Book Review: Hooray, It's Three Kings Day! by Annette M. Clayton

Hooray, It's Three Kings Day!: A Picture Book for Epiphany

by Annette M. Clayton

Illustrator: Jone Leal

32 pages

Hardcover

Expected publication November 12, 2024 by Familius

ISBN 9781641709576 (ISBN10: 164170957X)

ASIN 164170957X 

A picture book celebration of Three Kings Day, with foil details on the cover, is the perfect gift for the Epiphany season

Sofia and her abuela share a special Three Kings Day Abuela brings her wooden santos all the way from Puerto Rico and tells the story of the wise men seeking Baby Jesus, drawn by a star. Surrounded by family and beautiful tradition, Sofia basks in the beauty of the holiday. Drawing upon her own experiences with her Puerto Rican abuela, author Annette Clayton explores the food, stories, and traditions that surround Three Kings Day. With rich illustrations by Venezuelan illustrator Jone Leal, Hooray, It’s Three Kings Day! includes four pages of backmatter with traditional recipes, a Spanish glossary, and details about the way this holiday is celebrated in different countries around the world. The gorgeous holiday gift will also be released in Spanish.

Hooray, It's Three Kings Day!: A Picture Book for Epiphany is a beautiful book. It tells the story of Sofia, a little girl whose grandmother visits her from Puerto Rico for Christmas and teaches her about the tradition of Three Kings Day. It’s wonderful to see how, even though she lives in another country with different traditions and even a different language, Latin families keep these traditions alive.

The illustrations are lovely; they perfectly capture a Christmas-decorated home, with all the lights, the Christmas tree, Santa Claus, and also the Nativity scene, or "Belén" as some call it. The book also gives a brief overview of the significance of Three Kings Day and includes a simple recipe to share with kids.

I loved it. This day is celebrated in nearly all Latin American countries, and it reminded me of our own celebrations in Venezuela. At our home, we also used to leave out grass and water for the camels, and they’d bring us a small treat in return. We would also move the figures in the Nativity scene—it was something we loved as children. This celebration marked the end of the two-month Christmas season back home, and maybe that’s why it brought me a bit of nostalgia remembering those special moments.

"Hooray, It's Three Kings Day!: A Picture Book for Epiphany" is perfect for sharing the meaning of Three Kings Day with children. It’s a short book with illustrations that capture their attention. We read the Spanish version with my 5-year-old son, and he really enjoyed it. It’s the perfect book to read during the holiday season.

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Thank you Netgalley for providing a copy for review.