Oh, What a Thanksgiving!

ISBN 0590448749 - Reading my way through some of the Thanksgiving books on the shelves here has given me a new appreciation for what they can be, but few of them are. Oh, What a Thanksgiving! is one of those that has a little originality, which is a big plus. David's teacher ignites David's imagination when he tells the class about the first Thanksgiving. As he goes through his day, David imagines himself in the days of the Pilgrims. He sees his house as a pilgrim cottage and imagines hunting for turkey while he and his father shop in the supermarket. David becomes convinced that Thanksgiving was better way back then, until he runs into his teacher on the holiday, who points out to him that some things don't change and people, now and then, are thankful for the same things: homes, friends, and family. With that in mind, his imagination keeps going, but David is able to celebrate Thanksgiving happily with his family. Marked for ages 6 to 9, this is a book that relies heavily on the way that illustrations and text work together and Kroll and Schindler do a nice job there. As an adult, it strikes me as silly that David is bothered that his current Thanksgiving won't be "real" because it isn't like the "first" Thanksgiving - and the first Thanksgiving is the one that isn't real! Still, the book isn't non-fiction and the target audience isn't adults, but kids - and kids will enjoy getting to actually see David's imagination run wild. For the politically correct crowd, the Indians are called Indians, not Native Americans. For the religious and non-religious, no reference is made to any god; whether you find that to be good or bad, at least you know going in! For me, this is not a great book, but it's a pretty good book with something that makes it stand out in a field of thin competition. - AnnaLovesBooks

The first Thanksgiving might have been held in a different time and setting, but the people there seemed to appreciate the same things we do today. You will enjoy this story as David visualizes his teacher's description of the first Thanksgiving as he falls deep into his own imagination. From arriving in Plymouth Harbor to hunting wild turkeys for the first Thanksgiving, David realizes the hardships of the Pilgrims, the value of sharing, and most importantly, he appreciates and gives thanks for his friends and family, home and teacher, and for just being together. These are values held by every culture, and are something to be thankful for every day! A great book to open and explore with your own immagination!