliefs and values, exploring patterns of behavior and the importance of understanding the underlying issues and cultural norms of the time period.
For more classic holiday reading, check out Graphic Classics Vol #19 Christmas Classics (Eureka), which features adaptations of “A Christmas Carol” and “A Visit from St. Nicholas” among several others.
📚Also consider: Common Core ELA Standard. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
- Comics Plus Collection(s): Middle School, High School, Teen Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Four Gathered on Christmas Eve by Becky Cloonan, Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, and James Harren (Dark Horse)
NCSS Theme: Learners will understand how culture develops and changes in ways that allow human societies to address their needs and concerns.
This is a beautiful collection of four ghost stories shared in the classic Victorian tradition of telling ghost stories around the fire on Christmas Eve. The book begins with a humorous introduction of the four authors, in which they share bits and pieces of their personalities and literary interests.
Eric Powell’s “The Eyes in the Primordial Dark” is a chilling tale of how the act of an immoral deed and its consequences spread to others. In Becky Cloonan’s telling of the Scottish water spirit, “The Kelpie,” readers will wish to never be near a body of water on a cold, dark night. “Night of the Jaberwok” is Mike Mignola’s eerie and unnerving adaptation of Lewis Carol’s nonsensical poem, “Jabberwocky.” Finally, James Harren’s suspenseful story, “The Gift of Major Courtenay,” will have readers wondering until the end. Woven between the stories is the contentious dialogue between the authors.
Each story is illustrated and colored by various artists, including the authors themselves, to match the time period, the type of ghost story, and the level of scariness. Designer Phil Balsam’s creative compilation of the author’s conversations, rendered in sepia tones with Victorian details, is juxtaposed with the full-color and black-and-white stories. Using a common palette throughout the stories creates continuity for the book as a whole, while dynamic colors, such as red, orange, and yellow, intensify the action and rising tension within the individual stories.
The British cultural tradition of ghost stories on Christmas Eve is one that has changed and been modified by modern innovations over the years. Once an oral tradition of telling stories by the fire to pass the long hours of winter nights, they shifted to producing physical books with the invention of the printing press, leading to more and varied stories, like the illustrated ones in this collection.
Although ghost stories were typically centered on the supernatural and familiar superstitions, they also reflected societal fears and moral concerns. Teachers can ask students to discuss the lessons or warnings presented in the stories that reflected the Victorian values. Students should be encouraged to make comparisons and connections between the worries and fears of the past and those present in today’s modern society.
For more chilling holiday ghost stories for teens, check out Dread the Halls (Image Comics), or for something more fun, Grumpy Cat: The Grumpus And Other Horrible Holiday Tales (Ablaze).
📚Also consider: Common Core ELA Standard. Analyze a case in which grasping a point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
- Comics Plus Collection(s): High School, Teen Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Vickie Blankenship and Stella Bromley are Engagement Specialists for LibraryPass, as well as school librarians and educators with extensive experience in librarianship at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Both bring expertise in professional development and educator training, working with school districts nationwide. They have presented locally, regionally, and nationally on best practices for collection development, library programming, and classroom pedagogy. Active members of their state library associations, they are dedicated to fostering a love of reading in students and educators alike. They share a passion for connecting readers with the “just-right” book and believe that reading takes many forms, whether it’s traditional print books, comics, graphic novels, or manga; as long as readers are engaged with a book, their love for reading will grow.
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