9 great Mardi Gras Books to read

There’s so much when it comes to the Carnival season in Louisiana. We found these Mardi Gras books to get you in the Mardi Gras spirit.

How to Mardi Gras - Author: Robert Trudeau - Local author and artist Robert Trudeau gives us an introduction to all things Carnival. From the parades, to the krewes, food, music, costumes, and to the history, you can learn all about this holiday in one book. Order on Amazon.

Mardi Gras Treasures: Costume Designs of the Golden Age - Author: Henri Schindler - Schindler gives us an in depth look at Mardi Gras costume designs in the golden age with some amazing illustrations. Makes a great coffee table book! Order on Amazon (You can also check out how one local krewe makes their own masks)

New Orleans Carnival Balls: The Secret Side of Mardi Gras, 1870-1920 - Author: Jennifer Atkins - From the overview... “Mardi Gras festivities don’t end after the parades roll through the streets; rather, a large part of the celebration continues unseen by the general public. Retreating to theaters, convention centers, and banquet halls, krewes spend the post-parade evening at lavish balls, where members cultivate a sense of fraternity and reinforce the organization’s shared values through pageantry and dance. In New Orleans Carnival Balls, Jennifer Atkins draws back the curtain on the origin of these exclusive soirees, bringing to light unique traditions unseen by outsiders.” Order on Amazon

Mardi Gras to Mistletoe Cookbook - Make Mardi Gras recipes right in your own kitchen. The Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier compiled over 200 recipes into one volume of local cuisine and a photographic tour of the area. It’s a 2017 National Winner Tabasco Community Cookbook Award winner. Order from the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier

Mardi Gras Murder - Author: Ellen Byron - From the overview... “It’s Mardi Gras season on the bayou, which means parades, pageantry, and gumbo galore. But when a flood upends life in the tiny town of Pelican, Louisiana—and deposits a body of a stranger behind the Crozat Plantation B&B—the celebration takes a decidedly dark turn. The citizens of Pelican are ready to Laissez les bon temps rouler—but there’s beaucoup bad blood on hand this Mardi Gras. “ Order at Barnes and Noble

Mardi Gras Coloring Book - Author: Linda Whittington Hurst - Learn about the traditions in Mardi Gras while coloring the delightful illustrations of this popular event. Order at Amazon.

Nancy Drew: The Mardi Gras Mystery - Author: Carolyn Keese - World famous detective Nancy Drew is back at it again. From the overview... “When Nancy and her friends travel to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, Nancy is confronted by a baffling art theft—and exposes a terrible secret.” Order from Barnes and Noble

Carnival in Louisiana - Author: Brian J. Costello - Mardi Gras fans will get an insider’s look at the customs associated with the Mardi Gras season. Read how other parts of the state celebrate from the spontaneous street parties to the revelers on horseback to the mega parades. Order at Amazon

Mumbo Jumbo, Stay Out of the Gumbo - Author: Johnette Downing - Famed Louisiana musician and author, Johnette Downing introduces you to a cagey rooster who vows not to be in the communal Mardi Gras gumbo pot. Order at Amazon.