5 Thanksgiving Books to Read to Your Child This Holiday

Recently, I was shopping at my favorite local bookstore for my two little sons’ Christmas presents (yes I started really early) when I noticed a display of Thanksgiving books. This year, I started a new tradition. Each holiday we celebrate in our family, I buy a book about that holiday. Reading plays a big part in helping a child learn about their world and language. My toddler will celebrate his third Thanksgiving with us this year, but now, I want to teach him about why we celebrate it. Books are the best way to share information in a fun and engaging way your child can understand. So, I’m going to share with you my top 5 Thanksgiving books to read to your child this Holiday Season.

 

5 Thanksgiving Books to Read to Your Child

1. The Very First Thanksgiving Day by Rhonda Gowler Green

This cute rhyming book full of breathtaking paintings depicts the chain of events that lead to the first Thanksgiving Day. My favorite aspect of this book, however, is actually the author and illustrator notes at the beginning. Both Rhonda Greene and Susan Gaber describe the research they did on the first Thanksgiving Day and share facts about the fun details in each illustration. As far as Thanksgiving books go, this is a perfect first introduction to the history behind our beloved American holiday. You can find it here. Or at your local bookstore or library.

Questions to ask your little:

• How did the Indians help the Pilgrims?
• What boat did the Pilgrims sail over to America on?
• What is your favorite picture in the book?
• Can you find the pilgrims’ dogs?

2. This First Thanksgiving Day: A Counting Story by Laura Krauss Melmed

Combining counting with history and cute illustrations, this book follows both pilgrim and Native American children through the events of the first thanksgiving as they prepare the food and help their parents with the harvest. This book is a must. Find a copy here. Or at your local bookstore or library.

Questions to ask your little:

• How to the children help with the Thanksgiving feast?
• What kind of foods do the children gather?
• How can you help mommy and daddy with Thanksgiving?

3. The Thank You Book by Mary Lyn Ray

This little board book is perfect for small babies and children and talks about being thankful. Furthermore, I love the adorable illustrations and the sweet simple message: there are many ways your child can be thankful throughout his or her day. Get one for your little here. Or at your local bookstore or library.

Questions to ask your little:

• What are you thankful for? Or, what makes you happy?
• Who can we tell ‘thank you’ today?

4. A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting

This funny picture book is about the Moose family who want to be like everyone else and have a turkey for Thanksgiving, but Mr. Turkey isn’t too happy about that. Mr. Moose and all of his animal friends set out to find a turkey and end up bringing their new friend as a guest at their thanksgiving feast. I love the little twist on the traditional way of thinking about turkeys on thanksgiving and the idea of sharing the holiday with new friends. Buy it here. Or at your local bookstore or library.

Questions to ask your little:

• Do you like to share special times with your friends?
• What can we do to make someone feel loved this Thanksgiving?
• What animals do you see sitting around Mr. and Mrs. Moose’s dinner table?

5. Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving by Joseph Bruchac

This beautiful book is aimed at older readers between the ages of 3-5. If you have an impatient reader, the long paragraphs might not hold their attention. But, the illustrations provide plenty of engagement, even if you need to abbreviate the story. The book tells the story of Squanto, leader of the Patuxet tribe who welcomed the pilgrims and taught them how to plant and harvest crops. Also, I love the gorgeous illustrations and the shift in perspective to how the native American’s viewed the arrival of the pilgrims and what personal hardships Squanto faced in his life. It’s a refreshing look at our time-honored holiday. You can get it here. Or at your local bookstore or library.

Questions to ask your little:

• What kind of hard things did Squanto go through?
• Why did Squanto help the pilgrims?

 

Those are my tops 5 Thanksgiving books to read to your child this holiday. There are so many good ones out there. I’m always looking for new holiday book suggestions, so share your favorite Thanksgiving books in the comments below! Also, feel free to check out my previous post on building a rainy day box for your babies here.

Olivia Fisher lives in Virginia with her medical school husband and two energetic boys. She graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Olivia works to write and edit children’s books that will inspire young readers. When she isn’t writing or reading, Olivia loves to create YouTube videos, spend time in nature with her family,
and decorate her apartment. Follow along with her writing adventures on Twitter or visit her Blog.