Children's books for Thanksgiving 🦃

Can we read? Special edition on Thanksgiving: 2024

Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.

Karl Barth

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May We Have Enough To Share by Richard Van Camp (2019)

This review first appeared in my 2021 special edition on Thanksgiving — I’ve edited and updated it here

May we have enough to share,
to know the sweetness of every day.

This book is one of the most powerful incantatory prayer-poems I’ve ever read. In the simplest, most direct, but most potent words, Van Camp — Dogrib Tłı̨chǫ writer of the Dene nation (Northwest Territories, Canada) — has written a song of love, presence, empathy, and community for all people, complemented by photos of Native children and families that shine with joy and belonging on every page.

This one was written for the littlest littles but not only them — my kiddos and I read this book well into their years beyond the board book age (board books can have a longer shelf life than you may think) — because it’s truly one of the most beautiful wishes for the world I’ve ever read.

May we know love.

Amen.

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Finding Grateful by Dianne White, illustrated by Faith Pray (2024)

I received a copy of this book from Chronicle Books — all opinions are my own

“Mama says:
you don’t need a map
to find grateful”

So begins this lovely meditation on gratitude, where a mother and daughter set off on foot, away from their broken-down vehicle, paying attention, noticing, wondering, enjoying and soaking in all the small moments that spark thankfulness around them.

I am a huge fan of any message, anywhere, at any time that emphasizes “being where you feet are” — yes, yes, YES — and White’s gorgeous poem not only does this in spades, but Pray’s dreamy illustrations, rendered in watercolor inks, crayon sticks, colored pencils, and linoleum blocks add to the deep sense here that even in challenging circumstances, there are things for which to be grateful right where we are, if we have the eyes to look for them and the heart to see.

This is a beautiful book for preschoolers and early elementary kiddos, but I wouldn’t rule it out to share with older readers in the spirit of the season.

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Thanks to the Animals by Allen J. Sockabasin, illustrated by Rebekah Raye (2005)

This review first appeared in my 2022 special edition on Thanksgiving — I’ve edited and updated it here

When tiny Zoo Sap falls off the back of his family’s sled, the animals of the forest are alerted by his crying and one by one come to keep him warm and dry — first the big creatures lie together and then the little ones come to fill in the gaps, until even majestic Eagle appears to perch on top and spread her wings over all. When his father, Joo Tum, realizes the baby is gone and returns to the trail to find his son, he travels all night, only to find the little one “safely sleeping in a great big pile of warm animals.”

This isn’t a Thanksgiving story in any way, but Sockabasin, who is Passamaquoddy, offers such a simple, beautiful story about selflessness and gratitude (and Raye’s charming colored pencil illustrations are so fascinating for children, especially very young ones), it just fits: this is a super sweet one perfect for this time of year.

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Over the River and Through the Woods: A Holiday Adventure by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Kim Smith (2015)

This review first appeared in my 2021 special edition on Thanksgiving — I’ve edited and updated it here

Ashman’s fun reboot of the original poem by Lydia Maria Child begins with an invitation from Grandma and Grandpa to come to their house for the holidays — and their big, diverse family doesn’t hesitate. Everyone loads up and begins the journey, from various places and by various means. On the way, however, each successive branch of the family breaks down, only to be rescued by a helpful neighbor, who is driving an increasingly crowded sleigh.

The cumulative nature of Ashman’s rhyming tale along with Smith’s digital illustrations make for a goofy, warm comedy that culminates in a scene with one big, happy modern family grateful for gathering ‘round, “for pie, for homes, warm and dry, for friends,” and of course, “a horse-drawn sleigh.”

If your Thanksgiving occurs in a house chock-full of people (me) — and/or you could use some levity (also me) — don’t miss this one.

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Grandma’s Tiny House by JaNay Brown-Wood, illustrated by Priscilla Burris (2017)

This lively and engaging counting book centered around a big family gathering at Grandma’s house is purely delightful to read aloud. As more and more family members arrive, the tiny house fills up, leading to a fun and relatable dilemma — where the heck is everyone going to eat?

Brown-Wood’s rhyming text is rollicking and playful, while Burris’s colorful and expressive digital illustrations bring the warmth (and chaos!) of family to life with a lot of humor and joy — one big celebration of togetherness, love, and tradition, perfect in basically every way.

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Still There Was Bread by Lisl Detlefsen, illustrated by David Soman (2024)

I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins Publishers — all opinions are my own

In this heartfelt celebration of a treasured family receipe — and traditions that nourish both body and spirit — Nana comes to visit and wants to teach her grandson, her Little Pickle, the “Nana rolls” recipe her Nana taught her. As they gather ingredients and make the dough, Nana shares stories about how the bread has offered sustenance to generations of their family — from her own mother’s hardships during the Great Depression, to the time she and her father were quarantined in their house because they had polio, to another time not too long ago, “when people had to stay home and stay apart.”

Detlefsen’s gift here is creating something rich out of simple ingredients, mixing eggs and milk, flour and water, sugar, salt, yeast, and water into a beautiful, moving tale of family, fortitude, togetherness, and love. Soman’s pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations capture the warmth and emotional depth here, and together, they pull the reader into the soft embrace of a story. Can’t we all use that, any time of year?

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I also have a Bookshop.org list, Books for Thanksgiving, if you’d prefer to visually browse and/or support this newsletter in another way — I get a tiny commission if you use this link to make a purchase. (Thank you!)

Whatever this season brings for you, with all its blessings — or otherwise — may you be filled with joy.

Sarah