Of all the holidays celebrated across the modern world, Carnival might be the most boisterous, and possibly the most fun. In the Christian religion, from Eastern Europe to the Americas, Carnival offers revelers an opportunity to celebrate the pleasures of life. Carnival is known for its exuberance, color, creativity, and culture. In many countries people celebrate the holiday with lavish parades, jubilant dancing, and nonstop music. Parade participants create elaborate floats and march through the streets in glittering, colorful costumes. Musical groups face off in marathon competitions, and young men and women dress their best in the hope of being named the Carnival king and queen. This book examines the history and pre-Christian roots of the holiday, and details different customs unique to particular areas, including Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America. Each title in this series contains color photos and illustrations throughout, and back matter including: an index and further resource lists for books and online resources. Key Icons appear throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons in this series are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are set in boldfaced type in that chapter, so that readers are able to reference back to the definitions-building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Video features throughout have QR codes linked to online videos that provide supplemental interviews, documentaries, and historical clips. Text-Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each chapter as well and provide readers with suggestions for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. And a Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter containing terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader's knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.