Happy Ayyám-i-Há!
Welcome back to Bibliotherapy Thursday and Happy Ayyám-i-Há! This year, between sunset of February 25th and sunset of March 1st, our Bahá’í friends and neighbors around the world will be celebrating a festival of gift-giving, hospitality, and charity. If your child or their friend is celebrating Ayyám-i-Há and would like to learn more about a beloved piece of their faith and culture, here are a few of the many wonderful books available!
Perfect for preschoolers, During Ayyám-i-Há: How We Celebrate by Elaheh Mottahedeh Bos uses simple rhymes to teach kids about many different ways families celebrate the holiday, such as decorating, sharing gifts, and helping one another.
School-aged children who like stories and activities will love Maggie Celebrates Ayyám-i-Há by Patti Rae Tomarelli, which follows a young girl as she excitedly creates and offers gifts and acts of service to her family and community. The end of the book includes guides to the activities and a little more information about Ayyám-i-Há.
Children who are interested in language and culture may be more drawn to Celebrating Ayyám-i-Há Around the World by Melissa López Charepoo. This book offers not only information about the holiday and what it means to Bahá’ís, but also teaches children how to wish each other a Happy Ayyám-i-Há in twelve different languages, featuring artistic representations of children from countries across the globe.
You can find print copies of these books in multiple languages at these retailers:
During Ayyám-i-Há: How We Celebrate
Maggie Celebrates Ayyám-i-Há
Celebrating Ayyám-i-Há Around the World
Morning Light doesn’t receive compensation for sharing book recommendations, nor do we receive a commission if you choose to buy the book. We just love them and think some of our clients may find them useful!