Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love the focus on gratitude and reflection. Spending time with family and all of the delicious food is, of course, a huge bonus.
When reading about Thanksgiving with my children I was sure to include a variety of books. I wanted to make sure that the spirit of the holiday was reflected in what we read. I also wanted to make sure that an age appropriate history of the holiday was given as well to give some context for the celebration.
If you are looking for ideas for activities to do with your children for Thanksgiving, please click here.
Books To Read About Thanksgiving:
Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes
This is a great book for reminding children about all the things people are thankful for. My own preschool age daughter began listing all the things she was thankful for after we finished reading. The book follows a “Thank you for… ” format on each page which makes it easy to read. Thanks For Thanksgiving is filled with great illustrations by Doris Barrette that really enhance the story.
Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland
A fantastic book about all the things a group of young children are thankful for. This is a good book to help brainstorm some ideas with your group. Each page is repetitive, starting with “I am thankful for” but it gives a clear message of all the ways we have to be grateful and thankful.
Thanksgiving is… by Gail Gibbons
Gibbons’ book explains what Thanksgiving is in the United States and also teaches children about different harvest feasts around the world that were held prior to Thanksgiving. Focusing on the story of the Pilgrims and Native Americans, she also tells about decorations, foods, games, plays, parades, giving thanks, and all the things that Thanksgiving has come to mean.
The Story of the Pilgrims by Katharine Ross
A good book that explains the journey of the Pilgrims and their relationship with the Native Americans. This book does a decent job covering the story, however it does begin with “Once upon a time…”. Overall this book is appropriate for preschool age children and was brief enough to keep their attention.
Thank You, Thanksgiving by David Milgrim
A little girl is sent out to fetch some cream for Thanksgiving. Along the way she states all the everyday things she is thankful for. A sweet story about being thankful for the things around us. A great way to help children think of the things that they are thankful for.
Thanksgiving Day by Anne Rockwell
The children in this book are putting on a Thanksgiving play. Each child has a role, which is explained to the reader to teach us about the first Thanksgiving. This book was a great way to introduce the story of Thanksgiving in an easy way to understand for young children. It is brief enough that children get an idea of the story without having to process all the details.
Over the River A Turkey’s Tale by Derek Anderson
Styled after the classic song “Over the River” song by Lydia Maria Child, this book uses the original lyrics to tell the story of a family of turkeys traveling for the holiday. The illustrations tell a funny tale with lots for young children to look at and find. A cute story of turkeys trying to escape a hunter and dog and how they all learn to get along for Thanksgiving.
One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B.G. Hennessy
Starting with the standard “1 little, 2 little, 3 little ….” song we count to ten for both Pilgrim children and Wampanoag children. After the counting the song/story focuses on what activities these children do within their communities. After the work is done we celebrate by counting to 10 again, this time turkeys and they all have a big feast. The back of the book inlcudes a note from the author that answers many questions about the activities mentioned in the book. An easy read that helps children understand the work that children back then had to do.
Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
Bear is bored in his cave and decides he wants to throw large feast to share with his friends, but he has no food. As each friend arrives they bring with them something delicious to share and with each item, “the bear says Thanks”. Soon all his friends are there, but he still has nothing to share. They reassure him that no food is needed, for he has stories to share with them. A great story, especially for those that love the other Bear stories. With a focus on giving thanks it provides a great message for children.
Happy Thanksgiving, Biscuit! by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
My daughters loved this book and its lift the flap style edges that reveal the next part of each scene. Biscuit is helping the family get ready to host Thanksgiving, between baking and decorating there is a lot to do and a lot of ways that a little dog can get into trouble. A fun book to read due to the flaps.
Clifford’s Thanksgiving Visit by Norman Bridwell
Clifford is lonely when Emily Elizabeth travels to visit her grandma for Thanksgiving. He decides to travel to the city to visit his mother. The majority of the book is spent showing Clifford’s long trip. Towards the end of his trip he stumbles into the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and sees children playing football (two Thanksgiving related activities). He eats a Thanksgiving meal with his mother and hurries home. Not the most insightful Thanksgiving story, but a good choice if your child enjoys the Clifford stories.
If You Sailed On The Mayflower in 1620 by Ann McGovern
A very lengthy book, however it is a great resource book that could perhaps be read in sections. It is great for older children who are looking for more information on the Mayflower. The book is written in a question and answer format. With a great table of contents in the front, you can focus on answering the questions that your child specifically has. This book also includes a great cut-away image of the Mayflower showing the inner workings of the ship, this really helps children visualize what it would be like on the ship.
The Pilgrims’ First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern
This book explains the story of the Pilgrims’ trip across the Atlantic and their first year in Plymouth. The story focuses some on how the Pilgrim children experienced the journey. This book my be a bit too lengthy/wordy for antsy preschoolers but if you have a young child who is interested in the story of the Pilgrims and sits still to listen well then this book would be a good one to add to your reading list for Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Tree House #27) by Mary Pope Osborne As my girls have gotten older they have really begun to love the Magic Tree House series. I decided to add this book to the list in case you have older children that may enjoy a chapter book. In this adventure Jack and Annie travel back to 1621 and help the pilgrims prepare for their first harvest feast in their new home.
