Gobble up these Thanksgiving children’s books! From its historical past to modern traditions, read about the season of gratitude.
Every year, my kids bring home Thanksgiving crafts from school, like a wreath all about gratitude or the ubiquitous “hand” turkey. They’ve put on classroom shows where they sing about turkeys in Albuquerque and learn cute dance moves.
But behind all the celebration and fanfare, the food and the fun, is the immense gratitude for all we have. We celebrate our harvests, both literal and figurative. We remember our blessings from the year, from big ones that made a significant mark to little ones that might have gone unnoticed.
And Thanksgiving is a time when we can imagine what collaboration, not colonization, can look like. Given the country’s painful history, this is one of the few moments we can truly celebrate what giving and receiving can be.
We can also celebrate the holiday with many traditions, from eating a Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie to watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,
And, of course, one simple way to learn more is with children’s books.
These Thanksgiving children’s books are perfect for young readers, from toddlers to elementary, and make for a fun way to learn about our national holiday. Many share the origin story of Thanksgiving in America, while others depict the traditions we’ve since passed on.
I hope you and your kids enjoy these favorite Thanksgiving books:
Thanksgiving children’s books
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Thanksgiving on Plymouth Plantation by Diane Stanley
Duck for Turkey Day by Jacqueline Jules
What’s for Thanksgiving Dinner? by Sally Huss
Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving by Joseph Bruchac and Greg Shed
Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes
Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Chief Jake Swamp
Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland
Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet
Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving (National Geographic) by Catherine O’Neill Grace
‘Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey
The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing
Llama Llama Gives Thanks by Anna Dewdney
The Story of the Pilgrims by Katharine Ross
Thanksgiving in the Woods by Phyllis Alsdurf
The Great Thanksgiving Escape by Mark Fearing
The Pilgrims’ First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern
The First Thanksgiving by Linda Hayward
The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh
Sharing the Bread by Pat Zietlow Miller
Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlín
Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson
Read these next:
- Top Halloween Books for Kids
- Favorite Children’s Books by Julia Donaldson
- How to Teach Gratitude to Children
- How to Raise a Bright Child
- 35 Random Acts of Kindness to Brighten Anyone’s Mood
Free resource: Want even more book selections? Join my newsletter and grab your copy of the Read Aloud Book List! You’ll get hundreds of favorite choices to read aloud with your kids. Get it below—at no cost to you:
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