I like books. Especially Thanksgiving books for kids! There is something about the fall season that is just my ultimate kryptonite. My husband thinks I’m insane to love my collection of children’s books so much, but I’m not going to back down from my shelves and shelves of storybooks!
This collection of the best Thanksgiving books for kids has been collected for over 10 years! These are my ultimate favorites and many of them are Christ-centered and wonderful for Christian homeschooling families.
Here are our favorite Thanksgiving books for young readers that are sure to delight any family during this thankful time of year.
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Thanksgiving Books for Kids
Why would I consider these the ‘best’ Thanksgiving books for children? Mostly because they are my favorite books during one of my favorite holidays! But also because these are tried and tested books that I have used in preschool teaching, Kindermusik teaching, and with my own children. They have been tested and tried with multiple children who all love them.
Many in this list are board books or have the option to purchase. These can be enjoyed throughout the holiday season, or on the day of Thanksgiving. If you enjoy Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, maybe you could also have a pile of books out when the less appealing displays happen to read. Another idea would be while children wait for the Thanksgiving meal, you could have a kid’s area out with coloring pages, placemats, books, Bingo, and other fun Thanksgiving-themed items. It’s hard to wait for that Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie, so having some distractions might just be the ticket to a more calm home!
Get ready for the 12 best Thanksgiving books for kids for this fun national Holiday! Is there anything better than good children’s literature during this time of the year? These are great fall books to add to your own family traditions during the Thanksgiving holiday! Sometime in October I typically round up all our Fall and Thanksgiving books and place them in a basket for easy access during this perfect time of year.
“Over the River”
I first encountered this book as a nanny. I was hooked. I thought it was the most adorable kids’ book I had ever seen in my life. Honestly, I liked it more than my nanny girl did. The book takes the traditional song “Over the River” and follows the journey of a turkey family as they make their way to grandma’s house. As they travel a hunter and his dog are on a similar journey until they spot the turkey family. Will everyone survive on the way to Thanksgiving dinner? The little turkey is quite mischievous, which makes children giggle. One of my favorite parts is the foreshadowing that happens in the illustrations.
It’s a sweet story and a perfect way to have some laughter during the Thanksgiving season!
“The First Thanksgiving”
Looking for a good story of the first Thanksgiving. This is it!
While I was putting together this list I Marco Poloed my mom and sister to ask them if there were any books from our childhood that they remembered. Both of them instantly replied about a Thanksgiving book about pilgrims, but they couldn’t remember the name. I giggled as I recorded a Marco Polo back and showed them the very book they were thinking of. I had ‘stolen’ it from my parent’s house years prior because I had such fond memories of reading it as a child.
It’s a very informative book about the Thanksgiving story, but definitely for older children. The authors trace the journey of the Pilgrims throughout the first Thanksgiving. Complete with beautiful illustrations, it’s a memorable book through the years. As evidenced by my sister and myself remembering it years later.
This also shares the story of native people and American Indians in a respectful way
Want more delightful books for children? Check out my book reviews, pairings, and activities, all having to do with good books for kids.
“God Blesses us with Thanksgiving”
This is a lovely tabletop book to have out during the Thanksgiving season. The illustrations are gorgeous and the entire book is calming. Perfect for all ages!
“Give Thanks to the Lord”
This rhyming book is based on Psalm 92 and presents a gorgeous storyline about Thanksgiving dinner. The story is told from the point of view of a young family member as he lives out the day of Thanksgiving. There is a cozy house filled with joy, apple cider, and the delicious smells of Thanksgiving. The book ends with the family sitting down and a lovely child praying.
“God Gave us Thankful Hearts“
Join Lil Pup and a wise mama pup as they explore what it means to be grateful when life isn’t quite going the way you want. As Mama Pup puts it:
“I think the trick to having a thankful heart is thinking about the things that make us happy, rather than the things that don’t.”
Your child(ren) will learn that it is often the small things that we can be most grateful for. It also is an excellent book for learning to express gratitude to those around us.
This is a book that is a part of the God Gave Us series, which has an additional 11 books.
“The Pumpkin Patch Parable”
This farmer shares the light of Jesus as he turns a pumpkin into a bright light that brings joy! This book was written by Liz Curtis Higgs and won the Gold Medallion Award for Best Christian Book of the Year.
“10 Fat Turkeys
“
This book is just pure silliness. The wacky tale of 10 silly turkeys and their antics is sure to please many readers. Mom and Dad might even get a chuckle out of the storyline and flapping turkey illustrations. This time of the year is perfect for some laughter together!
“Bear Says Thanks!“
What I love about this book is the action that the bear takes when he realizes he is so thankful for all his friends. Instead of just saying he is thankful, he acts upon the notion. His idea is to have a grand feast. However, his cupboards are bare. With some teamwork from all his friends, they gather for a thankful feast. It’s a delightful tale!
This book has simple text and is easy for children to comprehend.
“Berenstain Bears Thanksgiving Stories“
Join one of the most beloved families in storybook literature as they discover what being grateful means. This book contains the two Thanksgiving stories from the Berenstain Bears. It includes Give Thanks and Harvest Festival. Both are a great way to teach about the first Thanksgiving and the blessings that come with being grateful.
“P is for Pumpkin“
Join in discovering God’s harvest blessing and all that children have to be thankful for. This is a perfect book to add to your fall season. The book goes through the alphabet while celebrating and praising God for all his blessings. The illustrations are adorable and honestly remind me a bit of Charlie Brown!
Young children will specifically delight in this book!
“I Will Rejoice“
Based on Psalm 118:24, this lovely book strives to teach us how to rejoice in everything that God has created. There are beautiful illustrations and a rhyming poem that children will love!
I love how joyful the little girl is in this book!
“Why Do We Say Thank You?“
Join in discovering God’s harvest blessing and all that children have to be thankful for. This is a perfect book to add to your fall season. The book goes through the alphabet while celebrating and praising God for all his blessings. The illustrations are adorable and honestly remind me a bit of Charlie Brown!
There are many activities that could go together with this book, including these gratitude pumpkins.
Honorable Mentions:
There are so many other great books for Thanksgiving. Here are a couple of others that you may enjoy.
If your family is old enough to appreciate a family drama, I highly recommend Focus on the Family The Legend of Squanto. You can also get the MP3 here. You will find that this is an excellent way to tell the story of Thanksgiving to your children.
Personal Favorites
One of the reasons I like this list of Thanksgiving books is because they prepare us a bit before the Christmas holiday season. Focusing on gratitude in the midst of a ‘give me’ season. We personally love the pumpkin parable as it points us not just to gratitude, but also to Christ. I also love the book Why Do We Say Thank You? because of its practical nature.
What do you think of my Thanksgiving book list? Have I forgotten your favorite Thanksgiving books? I’d love to know which one your children like. Comment below or catch me over on Facebook or Instagram. Looking to continue this holiday season with some Christian Christmas Books, grab my favorite list here!
We have many other Thanksgiving posts and activities for kids at Healing Home. Check out some of our favorites.
- Gratitude Pumpkins with printables
- 5 Easy Ways to Practice Gratitude with Your Family
- Includes gratitude Bible Verse Cards
- Includes gratitude coloring pages (completely free download!)
- Thanksgiving Name Placecards
- The Pumpkin Prayer
- The Ultimate Thanksgiving Planner
FREE Printable Coloring Thanksgiving Placemats
The Free Thanksgiving Planner Printable
10 Christian Thanksgiving Crafts for Toddlers
A Gratitude Tree Printable
Don’t forget to Pin for later!
