Children's Books discussion

I'm looking for some wonderful Thanksgiving picture books, especially ones that capture the tradition of the holiday (not necessarily "First Thanksgiving" stories but ones with families gathering together for the feast, enjoying autumn, being thankful, etc.) I found a ton of great Halloween picture books, seems there is a lack of picture books for Thanksgiving although I hope I am wrong about that. Thanks! :-)

We have: Silly Tilly's Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving at the Tappletons
Arthur's Thanksgiving

I don't know if any of them are great though. Cranberry Thanksgiving is supposed to be really good, but I believe it is out of print.

You are right. There is a real lack of Thanksgiving books.

Thanks for the great suggestions! I already have "Cranberry Thanksgiving" and "One Little Two Little Three Little Pilgrims" on hold at the library. I'm excited about "Silly Tilly" and "Thanksgiving at the Tappletons" as I love Lillian Hoban and Eileen Spinelli! ;-> And the rest sound great, too. YAY!

Oh, and to return the favor, here are a few I read and enjoyed last year:

Thanksgiving Is Here! (love Diane Goode!)

Thank You, Sarah The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving (true story! very interesting!)

Also, I THOUGHT there was a picture book about the Macy's thanksgiving parade but now I can't remember/find it!!! Any clues???

Silly Tilly is good for a vegetarian family. I can't remember why but it must be true, because that is what I wrote in my review. lol

We also have Franklin's Thanksgiving. I gave it four stars. We might have more in our bookcase, but I haven't gotten them out yet.

Some excellent books for teaching Thanksgiving in a historically accurate way (i.e. including the Wampanoag's perspective) include:

The Story of Thanksgiving by Robert Merrill Bartlett - It focuses on the evolution of Thanksgiving; how the Wampanoags first celebrated it, and how it is celebrated today.

Giving Thanks: the 1621 Harvest Feast by Kate Waters. It uses real photographs and places based on true historical accounts, the true story of Thanksgiving is told from the point of view of two boys: one, a Pilgrim, and the other, a Wampanoag youth.

1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving by Catherine O'Neil Grace
Native Wampanoag people recreate the events of the first Thanksgiving by wearing authentic clothing and assuring Wampanoag perspectives. The pictures that match the text preserve and respect the Wampanoag oral telling of Thanksgiving. The book also takes care to debunk many myths associated with the holiday.

have funnn and good luck :)

Thanks for the continued suggestions. I am grateful to find some books on the Wampanoag perspective, as well! (I get more than a little irked at some of the portrayals of "Indians" in Thanksgiving themed picture books!)

Kathryn wrote: "I'm looking for some wonderful Thanksgiving picture books, especially ones that capture the tradition of the holiday (not necessarily "First Thanksgiving" stories but ones with families gathering t..."

I love "A Turkey for Thanksgiving" I think it's by Eve Bunting

I just read Thanks for Thanksgiving Love this one! The illustrations are absolutely adorable. This is exactly the sort of Thanksgiving book I was hoping for but having such trouble finding; a story with a contemporary family, yet a timeless quality, too--filled with things that children are thankful for in their own lives, but also with a fair share of autumn surroundings and a big ol' Thanksgiving feast at the end! It's a simple rhyming story but heart-felt sentiments and the illustrations really won me over.

Can I just say that I did a little happy dance when "Ugly Pumpkin" came out in paperback because I knew I would sell even more. It's on my "hotlist" for ordering every fall... good for Halloween and Thanksgiving and SO much fun to read at story time!

I also love "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie" written by Alison Jackson and illustrated by Judy Schachner (of "Skippyjon Jones" fame). Hilarious!

Sorry, I know I'm late to add to this list and not sure how "traditional" some of these are, but I wanted to add to the list:

* Squanto and the First Thanksgiving by Joyce Kessel
* How Many Days to America? A Thanksgiving Story by Eve Bunting
* Gracias, The Thanksgiving Turkey by Joy Cowley
* One Is a Feast for Mouse: A Thanksgiving Tale by Judy Cox
* Twas The Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey

Those sound great, Luann! I look forward to them for next year. Thanks.

