10 Fun Children’s Thanksgiving Books
Thanksgiving has become the forgotten fall & winter holiday. In order to give kids a better understanding of the celebration, I put together a few books that might be useful to families. Some are older but classics and others are new and ready for discovery. They are listed below, along with purchase links and a bit of information, in no particular order. Click on the image or title for more info.
10 Fun Children’s Thanksgiving Books
How to Catch a Turkey by Adam Wallace
A turkey is running loose in a school right before a Thanksgiving play. Can YOU help catch it so the show can go on? Follow along as students turn their school upside down trying to catch the turkey, ending with a twist that ensures no turkeys are harmed (or eaten!). This hilariously zany children’s picture book combines STEAM concepts and traps with a silly story and fun illustrations, perfect for starting a new holiday family tradition or giving as a Thanksgiving gift for kids ages 4 and up!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanksgiving Is for Giving Thanks! (Reading Railroad Books) by Mary Pope Osborne
This sweet picture book about being thankful is a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving with the youngest readers!
Thanksgiving is about pilgrims and history–and turkey, of course!–but most importantly, it’s a holiday all about everything that we are thankful for. Cheerful, colorful illustrations accompany the simple text in this celebration of family, friends, and the holiday that brings them all together. A great introduction to the concept of giving thanks and appreciating everyday things.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving by Charles M Schulze
Celebrate Thanksgiving with Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts gang in this retelling of the beloved Thanksgiving TV special!
When Peppermint Patty invites herself (and most of her friends) to Charlie Brown’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, Charlie Brown reluctantly agrees to make a holiday feast even though he can barely make toast and cold cereal! Can he pull together a memorable meal, or will he and his friends just be grateful when it’s over?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gratitude is My Superpower: A children’s book about Giving Thanks by Alicia Ortego
Do you want to teach your children how to be grateful for the things they already have?
Little Betsy will learn that happiness is made up of simple things in life, both small and big. With the help of the magic stone, she will begin to feel gratitude for her parents, friends, and toys. But what happens when little Betsy forgets to use the magic of her stone? She will realize that the power of gratitude is hidden in her heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I Spy Thanksgiving Book For Kids by Go Lucky Press
(Nov 11, 2020) Please note this book has an updated interior to make it more appropriate for little kids (newest version)
It’s Thanksgiving! – It’s time for spying Thanksgiving things, turkey, and other cute stuff!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It’s Laugh O’Clock: Would You Rather? Thanksgiving Edition by Riddleland
Celebrate this Thanksgiving with this massive collection of Thanksgiving Jokes for children of all ages!
Warning: Some of these jokes are cornier than a Thanksgiving side dish, but all these jokes are cleaner than a fresh-plucked turkey.
With Fun Illustrations
It’s Laugh O’Clock: Joke Book – Thanksgivings Edition is different from other jokes and riddle books that we have written. It is not meant to be read alone, but instead, it is a game to be played with siblings, friends, family, or between two people that would like to prove who is a better comedian. Time to see who has the funny bone in the family!
These jokes are suitable for children of different age groups and we promise that adults will enjoy them as much as their kids will!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fancy Nancy: Our Thanksgiving Banquet: With More Than 30 Stickers by Jane O’Conner
Join Nancy and her entire family as they celebrate Thanksgiving in this storybook, complete with more than thirty swanky stickers.
This is going to be the best Thanksgiving ever!
There’s a gigantic turkey, Grandma’s secret stuffing, green beans, and authentic cranberry sauce, the kind that doesn’t come out of a can. And desserts? There are almost too many to count.
With Fancy Nancy, this is not just a Thanksgiving dinner. This is way fancier. This is a Thanksgiving banquet—with stickers!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thankful by Eileen Spinelli
Thankful is a heartwarming picture book that teaches children ages 4–8 to:
- Focus on the blessings that we tend to take for granted
- Appreciate essential workers and what people in our everyday lives provide: “Like the gardener thankful for every green sprout, and the fireman, for putting the fire out.”
Meant to be read aloud, Thankful features:
- Endearing storytelling with engaging rhyming text, making reading fun for readers young and old
- Whimsical illustrations with soft colors and bold lines, perfect for any season
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dave Pilkey
From Dav Pilkey, creator of the New York Times bestselling Dog Man and Captain Underpants series comes a charming story about eight children and eight turkeys on the night before Thanksgiving.
On the day before Thanksgiving, a group of children visit a turkey farm and meet Farmer Mack Nuggett and his coop of cockerels: Ollie, Stanley, Larry, Moe, Wally, Beaver, Shemp, and Groucho. The children and turkeys giggle and gobble, and everything is gravy. As the trip comes to an end, the children leave the farm with full hearts — and bulging bellies — reminding people and poultry alike that there is much to be thankful for. This hysterical read-aloud and fan-favorite picture book is now available for the first time in a paper-over-board format!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanksgiving on Thursday: Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne
The Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to the eve of the first Thanksgiving. There, they meet the Pilgrims as well as Squanto, a Native American who helped them. The story offers an age-appropriate, in-depth picture of what life was really like for early settlers, as well as the usual Magic Tree House adventure and excitement.
There you have it. A list of 10 Fun Children’s Thanksgiving Books to start your little ones on their way to learning about giving thanks, gratitude, sharing, joy, and more.
What books would you add to this list? Add your favorites in the comments.
We can all use the gratitude lessons taught in these children’s books!
You might also enjoy my 5 Favorite Halloween Books for Kids.
Leave a comment