After celebrating the Christmas holiday, Chocolate Storytime guests were treated to an exciting afternoon learning about Kwanzaa.  A celebration of family, community, and culture, Kwanzaa begins a day after Christmas and ends on January 1st.

Pasadena resident and community advocate, Raequel London, read our featured book, “It’s Kwanzaa Time” by Synthia Saint James.  London, a former preschool teacher, guided the guests through the 7 days with finger representations.  The book gives the phonetic spelling of each of the days, and Ms. London patiently lead the guests in pronouncing each one:  Umoja, Kujichagalia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba, and Imani.

Other books read were “Squeak, Rumble Whomp Whomp Whomp” by Wynton Marsalis and illustrated by Paul Rogers,  “A Squiggly Story” by Andrew Larsen and Mike Lowery, and “Ada Twist, Scientist” by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts.

Afterwards, guests enjoyed chocolate treats and created Kwanzaa cards with a Kinara (candle holder) and Mishumaa Saba (seven candles), compliments of La Pintoresca Branch Library.