I'm new to the list and in looking at the discussion threads, saw this one on Thanksgiving books. Three come to mind that you might find interesting: Thanksgiving at the Tappletons' by Eileen M. Spinelli,
Minnie and Moo and the Thanksgiving Tree by Denys Cazet and The Can-do Thanksgiving by Marion Hess Pomeranc. All three are warm gentle stories with the Cazet book adding some humor.

The I Can Read Amelia Bedelia series has a cute one for Thanksgiving: Amelia Bedelia Talks Turkey

I love Amelia Bedelia! I'm adding this to my list!

I loved Amelia Bedelia too as a kid but my son thought she was weird (lol!). So much for that series ;)

Wow, hard to believe it's time to revive this thread! But, I want to get an early start collecting Thanksgiving titles so I won't miss out at the library ;-) Here are some that I'm hoping to get right after Halloween:

T Is for Turkey

Duck for Turkey Day

The Firefighters' Thanksgiving

The Perfect Thanksgiving

The Memory Cupboard: A Thanksgiving Story

Turk and Runt: A Thanksgiving Comedy

Beauty and the Beaks: A Turkey's Cautionary Tale

I'm off work this week and most of my holiday books are stored at school...but when I get back to work next week, I'll post a list of the Thanksgiving books I have that I like. I've bought quite a few in the past 2 or 3 years from teh book orders... seems like more are coming out now.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28...
The Thanksgiving Door by Debby Atwell is a bright, colorful picture book that is easy to read. We haven't read it yet (saving it for Thanksgiving week) but it appears to be rather non-typical. I just loved the cover. We bought our copy from Amazon.com.

Leslie--I read "The Thanksgiving Door" last year and enjoyed it. Thanks for adding it to our list!

And, Jenny, I'll look forward to your list when you return to work. (Meanwhile, enjoy your time off!)

Here are two possible suggestions for Canadian Thanksgiving:


Thanksgiving Day in Canada

A Pioneer Thanksgiving: A Story of Harvest Celebrations in 1841

By the way, A Pioneer Thanksgiving: A Story of Harvest Celebrations in 1841 is part of a series, which also includes A Pioneer Story: The Daily Life of a Canadian Family in 1840 and A Pioneer Christmas: Celebrating in the Backwoods in 1841; I've requested the series from the library.

Thanks, Gundula! I know you already celebrated Thanksgiving in Canada so apologies for reviving this post too late for you this season. Those are great suggestions :-)

Kathryn wrote: "Thanks, Gundula! I know you already celebrated Thanksgiving in Canada so apologies for reviving this post too late for you this season. Those are great suggestions :-)"

Well, I should have thought of it at the time, it just slipped my mind.

I just read A Pioneer Thanksgiving: A Story of Harvest Celebrations in 1841 and I really loved it. A rather text-heavy picture book more suited for older children, this combines fiction and non-fiction in an easy to read, informative, but emotionally satisfying narrative (the non fiction parts, and the activities and recipes also make this book both an educational gem and a wonderful Thanksgiving activity book). I would have liked a bit more information on First Nations harvest traditions, but the information presented was interesting and portrayed in an affirming and respectful manner. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series (I am going to pick them up from the library tomorrow).

Sounds great! I will have to see if my library carries it :-)

Sounds very interesting. I will also be checking the library.

Can't wait to run to the library now.

The only book I have to suggest is an older one by Margaret Hillert titled Why We Have Thanksgiving. It's a practice reader for children at the first grade level, but I really thought the pictures showed more history than most other books.

I'd add to that that Giving Thanks: the 1621 Harvest Feast is not a book I'd read to very young children. It's filled with 'too much' factual info, if you know what I mean. Or at least I thought so. I now we're all different but I couldn't see telling my kindergartner that the white man came to the Americas and spread disease which killed off most of the Indians. Not much to celebrate there.

We just read "It's Thanksgiving!" by Jack Prelutsky (SP?) It is a few poems. The book is very inexpensive, so it is a good value!

Here are the titles I have in my classroom:

More Snacks!: A Thanksgiving Play very easy reader...simple, only okay

Thanks for Thanksgiving All the things two young children are thankful for. Beautiful illustrations.

The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing and illustrated by Tammie Lyon...Just like the Night Before Christmas...but with all Thanksgiving things... "The turkey went in, And as more cousins came, I laughed and I shouted and called them by name...."

Thanksgiving Is Here! A family has a traditional Thanksgiving gathering... not my favorite, but last year my own kids asked me to read it over and over.

