The fall equinox signals the time of year when we gather our harvests and give thanks for their bounty. With accessible, lyrical prose and vibrant illustrations, this nonfiction picture book explains the science behind autumn and the social history of harvest-time celebrations. We Gather Together presents a remarkable range of cultural traditions throughout the ages and the world, many of which have influenced our contemporary Thanksgiving holiday. Simple science activities, ideas for celebrating in school and at home, and a further reading list are included in the back of the book.
Wendy Pfeffer is an award winning author of many children’s books. A former teacher and nursery school director, Mrs. Pfeffer lives in Pennington, New Jersey. In addition to writing, she continues to teach writing and visit schools to share her work.
Another part of Wendy's season series. I did not enjoy the art in this one. I'm not sure if it was the same or different illustrator, but it felt rushed to me. It was not as cozy.
As usual, Wendy starts out explaining why seasons work. I still remember sitting in class when they told us how the season work with the globe and the feeling of understanding that flooded me was so immense. I felt so relieved to understand how seasons worked and it made so much sense to me. I was so grateful. It is a good memory. Wendy then goes on to talk about the different traditions from around the world cultures have during harvest time. She has cultures from all over the world that show as people it is a special time. A time of Harvest that will get us as a people through the coming winter - a time of uncertainty.
I love these simple stories and this is my favorite season - by far. I know this is a few days early and what can I say - I'm excited and ready for the season to begin.
The kids read this and it didn't do a whole lot for them. It's not much of a story, but more like information in a fun way. They gave it 2 stars. Yet, my niece wants to make the recipes at the back of the book.
As a basic and for the most part engagingly enough recounted introduction to autumn as a season, to global harvest time celebrations and festivals both then and now, Wendy Pfeffer's We Gather Together has proven both basically enjoyable and enlightening (and I do very much appreciate that the author also makes a point depicting and describing how in the past, we had to generally rely on the produce harvested in late summer/fall and then stored, cellared, canned to help us survive through the cold and barren winter months, today, especially in highly developed areas of the world such as Western Europe and much of North America, come winter, we just import fresh fruit and vegetables from areas that do not have auch frigid winters or even from the Southern Hemisphere, where it is summer when in the Northern Hemisphere, it is wintertime, it is cold, snowy and dark).
However, and that all being said, while the presented narrative, while the text of We Gather Together is indeed very much enlightening, interesting and seems well enough researched for what it is supposed to be (a general and basic introduction to autumn and fall harvest celebrations for older children), I for one also feel that there are some rather frustrating and academically problematic, suspect and major informational gaps present, and this especially with regard to the featured and described global harvesting celebrations. For while the harvest celebrations Wendy Pfeffer does present and depict in We Gather Together, auch as the Jewish festival of Sukkot, the Hindu festival of Pongal, old English harvest traditions and the traditional and ubiquitous US American Thanksgiving celebration are indeed detailed and to and for me sufficiently complete, why are for example NONE of the many Native American/Native Canadian late summer and early fall thanksgiving and harvesting celebrations given a similarly detailed place and textual analysis in We Gather Together? For while I guess from a staunchly Christian point of view, most if not even all of the Native American/Canadian harvest festivals celebrating wild rice, corn, gods and goddesses might be a bit too "pagan" for some, the fact remains and absolutely should be mentioned within the text proper of We Gather Together that the Aboriginal populations of Canada and the USA were celebrating the harvest, were engaging in festivals of thanksgiving long long before being colonised by Europeans, and that therefore really, even the concept of a "first" American Thanksgiving in 1621 is at best rather a misnomer (not to mention that even the British harvest traditions of corn dollies shown and explained in We Gather Together are a bit misleading, as this is NOT ONLY a United Kingdom, but really and truly a pan-European harvest concept, something that the author, that Wendy Pfeffer most certainly, most definitely should be mentioning, as well as pointing out that European harvest tradtions, and some of these most definitely have old and decidedly pre-Christian roots, were then transported to North America by colonists, by immigrants, even by the so-called Puritans).
And yes indeed, I do in fact realise that Wendy Pfeffer briefly mentions and point out a number of other world traditions (including some Native American harvest celebrations) in her supplemental materials (as she has an activity based on researching and then writing about eleven harvest festivals not mentioned within the main text of We Gather Together). However, I for one do not really consider that even remotely sufficient, especially since the suggestions for further reading, whilst appreciated, are also not too many in number (and thus a bit too few and lacking for the kind of research required). Two and a half stars, rounded down to two stars, as alongside of the for and to me annoying and also problematic textual gaps of presented details and knowledge, I also have found Linda Bleck's accompanying illustrations, while certainly bright and expressive, much too childish and cartoon like for my aesthetic tastes (and also a tad unsuitable age wise for a non fiction tome of information geared primarily to older children, and perhaps even young teenagers, as the narrative of We Gather Together, as Wendy Pfeffer's printed words are definitely a bit too advanced to and for children below the age of seven, especially if they are reading independently).
