Turkey Surprise

by Peggy Archer, Thor Wickstrom (Illustrations)

It's Thanksgiving and two pilgrim brothers are hunting for a turkey to cook and gobble up for dinner. After all, the thanksgiving meal always means turkey. Doesn't it? No matter what Father and brother say, the little pilgrim is not so sure. Can he convince his older brother that a stuffed turkey doesn't have to be the centerpiece of their dinner? Meanwhile, the turkey is doing his hilarious best to escape becoming the main course!

Genres: Thanksgiving, Picture Books, Holiday, Childrens, Food

32 pages, Hardcover

First published August 18, 2005

About the author

Peggy Archer grew up in Gary, Indiana with one sister and two brothers. She liked riding her bike in the summer and ice skating in the winter. She liked reading all year long. She enjoyed writing as a child, but it was not until she had children of her own that she began to write with the thought of being published.

Peggy writes fiction, poetry and non-fiction for children. A HIPPY-HOPPY TOAD, won the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators) Work-in-Progress award for picture book text. TURKEY SURPRISE was a NY Times bestseller.
Coming from LBYR, August 2026! THREE LITTLE WITCHES AND THE SPOOKY OLD HOUSE

When she is not writing she enjoys reading mysteries, doing puzzles, walking, line dancing, and spending time with her family.

She and her husband have six children and twelve grandchildren. A retired registered nurse and native Hoosier from Indiana, she now lives with her husband in O’Fallon, Missouri where she writes full time.

Read more about Peggy and her books on her website at www.PeggyArcher.com.

Reviews

[Mariah Roze · Rating 3 out of 5]

"It's thanksgiving and two pilgrim brothers are hunting for a turkey to cook and gobble up for dinner. After all, the thanksgiving meal always means turkey. Doesn't it? No matter what Father and brother say, the little pilgrim is not so sure. Can he convince his older brother that a stuffed turkey doesn't have to be the centerpiece of their dinner? Meanwhile, the turkey is doing his hilarious best to escape becoming the main course!"

[Mortisha Cassavetes · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book for the Thanksgiving holiday. Bright and colorful illustrations that makes the story so enjoyable. The story follows two brothers as they set out to find a turkey for the Thanksgiving meal so they can pluck and stuff it. The youngest brother doesn't really care for turkey so when he spots the turkey who is trying hard to find a way to hide, the youngest brother leads them in another direction. No spoilers! I definitely recommend this book this Thanksgiving if you want to save the turkey!

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect Thanksgiving book with a fun rhyming refrain and an unexpected twist.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why not try something different for Thanksgiving dinner? These pilgrims do just that when the turkey keeps averting their catch.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Thanksgiving and two pilgrim brothers are hunting for a turkey to cook and gobble up for dinner. After all, the thanksgiving meal always means turkey. Doesn't it? No matter what Father and brother say, the little pilgrim is not so sure. Can he convince his older brother that a stuffed turkey doesn't have to be the centerpiece of their dinner? Meanwhile, the turkey is doing his hilarious best to escape becoming the main course!

[Donna Mork · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute book about Thanksgiving. Love that I know the author personally!!!

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The littlest pilgrim doesn't want to eat turkey and opts for pumpkin pie instead. Meanwhile, the turkey keeps trying to hide in impossible places.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustrations are fun, lots of humor there if you look for it. The story is just so-so, my preschool story time group wasn't bored, but they weren't wowed either.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story about a turkey who is trying to avoid being eaten.

[Nichole · Rating 2 out of 5]

So this is about one Pilgrim bother outsmarting the other because he doesn't want to kill and cook a turkey for Thanksgiving. So they get a pumpkin instead.

[Aarvik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful read !

[Zazie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty good. Not the best I've come across but a fine read.

[SB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute story about a Turkey and 2 pilgrim boys. Kiddos liked it.

[Jeani · Rating 4 out of 5]

My five year old loves this book! We read it a half dozen times and memorized the rhyme. She wanted to go hunting for a turkey. I love that there are so many things to discuss in this book.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun thanksgiving book about two brothers who are sent out to find the best turkey for the big dinner. But will they be able to bring it home?

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book about a turkey who gets away and the brother who helps him. They get something else to bring to eat instead of a turkey!!

[Erin Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted too look into some holiday books for different grades to find some I may want to share with my class. I think this is a cute Thanksgiving book for primary aged kids. It would be a fun book to read aloud to the class, however, if children were to read it on their own some of the words may be more intermediate level, towards 3rd or 4th grade. In this book two pilgrim brothers are looking for a turkey to bring home to either parents for Thanksgiving dinner. However, they realized they didn't even want to eat turkey and one brother ended up helping the turkey hide and they brought a pumpkin home to their parents for dinner instead. In this book there is also a little poem/song that rhymes that the students can sing along with to get them involved in a read aloud or to note rhyming for the poetry aspect of literacy!

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

This short story I thought was good book but I believe its more of a book to read at home. This a book to read around the holidays to children. Teachers could read this book in the classroom around Thanksgiving and have a fun activity to go with reading the book, like have a crafting table for children to make their own turkey and decorate how ever they like.

[Jodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though not intended to be a vegetarian book, this one could work as a vegetarian Thanksgiving tale. One of the characters doesn't really want turkey for thanksgiving, he would rather have pumpkin pie! The story had a nice repetative rhyme to it.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the illustrations in this book for preschoolers. The turkey is hilarious as he looks for ways to hide from the pilgrim brothers. Does a Thanksgiving meal always mean turkey? The littlest pilgrim brother isn't so sure. A fun read for "turkey" lovers and vegetarians alike!

[Elle · Rating 2 out of 5]

My kind of pilgrims! At the end, they eat pumpkin pie instead of turkey. The story focuses on two brothers as they search for a turkey for dinner. Young readers will enjoy the silly chase but the story was a little bit to wordy.

[Venice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to one of the elementary schools i visit. and the kids (kindergarten) enjoyed this book.
i must admit i really like the song the two pilgrim brothers sing as they are going to hunt a TURKEY for Thanksgiving Dinner.

[Dana Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect book for thanksgiving time. Cute story.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

a longer worded book. cute. would be good as a read-aloud unless you're afraid of singing. ;)

[Crazy Uncle Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty cute little book.

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like how they saved the turkey and had pumpkin pie instead!

[Jessica Baumgartner · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is so much fun. My daughters love it and I love reading it to them.