Celebrate Thanksgiving with These Picture Books
This post includes ten picture books that are perfect for celebrating Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and people are thinking about food and spending time with family and friends. Or, you’re like me and your brain has, unwillingly and excitedly, already skipped ahead to winter holidays! Holiday books are a great way to keep us present. This is why I love Thanksgiving books - they remind me to enjoy the holiday that is happening currently, and not rush to the next one.
Here is a list of ten Thanksgiving picture books to help you celebrate this holiday before we jump into the next ones!
As important as I think it is to support libraries and independent bookstores, I understand this is not a possibility for everyone. So, I’ve included links to purchase the books mentioned in this post through Barnes & Noble and Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which is the best way you can support this blog. Ultimately, please choose the method that works best for you!
Thanksgiving in the Woods
Written by Phyllis Alsdurf & i
llustrated by Jenny Løvlie
(2017)
You can tell from the cover alone that the illustrations in this book are going to be stunning! Each year, a young boy celebrates Thanksgiving with his family and friends in the woods on his grandparents’ farm. Everyone helps set up and brings a dish to share. The text in this story is simple, whith a couple of sentences on each page. You will see lot of soothing greens, browns, and muted oranges in the illustrations as this story mainly takes place in the woods. The color palette is almost pastel, and there are so many beautiful details to see on each page. I especially love the glow of the twinkle lights and campfire as it starts to get darker outside during the Thanksgiving celebration! This book is a great reminder that holidays are meant to be shared, and there is always something to be thankful for.
Peyton Picks the Perfect Pie: A Thanksgiving Celebration
Written by Jack Bishop & i
llustrated by Michelle Mee Nutter
(2020)
This is an ode to one of the classic Thanksgiving desserts - pie! Peyton is an extremely picky eater, and does not like to try new foods. But this year, Peyton decides to give pie a try. Her family invites lots of family and friends over for Thanksgiving, and each family brings a different type of pie. Peyton struggles to find one she wants to try, but when her aunt tells her the secret to making pie taste great, Peyton’s perspective begins to change! This book will inspire readers to try new things, and have you craving a perfect slice of pie!
Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun’s Thanksgiving Story
Written by Alexis Bunten, Danielle Greendeer, and Anthony Perry & i
llustrated by Garry Meeches Sr.
(2022)
I would be remiss if I didn’t include a book about the first Thanksgiving! This story discusses how the Wampanoag tribe in Massachusetts helped the pilgrims learn how to grow food on the land, leading to the first Thanksgiving. The illustrations are reminiscent of plains style art, a historic art form used by Native people who lived in the northwestern Plains. This story is a helpful way to explain to children the history of Thanksgiving, and the important role the First People played in making it happen.
The Crayons
Give Thanks
Written & illustrated by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers
(2024)
This is the newest book in the Crayons series! Our funny little friends are back and ready to share all the things they’re thankful for. Some of them give thanks for things that are the same color as they are, and others share completely random and hilarious things they are thankful for. This fun book will inspire children to think about the things they are thankful for in their own lives.
Harvest Days: Giving Thanks Around the World
Written by Kate DePalma &
illustrated by Martina Peluso
(2022)
This book explains some of the traditions that different countries have to celebrate their harvest season. Each page focuses on a different country and celebration. The book uses simple rhyming text, with one to two sentences on each page. The illustrations are colorful and intricate, which will captivate both adults and children alike. At the end of the book, there are pages that go into more detail about each of the celebrations mentioned. This is a great book to help children learn about how other cultures celebrate their harvest seasons and the ways they give thanks!
Duck for
Turkey Day
Written by Jacqueline Jules & i
llustrated by Kathryn Mitter
(2017)
Tuyet is upset that her Vietnamese American family will be eating duck on Thanksgiving. She wants her family to have turkey, like they talked about at school. This story teaches children that not everyone in America celebrates Thanksgiving the same way, and it’s okay to have different traditions. What matters most is being able to spend time with the people you love!
Our Table
Written & illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
(2021)
Although it’s not a traditional Thanksgiving story, this book serves as a simple reminder of the importance of spending time with loved ones. Violet feels alone most of the time. Her family is distracted by their screens, and time together around the dinner table has disappeared. Violet misses spending time together as a family, and she has a plan to bring the family back together. But, she won’t be able to complete the plan alone! The text in this story is very simple, and the illustrations are either all-violet or all-color depending on how Violet is feeling. I love the message Reynolds communicates about how technology can be a useful tool, but it can also take away from the things - and people - that matter most.
We Give Thanks
Written by Cynthia Rylant &
illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier
(2021)
This story lists the simple everyday things we can be thankful for, such as warm clothing, food, pets, and and hugs and kisses. It’s a short book with one sentence per page, which makes it a perfect story for toddlers and younger children. This would be a great book to read during Thanksgiving to help children understand the types of things they can be thankful for!
Thankful
Written by Elaine Vickers
illustrated by Samantha Cotterill
(2021)
In this story, a young girl writes down all the things she is thankful for on colorful strips of paper to make a chain. The things she is thankful for are ordinary, but precious. This book will inspire readers to observe the world around them to discover what ordinary things they can be thankful for, such as warm soup, the night sky, and color. You may even want to create your own thankful chain when you’re finished reasinf! The illustrations in this one are really neat, as they are created 3-dimensionally and then photographed.
How to Catch
a Turkey
Written by Adam Wallace &
illustrated by Andy Elkerton
(2018)
Of course we need to include a story about a turkey in this list! This one is a fun installment of the How to Catch… holiday series. The turkey in this book catches a bad case of stage fright when he finds out that he will be a part of a school’s Thanksgiving play. The turkey makes a break for it, and the school ends up on a wild turkey chase! Will the turkey end up in the play, or will he be able to make his escape? You’ll have to read and find out!
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Which of these books will you be adding to your bookshelf this year? What books have you enjoyed reading during Thanksgiving in the past? Please let us know in the comments! And, if you celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope you enjoy all your festivities, whether they are big or small.