A nice non-fiction picture book explaining how the seasons progress (with the tilting of the Earth) with emphasis on how the seasons affect crops, then proceeding with special emphasis on harvest-time and the various harvest festivals and traditions present in cultures from many thousands of years ago to present-day. Included are such harvest celebrations as Jewish Sukkot and southern Indian Pongal. The back matter offers an experiment you can do to test whether the sun really does rise due East on the equinoxes, how to make an African harvest mask, recipe for "equinox" corn muffins, and more. The accompanying illustrations are pleasant but nothing really distinctive and the text is adequate and engaging enough but nothing really outstanding.
I'm giving this book four stars because I think it succeeds at what it sets out to accomplish, though I was only so-so about the result so probably only a three star book as far as how much I "liked" it. I would say it's more suited as a springboard for classroom exploration of autumn than the sort of book kids will want read and re-read at bedtime.
This is the second seasonal title from Wendy Pfeffer and Linda Bleck - the author-illustrator team who have explored the Autumnal Equinox (here), the Spring Equinox (A New Beginning), and the Summer Solstice (The Longest Day); and the author who, with another illustrator, explored the Winter Solstice (The Shortest Day) - that I have read, and like the other (the Spring selection), I found it reasonably informative and engaging, with moderately enjoyable artwork.
Pfeffer lays out the basic science behind the equinox, gives a brief history of agricultural cultivation, and then discusses a variety of harvest festivals associated with the autumn, from the Jewish Sukkot to the southern Indian Pongal. Also included are the Yoruba New Yam Festival, and the American holiday of Thanksgiving. The text is a little light on details, but then, it is clearly meant to be a children's survey of different autumn traditions. The illustrations are bright and colorful, with a stylized feeling that is quite attractive.
I cannot say, all-told, that I found either text or artwork outstanding, but given the dearth of titles about this topic (the only other I can think of is Ellen Jackson's The Autumn Equinox: Celebrating the Harvest), it is still a very good title to be aware of. This is one I would recommend primarily to those looking for children's books about the Autumn Equinox.
We Gather Together: Celebrating the Harvest Season is a children's picture book written by Wendy Pfeffer and illustrated by Linda Bleck. It centers on the science of weather and the history of how the autumnal equinox has been celebrated by various cultures throughout the world, this book will inspire a new understanding of autumn and the harvest season. Today, at least in my half of the world, is the Autumnal Equinox (20 June, 2021) and I thought it would be apropos to read this book today.
The Autumnal Equinox is the moment when the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator, heading southward. Due to differences between the calendar year and the tropical year, the September equinox can occur at any time between September 21 and 24.
Pfeffer's text is simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Pfeffer transitions from familiar autumn activities into scientific concepts about the earth’s orbital position, segues into myths of the past that is connected toward the Autumnal Equinox. For many cultures around the world, the fall equinox represents a time to celebrate the harvest and begin collecting and storing crops. Backmatter includes science activities, ideas for celebrating the fall equinox and further reading list. Bleck's sprightly, colorful illustrations offer a visual celebration as they faithfully track the text.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It explains the Autumnal Equinox and its importance throughout history, from descriptions of prehistoric observatories to the abundance of harvest worldwide to the scientific facts of this particular day, not to mention the typical recreations that typical family does during this time of the year.
All in all, We Gather Together: Celebrating the Harvest Season is a comfortable, multidimensional investigation of the Autumnal Equinox that transcends time and place.
I really would have liked this book and would probably have given it four stars if it wasn't for two things. I wish it hadn't of made an evolutionary reference or brought up two culture's gods. If you don't think your kids will be effected or want to try skipping over those references - it's worth the read!
It's full of science and fun explanations and diagrams of how and why the seasons change. And getting to see how other cultures celebrate their harvest, like Thanksgiving for instance, is interesting.
Ages: 5 - 9
Cleanliness: it mentions how people gathered three hundred thousand years ago, ten and eight thousand years ago. Mentions rain gods etc. a couple of times.
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This is an interesting and informative book about the harvest season. The science is understandable for young elementary school-age children and the information is educational without being overwhelming. The illustrations are colorful and help to convey the colors of the season. We enjoyed reading this book together.
This is my favorite Thanksgiving book. It captures the joy of working together in order to bring about a feast filled with love and hard work from all.
This five-star might be emotionally swayed by the fact that I have been reading different renditions of The Red Hen and my longing for a group work ethic to be proud of instead of focusing on individual initiatives and accomplishments.
I like to find books about the seasons as we go through our school year, especially for younger children. I've found many good ones, and most have a specific focus (weather, animals, holidays, etc.), but this was enjoyable particularly because of its scope. The book covers the science behind the autumnal equinox, as well as the way nature changes at this point in the year, but also delves into social studies with a look at the importance of harvest through time, and the way that a few specific cultures celebrate harvest around the world. At the end there is a brief explanation of the harvest feast shared by the Wampanoag people and the Pilgrims, before moving to a spread about modern North American Thanksgiving meals. Even with all that, it didn't feel too long or detailed for my 1st and 4th grader -- we'll have to look for more in this series.
