From the Scholastic Bookshelf: How to Talk to Your Child About Cultural Traditions

Learning about cultural traditions connects us with other people around the world and teaches us how to show respect and kindness to those who are different from us. Cultural traditions are rituals, events, or practices that are shared by a society and passed down from generation to generation. 

While your child is likely to learn about well-known festivals, ceremonies, and cuisines from around the world at school, teachers can’t cover everything. You can research cultural traditions together at home — even recreate a few as a family — to understand the true diversity of the world’s people while celebrating those differences.

For its 100th anniversary, Scholastic spoke with experts to identify a set of books, articles, and tips that make starting a conversation with your child about cultural traditions easier. These resources are part of a broader initiative, called the Scholastic Bookshelf, created for Instagram to raise awareness around contemporary issues affecting children today.

Books About Cultural Traditions

These picture books celebrate traditions from around the globe, from Latin America to Iran and Japan. They remind us that while the customs we celebrate may be specific to our circle of friends and family, our desire for celebration and respect for our ancestors is universal.

Saffron Ice Cream is a joyful celebration of one immigrant girl’s first outing in a new place. As Rashin travels to Coney Island with her family, she’s reminded of beach trips in her home country of Iran: the views of the Caspian Sea, the Persian music, and eating saffron ice cream with her best friend Azadeh. But, as Rashin discovers, there are reasons to love her New York home as well!

In The Favorite Daughter, a father helps his half-Japanese daughter find pride in her heritage. Yuriko hates her name and is teased at school, which makes her want to hide. She even finds herself shying away from the art projects she once loved. Enter Yuriko’s patient father, who gently draws Yuriko’s confidence back out with reminders of the joyful customs they’ve shared in their home city of San Francisco, like taking walks in Golden Gate Park and dining at their favorite sushi restaurant.

The nine short stories in Salsa Stories take place over a year of Latin American holidays and customs. Through her cast of colorful characters, author and three-time Pura Belpré honoree Lulu Delacre guides readers on a soulful journey with stopovers in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Guatemala, and Peru. Plus, you’ll find 17 delicious and authentic recipes you and your child can prepare at home!

Explore more diverse books for kids, included recommended titles to share Black stories with your child. 

Articles About Cultural Traditions

Part of what makes cultural traditions so significant is their ability to live on from generation to generation. In “A Totem Pole Tradition,” from Scholastic News magazine, readers meet Tain Guthrie and his dad Clifton. They are members of a Native American people called the Tsimshian, who have a long history of carving totem poles. The Guthries are keeping that tradition alive today. 

Totem poles, which the Tsimshian call pts’aan, are tall columns carved from trees that feature animals and other figures. They are created to tell stories, record events, or honor people or families, and take months to make. 

“The pts’aan have an important place in our culture,” explains Clifton, who’s been a carver for 17 years. Now it’s Tain’s turn to learn — between rounds of playing Pokémon with friends.

The preservation of language is another way cultural traditions are upheld. In “Saving Our Language,” in Scholastic News magazine, readers meet Alaskan fourth-grader Kenuel Latham, whose school is instructed in Yup’ik, the language spoken by the students’ ancestors. Yup’ik is one of 20 Native Alaskan languages that, after a century of underuse, is in danger of disappearing within the next century. Less than 4 percent of Alaskans speak an indigenous language.

At one time, the U.S. government forced Native Americans across the country to speak only English. But in 1990, Congress passed the Native American Languages Act, which encouraged indigenous populations to once again use their own languages proudly. Now, the children in Latham’s hometown of Bethel, Alaska are learning their native language as well as skills their ancestors used to survive. 

“The kids need to say ‘I’m proud to be Yup’ik,’” says Roy Jones, an expert on Alaskan languages. “You don’t get pride when you don’t speak your language or practice your culture.”

Be sure to visit the Scholastic Bookshelf for more resources on cultural traditions and other must-discuss topics. If you’re planning to talk with your child about other complex topics and seek tips or book recommendations, we invite you to visit our Tough Topics hub. You’ll find a wealth of advice from Scholastic editors to help you navigate challenging conversations thoughtfully.

For instance, get tips on how to talk to your child about:

• Diversity
• Confidence
• Bullying