Friday, November 16, 2012

Thanksgiving Picture Books

So are you up for some Thanksgiving picture books?  I decided to shake things up this year with some books that may be new to you.  Do you want to know about the woman who saved Thanksgiving, or perhaps you may be wondering how the tradition of big balloons began at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade?  Well, wonder no longer!  There is a picture book for that.

And of course, being the traditionalist that I am, I have included one book about the poor turkey who finds himself the source of diner on Thanksgiving day - if I had a nickel for every one of those!   But they continue to delight my kids and it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without seeing how our poor turkey finds his way out of his predicament, with great humor and silliness.

Since it is Picture Book Month I have included an adorable video produced by the lovely women who are responsible for this event.  The tune is quite catchy, so be prepared!  Hope you enjoy it and it inspires you to continue to push picture books on your unsuspecting children!

Title:        Thank You, Sarah

Author:     Laurie Halse Anderson

Target:      Preschool - Grade 2

What this book is about:
You think you know everything about Thanksgiving!  Well do you know about Sarah Hale - because she is the women who saved Thanksgiving.  Not so sure of yourself now are you.  Well this book profiles Sarah, and when she saw Thanksgiving disappearing, especially with the dawn of Civil War, she fought to preserve it.  Did she call out the troops?  No! Did she load the cannons?  Of course not, she used her secret weapon .... a pen.  In this story Sarah shows us how the power of writing and perseverance can help us accomplish almost anything - even saving Thanksgiving for a nation!

Why I love this book:
Not only is this book inspirational, it is also funny with some over the top illustrations by Matt Faulkner.  While the story never takes itself too seriously, the message is clear - that one person can make a difference, with nothing mightier than a pen.  It is also a nice little history lesson, because it takes Sarah a longggg time to get Thanksgiving declared a national holiday!

Who this book is for:
Great story for kids and for parents who want a different take on the history of Thanksgiving.  It can also be used anytime during the year when you are teaching kids about how powerful their written word can be!

Final thoughts:
Even dainty little ladies can be superheroes!

To purchase this book, click here to connect to Amazon: Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving  A portion of each purchase goes to support this blog.


Title:        Balloons Over Broadway

Author:    Melissa Sweet

Target:     Preschool - Grade 2

What this book is about:
This is the story of Tony Sarg (rhymes with aargh) who designed the balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.  The book shares the ingenuity of Sarg at a young age, the origins of the parade, and how and why Sarg developed his large balloon creations to wow and amaze the parade goers.  

Why I love this book:
The topic of this book didn’t appeal to me much so I put off reading it for quite some time, despite some lovely picture book awards it garnered last year.  However, once I gave it a shot, I understood why the reviews have been so good.  My bad.

To begin with, the artwork is playful and inspired, by toys no less.  I was immediately drawn right into the visuals, which are watercolors and mixed media collages.  The story is also a good length for the target audience.  There is just enough information so that kids will feel that they have learned something without being overwhelmed.  

Who this book is for:
Kids who enjoy watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, to give them a sense of the history of the event.

Final thoughts:
This is just a fun, playful book with a sense of history and appreciation for the work of Tony Sarg.

To purchase this book, click here to connect to Amazon: Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade (Bank Street College of Education Flora Stieglitz Straus Award (Awards))  A portion of each purchase goes to support this blog.


Title:        Turkey Trouble

Author:    Wendi Silvano

Target:      Preschool - Grade 1

What this book is about:
Turkey has the same trouble every Thanksgiving - he’s the main course!  But what if this year he didn’t look like a turkey, instead he looked like another one of Farmer Jake’s animals?  As he tries to disguise himself as anything but a turkey, it is his final inspiration that makes this the best Thanksgiving ever!

Why I love this book:
The illustrations are fabulous, as turkey tries many disguises which are laugh out loud funny.  The author also uses some fun play on words, “Holy cow!” and “Quit being a ham” when turkey is dressed as a cow and pig respectively!

Who this book is for:
Fun Thanksgiving book for all kids.

Final thoughts:
Pizza really does go with everything!

To purchase this book, click here to connect to Amazon: Turkey Trouble  A portion of each purchase goes to support this blog.

And here is the video I promised you!  Check out their website: www.picturebookmonth.com to see why pictures books are so important for kids - as if you needed more convincing!



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