Littlest Pilgrimby Brandi Dougherty and illustrated by Kirsten Richards
Mini just wants to help but everyone thinks she is too little. Fortunately, she finds a way to contribute.


Hide and Seek Turkeys Little "turkeys" hide...a counting book

We checked The Firefighters' Thanksgiving out of the library and read it tonight. In simple rhyming couplets, it tells about fire fighters on duty on Thanksgiving Day trying to cook a holiday meal at the station house, with the preparations being interrupted by calls throughout the day. Perhaps not very realistically, every call seems to involve a raging blaze. I didn't have particularly great expectations for this, and was surprised by how touching I found it -- it's truly a book about being thankful.

We've also recently read Fried Feathers for Thanksgiving by James Stevenson, which is part of a series of cartoon-like picture books about a young witch named Emma. It's off-beat and mildly humorous, but although I'm a fan of Stevenson my son likes the Emma books better than I do.

Emily wrote: "We checked The Firefighters' Thanksgiving out of the library and read it tonight. In simple rhyming couplets, it tells about fire fighters on duty on Thanksgiving Day trying to cook..."

That one is on reserve for me at the library; it's very popular around here so I hope it comes in for me before Thanksgiving. I'm glad to know you like it :-)

Abigail wrote: "Gundula wrote: "I just read A Pioneer Thanksgiving: A Story of Harvest Celebrations in 1841 and I really loved it. A rather text-heavy picture book more suited for older children, th..."

This is actually the first children's book about Thanksgiving I have ever read. And, I really enjoyed it as well.

Turk and Runt: A Thanksgiving Comedy was my favorite Thanksgiving read for 2010! I loved this book!!! It's about a handsome big-brother turkey named Turk and how his parents have big plans for him for Thanksgiving (he could be a dancer, or a sportsman!) but his little brother, Runt, warns them that big, plump turkeys actually meet an awful fate at Thanksgiving. But, "no one ever listens to Runt." Of course, he is right, and the ensuing drama (told, none the less, with a great deal of humor and charm) involves him trying to rescue Turk. But, there's a surprising twist at the end!

I don't think it's giving away much to say that these turkeys make it through Thanksgiving without ending up as a roasted centerpiece. The fun of the story is in how they do it. In a world where picture books about Thanksgiving often feature turkeys as dinner, I think this offering is one that vegetarians and vegans could appreciate. But, really, I just love all the different layers to this story--that a boy could be a dancer and/or an athlete, that the littlest ones in the family are often ignored even though they are often the most perceptive, and that brotherly love can triumph. I thought the text was just right and the illustrations added the right amount of humor and drama. Hooray for "Turk and Runt"!!!

I also enjoyed The Memory Cupboard: A Thanksgiving Story. And The Perfect Thanksgiving (the story, not so much the artwork)

I enjoyed Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving about a woman who wrote many letters and worked hard to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. It was interesting to read about her determination and to hear about the process the US went through to make Thanksgiving a national holiday.

Jenny wrote: "I enjoyed Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving about a woman who wrote many letters and worked hard to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. It was interesting to read a..."

I read that one a few years ago and really enjoyed it, too.

Speaking of historically based Thanksgiving books, I enjoyed Milly And The Macy's Parade; it's a charmingly told story about a little girl who encourages Mr. Macy to start the Macy's parade to help all the immigrants at his store feel part of an American holiday. Now, when I got to the author's note, I was a bit miffed because this "based on a true story" is only very loosely so as Millie is made-up and apparently Mr. Macy had already passed away by the time the Macy's parade was introduced. So, it should be read more as just a nice story about different cultures coming together to celebrate a parade; and there is some really interesting information about the early years of the Macy's parade that any contemporary fans of the parade (like me!!!) will probably enjoy ;-)

Thanks, Abigail, for reviving this thread. My branch library always displays holiday books as those holidays come along & I've been finding good reads among them. I currently have Thank You Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving, by Laurie Halse Anderson, The Thanksgiving Door, by Debby Atwell, and Giving Thanks: The 1621 Harvest Feast, by Kate Waters at home ready to read. A Turkey for Thanksgiving, by Eve Bunting always cracks me up, with the very nervous turkey!

