Published by Beach Lane Books

Summary:  “We give thanks for mittens and for coats and boots and hats.  We give thanks for yellow dogs and yellow kitty cats.”  A frog and a rabbit show their gratitude for different aspects of their lives, like food, family, and nature.  They travel around their neighborhood, then end up back at home where they prepare a feast as friends and relatives start to arrive.  “Bless our nights and bless our days and bless all those we meet.  We give thanks for everything, and now…it’s time to EAT!”  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  With many of those Pilgrim and Indian Thanksgiving books feeling more problematic each year, I am thankful for books like these that focus on gratitude and make perfect Thanksgiving read-alouds.  Cynthia Rylant’s rhyme is bouncy and fun, and Sergio Ruzzier (who is quickly becoming one of my favorite illustrators) has done an outstanding job creating an animal world to complement the text.

Cons:  The Thanksgiving feast seems to be a little light on vegetables (although some may consider that a pro, not a con).