Let’s talk about Thanksgiving picture books! I love all of these!

Thanksgiving in the Woods tells the true story of a family who hosts Thanksgiving in the woods every year near their home in upstate New York, with candles, bonfires, food and lots of people. Sounds so jolly!

The two ones above are about Sarah Josepha Hale, the woman who persisted to get the federal government to create the US national holiday of Thanksgiving. It’s fun to learn both about the first Thanksgiving and the history of how Thanksgiving became a U.S. federal holiday.

Now this one above is a cute board book, very simple. Give Thanks to the Lord is a beautifully illustrated book to celebrate Psalms 92. Then It’s Thanksgiving! by Jack Prelutsky, below, is packed full of delightful poems. So fun!

This one above uses Pilgrim-type language and a plural first person “we,” telling the story of the first Thanksgiving from the Pilgrims point of view.

The one above has the air of anticipation that comes on the eve of all holidays. It’s simple and sweet.

Sharing the Bread by Pat Zietlow Miller has a rhyming bounce and delightful illustrations by Jill McElmurry. I love that it features a big family with everybody pitching in to create the feast.

I enjoy the work of Eric Metaxas. Squanto’s story fascinates me!

Both the books above and below involve the real pilgrims. The one above is about John Howland, a real person who was on the Mayflower. He’s actually my many-greats-great-grandfather! His story illustrates the hand of God in someone’s life. What would have happened if he hadn’t been saved after falling overboard the Mayflower? This book deserves to be read every year to be reminded of Providence in the Pilgrims’ lives and all of our lives. I love the lovely illustrations in both these books! The one below is my favorite picture book for telling the general story of the pilgrims. I love the maps done in watercolor and pen by the author/illustrator, Cheryl Harness. I love all her books in fact.

The Thanksgiving Door is my absolute fave Thanksgiving picture book. I just love, love the story of serendipity that surprised an elderly couple because of a grandmother’s influence of her family to be hospitable.

Then here are more, above and below, that tell the story of the Pilgrims. The illustrator’s style of the book below reminds me of Tomie de Paola.

An Outlaw Thanksgiving is a little known story loosely based on a story involving Butch Cassidy. I was thrilled to find it thrifting this past year. I love this one, and A Turkey for Thanksgiving, because of their surprise endings!

I love the vibrant illustrations in Feast. So gorgeous! This tells the Pilgrim story in rhyming verse.

The ones above and below have photographs of real children dressed up as Pilgrims, showing what daily life was like for them.

Balloons Over Broadway is about a real person, Tony Sarg, who made the huge balloons involved in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. This book offers loads of possibilities for a unit study with children involving lots of history, STEM, and arts and crafts.

The ones above and below just ooze happy family togetherness at Thanksgiving! I love that A Thanksgiving Wish features a big extended Jewish family gathering together and interacting with neighbors of different backgrounds. I reviewed a movie loosely based on the book below (pretty much the only thing in common is the title) over here. The book just makes me happy every time I read it. I love the snowy New England vibe and the work ethic depicted of the children, rising to the occasion to rescue Thanksgiving dinner by working together. And of course because it’s by Louisa May Alcott, or course I love it.

Finally, we have the marvelous book below that pairs lovely wood carving illustrations with the classic poem by Lydia Maria Child about going to Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving. A gem!

I hope you enjoy all these books! Happy Thanksgiving!

If you want more Thanksgiving resources, including some read-aloud stories involving God’s providence involving Thanksgiving Day, go here.