What to read after Shamrocks, Harps, and Shillelaghs?

Each of our holidays has its own familiar traditions: Wearing green on St. Patrick's Day, hunting for painted eggs on Easter, gathering with family and friends to share a picnic and watch fireworks on the Fourth of July. But where do these customs come from, when did they begin, and why do we continue to observe them?

In the engaging blend of careful research and lively prose that has earned her books a lasting place on the holiday bookshelf, Edna Barth explores the multicultural origins and evolution of the familiar and not-so-familiar symbols and legends associated with our favorite holidays. Acclaimed author James Cross Giblin's spirited look at our national birthday continues in Ms. Barth's tradition and rounds out the series. Full of fascinating historical details and little-known stories, these books are informative and fun to read. Festively illustrated by Ursula Arndt, they are now available again in hardcover as well as paperback editions, featuring new, eye-catching jacket designs, and original holiday activities inside the paperback covers.