Although 11-year-old Chris has four reasons for people to wish him a Happy Birthday/Christmas/Kwanzaa/New Year, this December is difficult because his father is unemployed. Uncle Ronald's leadership for this family's African-American Kwanzaa celebration gives Chris a focus for his ability to create handmade gifts as well as a new sense of the Kwanzaa principles. Honest characterizations, a brisk pace, short sentences and a genuine representation of peer and sibling interactions earmark an easy-to-read novel expanded with eight full-page black-and-white illustrations. A Swahili glossary and information about Kwanzaa follow the story. (Ages 5-12)

It's Christmas time, and all the kids are talking about the presents they hope to get. It's also Chris's eleventh birthday--which he figures will get lost in the Christmas shuffle as it usually does. And this year, with his father out of work, there probably won't be any Christmas presents either.

But Chris's family also observes another holiday. It's called Kwanzaa, a seven-day celebration of African-American heritage. If it weren't for Kwanzaa, Chris might be spending all his time feeling sorry for himself. Instead, he's busy making some very special presents for the holiday celebration-- a celebration that puts magic in the air, transforming it into a time of discovery. And Chris and his family are about to find out that with the celebration of a great ancient heritage, they will find a future full of happy surprises.