If you're celebrating Kwanzaa with kids this season, or need a good gift for a young reader in your life, these adorable kids Kwanzaa books will fit the bill. With colorful illustrations, impactful lessons and memorable characters, they also make an excellent addition to classroom bookshelves.

Cookbook author Jessica B. Harris just released an updated version of her 1995 book "A Kwanzaa Keepsake and Cookbook: Celebrating the Holiday with Family, Community and Tradition."

The annual celebration of African-American culture honors 7 principles, one for each day, teaching lessons for families to live by. The first one is Umoja, which represents unity. Kwanzaa runs through January 1.

If you'd like to celebrate, there will be Kwanzaa events across Michigan this season. Here's what to know. Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning. Kwanzaa is a weeklong African American and Pan-African holiday celebrating culture and community.

The week-long celebration of African American culture runs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. READ MORE: It is especially surprising that one of the first federal agencies to come under scrutiny from the incoming administration is one that has returned billions of dollars to many of the same consumers who were counting on leaders in Washington to look out for their wallets.

Today is the first day of Kwanzaa, the celebration of African-American culture that continues through Jan. 1. We’ve got some festive events to check out in this round-up. ☁️ Partly cloudy and 56° today.