Thanksgiving is right around the corner. We’re putting in our library requests and checking our bookshelves to pull together a nice stack of Thanksgiving books to share with our children. These are a few of my favorite Thanksgiving picture books, along with one longer read-aloud that’s great for enjoying with the whole family. Happy Thanksgiving!
10 Favorite Thanksgiving Picture Books
Thankful by Eileen Spinelli (ages 1 to 4)
This whimsical board book helps little ones focus on the blessings we often take for granted and remember to thank those whose quiet acts of service keep our lives running pleasantly.
Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin (ages 3 to 7)
A Thanksgiving classic! Thanksgiving is Grandmother’s favorite day of the year. Every year she invites a guest and allows Maggie to do the same. “Ask someone poor or lonely,” she always says. Imagine her surprise when Maggie invites the unsavory Mr. Whiskers to dinner. Will Grandmother’s secret cranberry bread recipe be safe with him in the house? You’ll have to read to find out!
God Gave Us Thankful Hearts by Lisa Tawn Bergren (ages 3 to 7)
Fall makes Little Pup think of all the sad things winter brings like cold, wet weather and friends going into hibernation. Then his parents remind him of the importance of cultivating a grateful heart, and Little Pup learns to be thankful in the midst of his sadness.
Give Thanks to the Lord by Karma Wilson (ages 4 to 8)
This heartwarming picture book reflects the themes of Psalm 92 in a way that children can easily relate to. The gentle rhyming text and the warm illustrations of a family preparing for Thanksgiving dinner bring to mind everything that is cozy and comforting about this time of year.
Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas (ages 4 to 8)
This richly illustrated picture book shows children that the real hero of the first Thanksgiving was not a Pilgrim or a Native American, but God. The remarkable story of how he brings together the struggling Pilgrims and a lonely brave who knows their language and shares their faith is a true American history miracle.
The Thanksgiving Blessing by Meadow Rue Merrill (ages 4 to 8)
As the family gathers for Thanksgiving dinner, Molly worries that she doesn’t have anything to contribute to the meal. But when the family shares a hymn together, Molly realizes that the thanks she offers to God can be one of her greatest gifts. This colorful board book is a gospel-driven story that shares traditions you can recreate in your own family.
Thanksgiving in the Woods by Phyllis Alsdurf (ages 4 to 8)
This charmingly-illustrated picture book tells the story of how one family celebrates Thanksgiving outdoors, under the trees and by a stream. Full of the joy of family and friends gathering together as well as the delight of children being free to roam and explore the outdoors, this lovely book will become a family favorite.
A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting (ages 4 to 8)
This book is a humorous account of what happens when Mr. Moose tries to find a real turkey to bring home to his wife for Thanksgiving dinner. Playful and sweet, this endearing story will definitely get you and your littles chuckling at Mr. Moose and his friends.
Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving by Joseph Bruchac (ages 6 to 9)
This account of the first Thanksgiving from the perspective of Native Americans is a great way to share the events of 1620 with your elementary aged students. They’ll watch as the Mayflower lands on shores occupied by the Pokanoket people, and Squanto welcomes the newcomers and teaches them how to survive.
1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving by Catherine O’Neill (ages 8 to 12)
In cooperation with the Plimoth Plantation, a living-history museum in Massachusetts, National Geographic has recreated the first Thanksgiving. In 1621, in a small settlement on the edge of the sea, 52 English colonists celebrated their first harvest. The colonists were joined by 90 men of the Wampanoag tribe for a gathering that was to last three days in a town now known as Plymouth. Over the centuries, there have been countless versions of this story, creating a popular myth of the first Thanksgiving. Many Americans imagine brave, peaceful settlers inviting a few wild Indians over for a turkey dinner. But there was no pumpkin pie or cranberry sauce at this celebration. There were no Indians with woven blankets over their shoulders and large feathered headdresses. This book puts aside that myth and takes a new look at our American history.
A Longer Thanksgiving Read Aloud for the Whole Family
An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott (all ages)
Reminiscent of Little Women, but only 60 or so pages long, this Louisa May Alcott classic tells the story of the Bassett family, who were “poor in money, but rich in love.” One 1820s Thanksgiving Day when their mother must leave home to care for their ailing grandmother, the children decide to prepare their own Thanksgiving feast. The perfect cozy family read aloud for November, this book paints a beautiful picture of how happy home can be when it is nourished by love and gratitude.
Need even more Thanksgiving book ideas?
Try some of these Thanksgiving favorites!
Picture Books
- Llama Llama Gives Thanks by Anna Dewdney
- Who’s That Stepping on Plymouth Rock? by Jean Fritz
- The Very First Thanksgiving Day by Rhonda Gowler Greene
- Three Young Pilgrims by Cheryl Harness
Chapter Books
- Almost Home: A Story Based on the Life of the Mayflower’s Mary Chilton by Wendy Lawton
- The Mayflower Pilgrims by Edmund Janes Carpenter
- William Bradford: Pilgrim Boy by Bradford Smith
- The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Daugherty
Books for Teens and Adults
- The First Thanksgiving: What the Real Story Tells Us About Loving God and Learning from History by Robert Tracy Mackenzie
- The Grumbler’s Guide to Giving Thanks by Dustin Crowe
- Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick
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