By: Sarah at the Midtown Carnegie Branch Library
Thanksgiving is one of the most anticipated meals of the year, and there are so many wonderful books about turkeys, eating and giving thanks. But there are also fascinating books about what actually took place almost 400 years ago during what many call the first Thanksgiving. How did the pilgrims actually dress? Were the Pilgrims the only people at this special harvest celebration? Did you know that the Wampanoag peoples were essential in making that first Thanksgiving a success? Books provide an easy way to start conversations about different cultures and our nation’s history.
1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving by Catherine O'Neill Grace and Margaret M. Bruchac with the Plimoth Plantation.
This beautifully illustrated book by National Geographic depicts the three days of the first Thanksgiving celebration as accurately as possible. All ages will love looking at the colorful photos that are on every page!
Mayflower: The Ship that Started a Nation by Rebecca Siegel.
This exciting new book narrates the details of that daring journey 400 years ago in the Mayflower. Illustrations fill up whole pages, and include inventories, maps, and cutaways with interesting facts. It also describes how the colonists arrival forever changed the way of life for the Wampanoag and other indigenous people.
The First Thanksgiving by Kathleen Connors.
Do you wonder what was actually served at this famous feast? Did you know that a diary entry gave us clues about this three day harvest celebration? This title offers lots of simple and direct answers about our Thanksgiving traditions past and present.
Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Chief Jake Swamp.
The words in this book are based on the Thanksgiving Address, an ancient message of peace and appreciation of Mother Earth and all her inhabitants, that are still spoken at ceremonial and governmental gatherings held by the Six Nations.
We Are Grateful : Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell.
Otsaliheliga is a Cherokee word that is used to express gratitude. Journey through the year with a Cherokee family and their tribal nation as they express thanks for celebrations big and small. A look at modern Native American life as told by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation.
To learn more about the first harvest celebration in Plymouth, start with the article, "The Real Story of Plymouth" in Explora. You will need your library card to log in to Explora to view this and other articles. Visit https://thelibrary.org/kids/homework/ and scroll down the page to access Explora and other online resources.