The Thanksgiving holiday has a complex, mythology-steeped history that means different things to different people. This is a great time to read books by Indigenous authors and share stories that reflect Native perspectives about the Pilgrims and European settlers. There’s a growing body of Thanksgiving books for children that share historical facts rather than a mythological story. We can also choose books that center shared values like gratitude and generosity, celebrate the beauty of autumn, and that lift up the joy of community and warmth of a shared meal with friends and family.
We’ve compiled some of our favorite children’s titles on these topics:
Thanksgiving History Without the Myth | Food, Friends, and Family | Lifting Up Gratitude
Until now, you've only heard one side of the story: the "discovery" of America told by Christopher Columbus, the Pilgrims, and the Colonists. Here's the true story of America from the Indigenous perspective. When you think about the beginning of the American story, what comes to mind? Three ships in 1492, or perhaps buckled hats and shoes stepping off of the Mayflower, ready to start a new country. But the truth is, Christopher Columbus, the Pilgrims, and the Colonists didn't arrive to a vast, empty land ready to be developed. They arrived to find people and communities living in harmony with the land they had inhabited for thousands of years, and they quickly disrupted everything they saw. From its "discovery" by Europeans to the first Thanksgiving, the story of America's earliest days has been carefully misrepresented. Told from the perspective of the New England Indigenous Nations that these outsiders found when they arrived, this is the true story of how America as we know it today began.
Thanksgiving is a popular holiday in the US. But many people don't know the true or whole history of the holiday. Readers will learn how Thanksgiving really started and its lasting legacy in the US. Have you ever considered what's missing from history books?
Wampanoag children listen as their grandmother tells them the story about how Weeâchumun (the wise Corn) asked local Native Americans to show the newcomers how to grow food to yield a good harvest--Keepunumuk--in 1621.
The beautifully illustrated true story of how Thanksgiving became a national holiday in America, of Sarah Josepha Hale, the woman who made the holiday happen, and of the role of gratitude the world over.
Do you know the true story of the Thanksgiving feast at Plimoth? Carefully crafted to explore both sides of this historical event, this book is a great choice for Thanksgiving units, and for teaching children about the true history of this popular holiday.
In rhyming text, when the whole family and guests show up for the big dinner at Grandma's house, it becomes clear that the house is much too small to hold them all.
Papa has something special planned for tonight's family dinner--and Bobo can't wait! Excited to learn how to make okra stew like his ancestors, Bobo helps Papa pick veggies from the garden, catch shrimp from the creek, rain down rice in the pot, simmer the stew, and even make a tasty side of cornbread. When the stew begins to bubble and pop, Bobo and his family gather around for a mouthwatering feast.
In a unique take on the cumulative classic "This Is the House That Jack Built," a family gathers with friends and neighbors to share a meal around a table that brims with associations: napkins sewn by Mom, glasses from Mom and Dad's wedding, silverware gifted to Dad by his grandma long ago. Not to mention the squash from the garden, the bread baked by Gran, and the pies made by the young narrator (with a little help). Serving up a diverse array of dishes and faces, this warm and welcoming story is poised to become a savored part of Thanksgiving traditions to come. A beautifully illustrated celebration of bounty and gratitude, family and friendship, perfect for the holidays and every day.
Gratitude, togetherness, and tradition are shared and celebrated at the dining tables of a diverse range of families and communities.
Using illustrations that show the diversity in Native America and spare poetic text that emphasizes fry bread in terms of provenance, this volume tells the story of a post-colonial food that is a shared tradition for Native American families all across the North American continent. Includes a recipe and an extensive author note that delves into the social ways, foodways, and politics of America's 573 recognized tribes.
When the aroma of Omu's homemade stew fills the air, her neighbors arrive, one by one, for a taste until all is gone except for her generous spirit.
A delightful meal with a big extended family becomes a free-for-all when one particularly excitable baby joins the fun.
One Cherokee child celebrates the family tradition of gathering wild onions for a big community meal, a significant tradition among several Southeastern tribes.
Presents a song set to the tune of "The wheels on the bus," where a multigenerational family enjoys a culturally rich meal.
An intergenerational Black family gets together for a family feast, as they share love, laughter, and sweet treats
It's dinnertime at Grace's place ... 'Thank you, alpaca, ' says Grace ... 'Alpaca?' asks Mama. 'Why would you thank an alpaca?'..A playful mealtime conversation becomes a joyful act of giving thanks.
Join our narrator and her dog on their daily walk as they greet the people in their neighborhood--from the mail carrier and bus driver to the sanitation workers and grocery clerks and more. Whether listening, asking, helping, or just saying hello and thank you, it is our patience and kindness that make a neighborhood feel like home. This story gently reminds us to slow down and be grateful for all the people, places, and things around us. Includes an author's note about how Ruth Chan's own Brooklyn community inspired her to create this picture book.
Today, Amik is expecting her beaver cousins for a special visit, and she can't wait to show them her home. But as the visitors arrive, Amik suddenly realizes that her little sister, Nishiime, has disappeared. Where could she have gone? As Amik shows her cousins some of her favorite haunts, the reader also learns how beavers help all the other animals in the forest: they cut down poplar trees so deer have easier access to the leaves, they create canals in streambeds that fish need to swim in during the winter months, and they build dams that form shallow pools for otters to swim in with their babies. Along the way, each animal shows its gratitude by saying "Meegwetch" (thank you) to Amik. Meanwhile, Nishiime, who can be seen hiding in the illustrations throughout the story, finally appears, explaining that she was feeling scared and shy about meeting other beavers from far away. It doesn't take long until Nishiime is comfortable with her cousins, asking many questions and planning how she will one day visit them.
Children around the world give thanks to the sun, moon, wind, lightning and other natural elements in this poetic board book.
Through lyrical, rhyming text, and vibrant artwork, young readers can explore twelve cultures around the world, learning all about their harvest festivals, days of thanks, ancient traditions and the activities associated with them.
This dual-language picture book for preschoolers, written in English and Plains Cree, celebrates and invites children to reflect on the little things in life that bring them joy.
As colors in nature start to change, animals begin gathering items--squirrels their acorns, crows their treasures, raccoons the bits and pieces needed to fortify their homes. Animals of all species prepare to gather with each other too, for warmth, for affection, for sharing food or stories.
Otsaliheliga is a Cherokee word that is used to express gratitude. Journey through the year with a Cherokee family and their tribal nation as they express thanks for celebrations big and small. A look at modern Native American life as told by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.
Alice loves her neighborhood. She loves the maples trees and marigolds and the colorful balconies on her street. But -- "grumble, grumble, more construction" -- it seems not everyone does. "Poor street," says Alice, then she has an idea. "Dear Street ..." she begins to write, and when she's finished writing her love letter, she hides it for someone to find. A grumpy neighbor discovers the anonymous letter and her mood brightens. As the seasons pass, Alice writes more letters to the things she loves, hiding them for people to find and transforming grumbles into smiles and wonder. Until one gloomy day, when Alice herself can't stop grumbling ...