“Thanksgiving,” by Gail Gibbons
Holiday House, New York, 2004, 32 pages, Grades 1-3.
Thanksgiving is usually a joyful day for families. It is a time of family gatherings and special activities. Some families play games together, or watch football games and sometimes go pheasant hunting.
Above all, Thanksgiving is a time of wonderful food and conversation. It is really hard to beat roast turkey, dressing, and mashed potatoes and gravy. While many Americans in the northern states eat pumpkin pie for dessert, many in the southern states love the spicy, delicious sweet potato pie. Being a known eclectic, I am more than happy to eat either pie.
But where did this wonderful holiday originate? Well-known author/illustrator Gail Gibbons gives us the history of Thanksgiving throughout the world. The title of this enjoyable story is “Thanksgiving.”
Gibbons starts the book with a historical background of harvest feasts. In the northern hemisphere, these feasts happen in October and November, after all the crops have been brought in. For example, she shows the Chinese harvest feast in which people bake round moon cakes. The reason for this is the famous “harvest moon” which is so beautiful at that time of the year in China. Next, she writes of the Roman and Greek harvest feasts. Going through history, readers are presented with the Jewish festival of Sukkot and feasts from the Middle Ages in England. All the feasts were filled with joy and happiness.
Soon the book begins discussing the entrance of the Pilgrims into North America. Here we see these intrepid souls crossing the violent waves of the Atlantic Ocean to found a new society in Massachusetts. The unfortunate timing of their arrival and their lack of knowledge about New England lead to many of them dying during the first winter.
This tragedy also causes the Pilgrims to make important encounters with Native Americans the next year. The two most famous Native Americans assisting the Pilgrims were Squanto and Massasoit. The invaluable advice helps the Pilgrims raise crops and learn to hunt and fish. These happy events cause the first Thanksgiving. The nearby tribes and the Pilgrims celebrate a marvelous three-day feast. The food is plentiful and both groups have an enjoyable time.
By the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln decides to make the date of Thanksgiving fixed on the calendar. He chooses the last Thursday of November for the date. The current date for Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday in November, was established by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1939.
Gibbons next describes Thanksgiving symbols and decorations. Several full-page spreads of Thanksgiving dinners fill the book. It will make you long for your Thanksgiving meal. Gibbons
concludes the book by showing how much “giving” goes on during this attractive feast.
What is your favorite part of Thanksgiving? Do you like the main courses or the dessert courses better? Does your family use the term “dressing” or “stuffing?” To find out more about the delightful holiday, go to the library and check out “Thanksgiving” by Gail Gibbons.
This is a fun book. Gibbons’ drawings are simple and filled with zest. Children will be attracted to them (adults will like them as well.) Her descriptions of the food and comradery will make your mouth water and fill your heart with anticipation. I hope you get a chance to read this delightful book with the younger members of your family. After reading the book, I’m ready for the feast. You will be, too! Enjoy!
