New Year Read Alouds for Upper Elementary

New Year Read Alouds are a fun way to welcome back your upper elementary students from winter break. Books offer the opportunity to introduce diverse traditions and encourage your 4th and 5th graders to reflect on their own traditions and goals. I’ve gathered some of my favorite read-alouds to inspire meaningful discussions and reflection in your classroom.

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1. Freedom Soup by Tami Charles

Celebrate Tradition and Family

In this book, young Belle learns to make Freedom Soup with her grandmother as part of their Haitian New Year celebration. This story explores themes of family, heritage, and joy, providing a wonderful entry point to discuss family traditions.

Discussion Prompts:

What are some special traditions you have with your family?
Why do you think traditions are important to families and cultures?

Follow Up Activity:

Have students write about a New Year tradition in their family, or research one they’re interested in learning more about.

2. The Lucky Grapes: A New Year’s Eve Story by Tracey Kyle

Welcoming Luck and Prosperity

The Lucky Grapes is written in a more simplistic yet rhythmic language. I love how it introduces the students to the Spanish tradition of eating twelve grapes at midnight and includes several Spanish words throughout. It teaches students about such and good wishes for the year ahead. It’s a wonderful way to discuss goals and positive thinking.

Discussion Prompts:

What are some things you hope for in the New Year?
Why do you think people have special traditions for good luck?

Follow Up Activity:

Have students create a “Lucky Grape” craft, where each grape represents a wish or goal for the New Year.

3. Shante Keys and The New Year’s Peas by Gail Piernas-Davenport

Cultural Foods and New Year Celebrations

This book tells the story of Shante’s search for black-eyed peas for her family’s New Year meal. It introduces students to Southern U.S. traditions and the idea of symbolic foods. It’s a fun story that highlights Shante’s creativity and her family’s tradition.

Discussion Prompts:

What foods are special in your family during the holiday season?
How do you feel when you eat foods that are special to your family or culture?

Follow Up Activity:

Have students research a food that is special to their family or culture and share why it’s meaningful.

4. Two New Years by Richard Ho

Balancing Multiple Traditions

In Two New Years, students learn about celebrating both Rosh Hashanah and the Lunar New Year within one family. This celebrates cultural duality.

Discussion Prompts:

Do you have more than one special holiday that your family celebrates?
Why do you think some families celebrate more than one holiday?

Follow Up Activity:

Invite students to share if they celebrate more than one New Year or cultural holiday and what makes each one special.

5. Every Month is a New Year: Celebrations Around the World by Marilyn Singer

Exploring New Year Traditions from Different Cultures

This book takes students on a journey across the globe. It showcases how different cultures celebrate New Year’s throughout the year-not just on January 1st. Every Month is a New Year includes beautiful illustrations in a poetic form. It introduces students to traditions in countries like Thailand, Ethiopia, and Iran. It’s a great way to help students appreciate the diversity of celebrations.

Discussion Prompts:

Which New Year celebration surprised you the most? Why?
What are some New Year traditions you would like to try?

Follow Up Activity:

Have students choose one celebration from the book and create a small poster or write a paragraph describing what they learned about that tradition.

6. New Year’s Day (Celebrations in My World)

History and Fun New Year’s Celebrations

New Year’s Day gives students a look at the history of New Year’s Day and some of the most popular traditions, like fireworks, resolutions, and parades. This book helps students understand why this holiday is celebrated around the world. It also highlights the fun aspects that make it memorable for so many people.

Discussion Prompts:

What are some New Year’s traditions that people enjoy every year?
Why do you think people make resolutions for the New Year?

Follow Up Activity:

Have students brainstorm their own New Year’s resolutions and write them down in a booklet to refer to throughout the year.

7. Nian, The Chinese New Year Dragon by Virginia Lot-Hagan

Legend and Folklore

This book introduces students to the legend of Nian, the fierce dragon who emerges each year to cause mischief, until clever villagers find a way to scare him off. Throughout this story, students can learn about the origins of Chinese New Year traditions. This includes the use of red decorations and firecrackers to ward off bad spirits. It’s a fun way to explore how folklore shapes celebrations.

Discussion Prompts:

Why do you think stories like Nian’s are important during celebrations?
Do you have any family stories or traditions passed down over generations?

Follow Up Activity:

Have students create their own “legend” about a creature or story that explains one of their family traditions. Alternatively, they could make a dragon craft to celebrate Nian’s story and the Chinese New Year.