Best Thanksgiving Books for Elementary Kids
Holiday Stories Perfect to Read Aloud to Children Aged 4 to 9
Nov 14, 2009
Thanksgiving themed children’s books are great ways for teachers to instruct students about Thanksgiving. Elementary kids are excited about holidays and naturally motivated to hear Thanksgiving stories. Teachers can use the following books for read-alouds or as part of their reading or social studies lesson plans.
The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing
The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing [Grosset & Dunlap, 2001] is a twist on the famous Clement Moore poem “Twas the Night Before Christmas”. The story details the Thanksgiving traditions of the narrator’s family beginning with making pies on the night before Thanksgiving.
The catchy poem is full of funny anecdotes such as a turkey that goes flying across the table that will appeal to elementary age children. Teachers can use the Thanksgiving book to start a conversation with students about their family’s holiday traditions or teach students about rhyming couplets.
Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland
Margaret Sutherland’s Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks [Grosset & Dunlap, 2000] explains to kids that Thanksgiving is “the day when we give thanks for all the things that make us feel happy.” The narrator lists all of the things a child may be thankful for.
Teachers and parents can use this book as an introduction to a lesson on gratitude. After reading the story, the teacher can have the students list three things that they are thankful for this year. The students can then write their own class book modeled after Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks.
One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B. G. Hennessy
One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B. G. Hennessy [Puffin Books, 1999] is a counting book that uses a familiar children’s rhyme to introduce students to some of the historical details of Thanksgiving. Hennessy writes about the daily activities of the pilgrims and Wampanoag and gives kids a glimpse into what life was like at the time of the first Thanksgiving.
Kindergarten teachers can use One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims to teach students Thanksgiving. The book can be used as the introduction to a social studies lesson about the pilgrims, Wampanoag, and the first Thanksgiving. After reading and discussing the book, the students can make paper bag puppets to act out their new knowledge.
10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston
10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston [Cartwheel, 2004] is a light-hearted rhyming book for primary school kids. The story begins with one of the ten fat turkeys swinging from a vine until “gobble gobble wibble wobble. Whoops! There are nine.” The silly story continues in the same manner counting backwards from ten.
Teachers can use the story as a counting book for kindergarteners or as the introduction to a lesson on subtraction. After reading the story felt turkey cut-outs can be used as math manipulatives to model the concept of subtraction for primary students. Kids can then complete turkey subtraction problems during math time for extra practice.
Thanksgiving themed children’s books are useful tools for teachers and parents. After reading the stories with students teachers can use them to teach a variety of concepts including family Thanksgiving traditions, how to be thankful, the history of the first Thanksgiving, and subtraction and counting.
For more Thanksgiving themed ideas teachers can read How to Have a Classroom Thanksgiving Feast and Turkey Projects Crafts and Games for Kids.
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