rites and ceremonies

Princess Sarene of Teod arrives in the capital city of Arelon for a marriage of state with Crown Prince Raoden, only to find her intended has died and she is considered his widow and responsible for the entire city's fate.

Overweight and nerdy Oscar lives with his Dominican American mother and sister in New Jersey and dreams of becoming a renowned author and finding true love, but unfortunately, a family curse stands in the way of his wishes.

Reporter Carl Streator teams up with real estate broker Helen Hoover Boyle in an attempt to find and destroy all copies of the anthology "Poems and Rhymes Around the World, " which contains an African lullaby Streator believes has the power to kill when spoken or thought, and is apparently the cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Offers a month-by-month overview of Japanese traditions, as recalled by the author and her memories of the seasonal festivals and activities she remembers from her childhood.

Two children who have moved to a small community in New Mexico experience the tradition of "los abuelos," during which village men go to the mountains and return in scary costumes to tease the children before everybody sings, dances, and eats treats.

Explains how Halloween is rooted in celebrations for the dead in ancient cultures where today it has a more festive approach such as wearing costumes and playing tricks. This text introduces how Halloween contains elements of both in our modern world.

Teenage girls from a variety of social classes, ethnic, and religious backgrounds describe ceremonies and events that marked their passage from childhood to adulthood. Includes advice for planning your own coming of age ceremony.

Explores customs around the world, including the bar mitzvah, the Japanese Rice Festival, and tossing the pancake.

Eleven-year-old Tabby Aykroyd, who would later serve as housekeeper for thirty years to the Bront? sisters, is taken from an orphanage to a ghost-filled house, where she and a wild young boy are needed for a pagan ritual.

Explains the origin, historical or religious significance, and practice of marriage and weddings in different cultures around the world.