I strongly recommend the new Over the River and Through the Wood: The New England Boy's Song about Thanksgiving Day, with art by Matt Tavares. I find this outstanding and recommend all Thanksgiving readers to take a look! I haven't read the older two versions ... *makes a note of that*

I enjoy using "Thanksgiving Treat" by Stock. No one has time for a young boy during the Thanksgiving preparations until Grandpa takes things in hand.

"A Visit to Grandma's" by Carlson shows how things can change when Grandma moves to a condo in Florida.

I just read and reviewed Thanksgiving Treat. I thought it was a gentle story that made its point well. Nice illustrations, particularly Grandpa in action with his cane. I tend to like Stock's books.

I've read a few more from this list and wanted to say that I enjoyed them both.

Duck for Turkey Day was just wonderful. It is about a Vietnamese-American family who has duck, rather than turkey, for Thanksgiving and their little girl worries it won't really be "Turkey Day" without the turkey. I really enjoyed it. It is a sensitive and engaging story to which many children will probably be able to relate, no matter their cultural background. I think pretty much everyone has had an experience when they felt that they were the "odd one out" or that their family didn't do things quite like other families, and this story has a great resolution to the "problem."

I also had fun with Thanksgiving at the Tappletons'; lots of '80s charm in the illustrations and the story is very humorous.

Abigail wrote: "For my part, I have now read three picture-books containing the Thanksgiving poem, Over the River and Through the Wood"

Thanks for the reviews! I've always loved the poem and it's fun to find new-to-me illustrated versions. I was thrilled when I found my library is getting a copy of the new Tavere version :-) And, the image you copied from the Turkle version is just lovely. I may have to look for that one, too! I have the Manson one and agree it is very nice; those woodcut illustrations are just so homey and old-fashioned.

Here's a great resource for picture books about Thanksgiving that vegan families would find appealing (i.e., no turkey for Thanksgiving):

http://humaneeducation.org/sections/v...

(Thanks to Lisa for sharing this list with me!)

Kathryn wrote: "Here's a great resource for picture books about Thanksgiving that vegan families would find appealing (i.e., no turkey for Thanksgiving):

http://humaneeducation.org/sections/v......"

We just read The Squirrels' Thanksgiving by Steven Kroll, and it also has a vegetarian/vegan feast. It's not on the list on the link above, but is a decent story for Thanksgiving.

Hard to believe it's almost November and time to revive this thread! (Apologies to the Canadian members who may have wanted some of these books earlier in October. I'm actually curious if there are any picture books specifically about Canadian Thanksgiving? Gundula mentions a few in Message #24. Have any new ones come along in the past few years? I'm thinking American books about the Pilgrims and Native Americans wouldn't be quite so apt, but would books like our "Over the River and Through the Woods" be appropriate for Canadian Thanksgiving? )

I haven't read any new Thanksgiving books yet this year (our library doesn't have many) but I have Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade out from the library and plan to read it soon.

Abigail wrote: "I'll be interested to hear what you think of "Balloons over Broadway," Kathryn, as I've been curious about that one."

It's a wonderful book! Highly, highly recommended (to all! well, probably about ages 5/6+)

Thanks, Abigail!

Read An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott.

Surprised to find this book by Louisa May Alcott. It is a story of 7 children in 19th century New England as they prepare for Thanksgiving holiday as their mother is away caring for their grandmother. In the back of the book is a Thanksgiving Menu and 8 recipes like plum pudding and "Louisa May Alcott's Apple Slump."

Abigail wrote: "Carol wrote: "Read An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott Louisa May Alcott.
Surprised to find this book by Louisa May Alcott. It is a..."

I read An Old-F..."

After having read a few biographies on Louisa May Alcott, I have noticed that she, like Lucy Maud Montgomery also chafed at having to provide "moral pap for the young." So much of Alcott's "preachiness" seems to have been more or less dictated to and at her by her publishers (and since she was writing decades before Lucy Maud Montgomery), she was probably even more being "bullied" at providing morals and preachy sermons to her young readers. That does not make me enjoy books like Jack and Jill and Eight Cousins any more, but it does make me see them in a bit of a different light (sorry for going off on a tangent, ha).

Reviving the thread for this holiday season :-)

Aye, the Canadian harvest festival is already past, Oct 14 this year. Well, they are, on average, further north than the US, so it makes sense....