Thanksgiving is becoming an overlooked holiday these days.
Halloween gets loads of attention and then on November 1st the Christmas carols are on the radio, Christmas decorations are in the stories, and of course, the Christmas sale ads begin. Thanksgiving is difficult to make money from so the holiday gets relegated to half an aisle of cheap decorations at the local Wal-Mart.
Well...not in The Nerddom.
I do my best to help my children understand why we have Thanksgiving. I take the opportunity to slow down a little and focus on gratitude, finding the positive, and noticing others.
Books are a great tool to help with these things.
There's certainly no shortage of books available on the topic of Thanksgiving, but these are our personal favorites along with a short review of each to help you decide if it's a good fit for your family. If you still can't decide after reading our short review, feel free to leave your questions in the comments and I will be happy to answer!
Most can be found at your local library and all are linked to Amazon so that you can easily purchase them if you'd like to.
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience, which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission. This helps me keep my blog up and running without costing you a penny more! Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
A Plump and Perky Turkey
by Teresa Bateman
Ages: 4 & up
Length: 32 pages
The people of Squawk Valley are in a bit of a pickle! It's Thanksgiving and all of the turkeys have disappeared. They come up with a plan to trick a turkey onto the Thanksgiving table, but will their plan succeed? This was such an enjoyable book! The story and rhyme were cute and catchy. The illustrations were colorful and funny. My kids begged to read it again and again! My only complaint was the font...it was small and a bit difficult to read.
Turkey Trouble
by Wendi Silvano
Ages: 3 & up
Length: 32 pages
It's Thanksgiving Day and Farmer Jake is trying to find his Turkey! This adorable little book will take you through all of Turkey's hilarious attempts to hide from Farmer Jake. This was another that was asked for several times. Super cute book!
A Turkey for Thanksgiving
by Eve Bunting
Ages: 4 & up
Length: 32 pages
I have always been a fan of Eve Bunting's books and this one didn't disappoint! Poor Mrs. Moose only has a paper turkey for her Thanksgiving table and longs to have a real one! Mr. Moose promises to find her one before time for Thanksgiving dinner. He is soon joined by all of their friends who help find the terrified turkey and bring him home. Poor turkey! Mr. Turkey and readers alike are delighted to learn that Turkey isn't wanted ON the table, he's wanted AT the table, to share the bounty of good food and great friends. This delightful book is sure to be a favorite. It certainly is in our home!
How Many Days to America
by Eve Bunting
Ages: 6 & up
Length: 30 pages
Another fabulous Eve Bunting book, this one with a more serious tone. This story shows a Thanksgiving perspective shared by millions of American immigrants who have arrived on our shores with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Beautifully told and illustrated. I truly enjoyed this one.
The Story of the Pilgrims
by Katharine Ross
Ages: 4 & up
Length: 24 pages
This is a simple and classic telling of how the Pilgrims came to America, what they endured, and why that first Thanksgiving is still celebrated today. Engaging text with beautiful illustrations throughout. Nerdlet really liked this one!
The Story of Thanksgiving
by Robert Merrill Bartlett
Ages: 7 & up
Length: 34 pages
There have been so many books published over the years that tell the story of Thanksgiving. What makes this one different is the breadth of that story. Bartlett takes us back to ancient times and shares the origin and purpose of giving thanks throughout the ages. I found this book to be enjoyable to read and enlightening, providing some details that I had never heard before.
The Memory Cupboard: A Thanksgiving Story
by Charlotte Herman
Ages: 6 & up
Length: 32 pages
Katie loves visiting her Grandmother's for Thanksgiving each year. It's always a fun time with extended family and great food! But this year Katie accidentally broke a precious keepsake! Would Thanksgiving be ruined? This heartwarming story has inspired me to begin a memory cupboard of my own!
Thanksgiving in the Woods
by Phyllis Alsdurf
Ages: 4 & up
Length: 40 pages
Based on the true story of a family in upstate New York, this fun story tells of an outdoor Thanksgiving celebration hosted on their farm for more than twenty years. A fun change of pace for the Thanksgiving season!
Mary's First Thanksgiving
by Kathy-jo Wargin
Ages: 4 & up
Length: 32 pages
Though it took a few pages for us to warm up to this book, by the end we were a bit teary-eyed. Mary is feeling less fortunate than her peers and having a hard time finding anything to be thankful for. Her father tells her a story of finding blessings amid hardships and helps Mary to find the silver lining in her grey cloud. A beautiful story of learning to be grateful in all things.
Let's Celebrate Thanksgiving
by Peter and Connie Roop
Ages: 5 & up
Length: 32 pages
This is a great book to have around in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. It's not a read cover-to-cover type book. It is written in a question and answer format with fascinating facts and riddles scattered throughout. My kids have really enjoyed this book! It even has a turkey craft at the end that is quick and easy to make with things you likely already have around the house.
Thanksgiving Wish
by Michael J. Rosen
Ages: 6 & up
Length: 32 pages
I really enjoyed this fabulous book. It is a touching story about tradition, making memories, helping others and making do in difficult situations. So many lessons packed into this beautifully told story. This is the first year we've read this book and I'm certain it will be a yearly tradition for us.
Saying Grace
by Virginia Kroll
Ages: 4 & up
Length: 40 pages
From the book flap: "Saying Grace tells the story of one girl and her discovery of the value of mealtime prayer at her family's first Thanksgiving." This is a beautifully illustrated story of faith, learning to trust God in all things, and praising God for his blessings. My kids really liked this one and asked to reread it.
The Thanksgiving Door
by Debby Atwell
Ages: 4 & up
Length: 32 pages
When Ann burns their Thanksgiving dinner, she and her husband Ed go in search of a meal at a local restaurant. Their search leads them to far more than a satisfying meal. This heartwarming non-traditional Thanksgiving book tells the story of welcoming others and sharing family traditions. We loved this book!
Does your family have a favorite Thanksgiving book? We'd love to hear about it in the comments below!
This post contains affiliate links for your convenience, which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission. This helps me keep my blog up and running without costing you a penny more! Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
Great list! My children are all getting older, but these are still a lot of fun to keep on the shelf. Thanksgiving Blessings to you and your family!
Thank you, Linda! Happy Thanksgiving to you. Thanks for stopping by!