We get excited for Thanksgiving in a big way here. We love every aspect of Thanksgiving, from the very beginning stages of menu planning, decorating, cooking and baking, and finally sharing it all with our family and friends. Part of our preparation for any major event is reading books. Today I share with you our favorite Thanksgiving books for kids.
Reading books in advance of a big event helps children, especially young children, ready themselves for the occasion. For Thanksgiving, this might mean reading about gratefulness, learning about the origins of the festivities, and seeing how others celebrate it with their friends and family.
In our house, we try to keep our books realistic and beautiful. This is because young children cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality—it is all real to them. We also try to pick books with lovely images and engaging prose. These principles originate with Maria Montessori, so some may call these books “Montessori-friendly”. We follow principles that originate with Montessori, but we are not a strictly Montessori household by any means. The term I prefer is authentic.
This does cut down on our available options quite a bit, but personally I’d rather read a good book 10 times in a row than an boring one even once.
So, are there any good Thanksgiving books?
Yes! There are some great thanksgiving book. These books are specific to Thanksgiving, but it would be a lovely time to read books on gratitude as well.
Here are some books we will be looking at as November draws closer and closer to that fourth Thursday.
Montessori Friendly Thanksgiving Books
Such a terrific and beautiful book about one family’s amazing Thanksgiving celebration.
A now classic Thanksgiving story about a Grandma and her Granddaughter and their Thanksgiving tradition of each inviting a guest who hasn’t anywhere else to go—and Grandma’s famous cranberry bread, the recipe in the back of the book is supposedly great too!
A sweet little board book with simple text about gratitude and lovely warm images.
Another simple book about different people and the different things they may be thankful for, based on occupation and interests.
Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving
A fun little book about Sarah Hale, the woman who fought to make Thanksgiving a national holiday.
Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving
My kids are still a bit young for this book, but it seems like a good option for those who are looking to discuss the first American Thanksgiving accurately.
A wonderful Cynthia Rylant book, which carries us through the changes that occur each November, ending with a Thanksgiving feast.
Sharing the Bread: An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Story
A very simple, lovely illustrated story of a family preparing Thanksgiving dinner together.
Over the River and Through the Wood
The classic prose pairs so beautifully with woodcut images, envoking the feeling of what Thanksgiving may have been like in 19th century New England.
Do you have any favorite Thanksgiving books for kids?
I would love to discover a few new books. Let me know in the comments!