Our family loves to read. We read several times throughout the day as a family and independently. I have older children read to younger children and younger children read to older children, all of us read together and so forth. However, I have found that we tend to get tired of reading the same thing over and over. In order to help this problem, I am developing reading list for each month. These lists may be more like a Reading Idea List. Our November Reading List is focused around Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Reading List

Click on the picture of each book to be taken to a link to purchase the book.

“The Pilgrims’ celebration of the first Thanksgiving is a keystone of America’s national and spiritual identity. But is what we’ve been taught about them or their harvest feast what actually happened? And if not, what difference does it make? Through the captivating story of the birth of this quintessentially American holiday, veteran historian Tracy McKenzie helps us to better understand the tale of America’s origins—and for Christians, to grasp the significance of this story and those like it. McKenzie avoids both idolizing and demonizing the Pilgrims, and calls us to love and learn from our flawed yet fascinating forebears.”

“Celebrate the season in this heartwarming story that references Psalm 92 in tender rhyme from award-winning author Karma Wilson. Told from the point of view of one young member of an extended family, Give Thanks to the Lord celebrates joy of all kinds”

“In England in the early 1600s, everyone was forced to join the Church of England. Young William Bradford and his friends believed they had every right to belong to whichever church they wanted. In the name of religious freedom, they fled to Holland, then sailed to America to start a new life”

“After an abundance of prayers and tears we made farewells at dockside and boarded our small ship. Our voyage across the Atlantic Ocean “began with a prosperous wind,” but the sea soon became “sharp and violent” and storms howled about us.
When the pilgrims set out for America, they brought with them a dream for the future. ”

“The official start of the harvest season, it occurs around September 21 each year. It marks the end of summer and the beginning of longer nights and shorter days. For many cultures around the world, the fall equinox represents a time to celebrate the harvest and begin collecting and storing crops.”

“1607: A New Look at Jamestown is the last word on America’s first colony. With expert appraisal of new archaeological evidence, this National Geographic title stands alone for timely authority and visual appeal.”

“Beloved author Jean Craighead George traces the passage of time from the melting of the glaciers that created Cape Cod and Plymouth Rock to the moment the Pawtuxet Indians and the Pilgrims met and feasted together. Thomas Locker’s luminous paintings give the story a glowing, timeless quality.”

“Wouldn’t it be great to be part of that famous Thanksgiving feast at Plymouth Plantation back in 1621?
Then join the Time-Traveling Twins as they sit down to an enormous FOUR-DAY feast, complete with puddings, pompions, pottages, and, of course, turkeys. Meet Squanto and the other Native Americans. Help with the harvest. Find out what it was like to be a Pilgrim.”

“Sure, 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.”

“Questions and answers about the first Thanksgiving and what it was like to live in America in the 1620’s.”

“The story of the Pilgrims is vividly retold in simple language for beginning readers.”

“Every year Grandmother invited a guest for Thanksgiving dinner and allowed Maggie to do the same. “Ask someone poor or lonely,” she always said. Thanksgiving was Grandmother’s favorite day of the year. The cooking was done and her famous cranberry bread was cooling on a wooden board. But she wasn’t happy to find out Maggie had invited the unsavory Mr. Whiskers to dinner. Would her secret cranberry bread recipe be safe with him in the house? After a long absence this delightful 1971 classic is back. So is Grandmother’s secret recipe!”

There are many more great books available to read, but obviously I can’t list every one here.

As we approach Thanksgiving and the need to plan and get organized, let’s not forget to spend time with our children reading about the history of why we stuff ourselves silly every November. Grab a few of these books from our family’s Thanksgiving Reading List. Many are available at your library or you can click on each book and purchase them. Be sure to use the book list in your The Thanksgiving Plan Book to keep your organized.