I loved this book--until it included the textbook white story of the First Thanksgiving. It was ALMOST amazing. It's still the least problematic Thanksgiving reading I've found for my three year old.
This is a great book for kids. The book talks about celebrating the harvest season. There is a chart that shows the earth rotating around the sun and how that gives us all the different seasons. It shows the the things that are the same and things that are different compared to our ancestors. It also talks about how different people, different religions celebrate the harvest. In talking about how different religion they do mention how some do an offering of food to different gods in appreciation of a successful harvest. At the back of the book they have some Equinox facts. There are some activities for kids to do the relate to the Equinox, a couple of recipes and a list of other festivals that are are the same time. Examples China’s moon festival, Germany’s Oktoberfest and Czech Republic Harvest Celebration just to mention a few.
I am always on the look-out for children's books that would be useful for Pagan parents. Usually, the books I find fit into one of two camps: either they'd be useful for polytheists who want to teach children about Paganism through the lens of the gods, or they're general science books that could be repurposed to teach kids reverence for nature. Rarely do I find books that would be useful for naturalist/humanist/UU pagans (which is really more my wheelhouse). And so I am so excited to have found Wendy Pfeffer's books!
In We Gather Together, Pfeffer introduces kids to the science behind the Autumnal Equinox and the various ways in which it has been celebrated throughout the world. She explains the way that humans and other non-human animals have used this time to prepare for the winter. She also discusses the growing cycle of plants and the development of agricultural ways of life. Her history of the spread of agriculture begins in Syria and Turkey and then spreads to Egypt and Asia.
She introduces children to various harvest festivals like the Jewish celebration of Sukkot, the Southern Indian celebration of Pongal, the Japanese, Nigerian, and English Harvest Festivals, and American Thanksgiving. The American Thanksgiving part gives me the creeps. However, it is not nearly as white-washed and apologist as some accounts. And talking with kids about the real history of American Thanksgiving has to happen sooner or later. This book does give occasion for that.
The book ends, like the others in the series, with instructions for crafts that kids can make that are inspired by the celebration examples discussed earlier in the book. A nice addition to this book that was absent in the book on the summer solstice is a list of harvest festivals not discussed in the book that children can research themselves. I mean, I'm not sure that an 8 year old is going to be into doing research on other cultures, but who knows? It is a nice thought.
Overall, I think these books would be fantastically useful for Pagan parents of the naturalist/humanist/UU variety. I look forward to reading these with my own kids someday.
I think this is a great short summary of how people around the world celebrate the harvest season. It has beautiful and colorful illustrations. It can be read by individual or class. Teacher can use it in a discussion oras a resource. I would use this text when teaching about the cycle of life and seasons of the year. WE GATHER TOGETHER describes human solidarity, I think it could be used for social studies. i
I like how the author presents this factual book, more of a storyline than other similar ones (eg Fall Leaves), and I liked how it give a brief story of how other culture through history have celebrated the autumn season. But I don't care for the style of this illustrator, the book would have been better with a different illustrator (eg the one who did the illustrations for "A Log's Life" by the same author)
Jam-packed with information, this is a great addition to any library. Learn about seasons (fall in particular), history of harvests, and traditions from around the world. Includes activities in the end.
Uh-oh, maybe some power struggles at the publishing company?
THE FRONT COVER
One message is the lovely title. The lovely subtitle, and exactly the cozy, pumpkin-strewn illustrations we'd expect.
But on that same front cover:
FILLED WITH FACTS ABOUT THE FALL EQUINOX
What the heck is going on there. Are those "facts" a threat or a promise.
Something here doesn't fit. I doubt that Wendy Pfeffer, the author is responsible.
WHAT IS THIS BOOK TRYING TO BE?
- A cozy, lyrical picture book? - A social history of harvest-time celebrations? - Linking these age-old celebrations to America's contemporary Thanksgiving holiday? - A collection of science activities? - Celebration ideas?
IMO, omebody tried to cram far too much into this book. Different pages don't, to me, go very well with other pages.
I'll rate this book with FIVE STARS, because good material is in here. But somebody at FollettBound (the publisher) has sucked all the joy out of this book, far as this Goodreader can tell.
Not what I was expecting but I liked it. I enjoyed the various historical celebrations of harvest from around the world. For those complaining that parts of the book sounded too pagan... guess what baby, Europeans and their ancestors were pagan!! And as a pagan myself I appreciate the accurate historical representation that our modern celebrations have their origins in pagan celebrations.
It focuses on harvest in general and has appealing art. But the explanation of the "First Thanksgiving" is too simplistic, and especially because of that mention, it really should have included other Native harvest festivals and celebrations. It does include some other harvest celebrations that it was nice to see, but this omission felt glaring to me.
There was a lot going on in this story. The illustrations are not the greatest and don't go along with the story as much as I hoped they would. It does go through the history of the harvest season which I find very interesting.