Unpacking Books

Today I packed away the few fall decorations that will not carry over into Thanksgiving.  The Halloween books went, sadly, into the box until next year.  Now that my grandson is in school full time we didn't read some of them because they were baby books, and some because we just ran out of time.

Pilgrims now sit where ghosts, mummies and pirates had been only yesterday.  The good news is that the Thanksgiving books are out sitting in our little guy's rocking chair waiting for him to visit.  So many books and so little time together.  I must admit to reading a couple before I stacked them up. 

If you are lucky enough to have children in your life here are my recommendations:


Baby Books:  Two sturdy board books have survived the test of Thanksgivings past.  First is Corduroy's Thanksgiving.  Everyone loves the Corduroy books by Don Freeman no matter what their age.  Five Silly Turkeys by Salina Yoon is a good read and has shiny tail feathers to help you count down from five. 


Primary Books to be read aloud:  Picking Apples & Pumpkins by Amy and Richard Hutchings.  The photos in this book engaged my students and grandchildren.  'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey is wonderful for school age students because it begins with a field trip.  It always made my students beg to be taken on a farm field trip.  Today Is Thanksgiving! by P. K. Hallinan is the perfect way to start a discussion about how we celebrate Thanksgiving.  Arthur's Thanksgiving is a classic for the primary age group just as Corduroy is for the youngest set.  Most kids are familiar with Arthur and his friends from other Marc Brown books.  A simple book with beautiful soft drawings is Thanksgiving is for Giving by Margaret Sutherland, illustrated by Sonja Lamut.  Reading this book is a great way to begin conversations about the people and things we are thankful for.  One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B. G. Hennessy has the sing-song cadence you would expect from the title.  If also offers the younger set a glimpse of life as a pilgrim or Indian child. 

Intermediate Books:  The First Thanksgiving by Linda Hayward is a Step into Reading book for grades 1-3 but can also be read to the younger children.  There are some really good pictures in this book by illustrator James Watling, we have always spent a lot of time on the 2 page cross-section of the Mayflower.  A Plump and Perky Turkey by Teresa Bateman is a very funny book and it is refreshing to see the not-so-usual outcome of this particular feast.  Eve Bunting is one of my favorite children's authors and A Turkey For Thanksgiving is no exception.  When Mr. Moose goes hunting for a turkey for Thanksgiving he gathers his friends along the way.  And then....well, read it and see for yourself.

Historically Accurate Children's Books:  I knew of Jean Craighead George thanks to her wonderful chapter books, The First Thanksgiving stands up to her reputation.  The illustrations by Thomas Locker are splendid.  Another tried and true children's author, Jean Fritz, packs a lot of information into a small format 30 page book.  It has everything we have come to expect in a Fritz book, you won't be disappointed.  Squanto's Journey, The Story of the First Thanksgiving by Joseph Bruchac is one of my favorite Thanksgiving books.  The illustrations by Greg Shed are beautiful and haunting.  In Three Young Pilgrims by Cheryl Harness we meet the three Allertons children and see the voyage of the Mayflower as well as the first Thanksgiving through their eyes.  Again the artwork is fantastic and very detailed for those children who like to search for every little thing in the picture.   Kate Waters teams with photographer Russ Kendall to bring a strong sense of reality to Giving Thanks, The 1621 Harvest Feast as told by a 14-year-old Wampanoag boy, Dancing Moccasins and a six year old English boy, Resolved White.  Another Waters and Kendall book is On the Mayflower, Voyage of the Ship's Apprentice & a Passenger Girl.  While this book does not cover Thanksgiving it is an excellent resource for use prior to reading Giving Thanks.  Another information packed book, The Pilgrims' First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern is somewhat shorter than a few in this section.  It is very well suited to read aloud.  The last two books are great resources but not made for a bedtime read.  When I share them with children I go through the book pointing out pictures, asking questions and reading the parts that seem to interest the child.  They could also be read aloud in two or more settings.  Judy Donnelly's The Pilgrims and Me is part of the Smart About History series of books.  Don't Know Much About The Pilgrims by Kenneth C. Davis reads much like his Don't Know Much About History.  It is packed with facts in a conversational tone and even includes a brief quiz.