Duck for Turkey Day [Hardcover]

Jacqueline Jules (Author), Kathryn Mitter (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009 | Grade Level: 1 and up

It's almost Thanksgiving, and Tuyet is excited about the holiday and the vacation from school. There's just one problem: her Vietnamese American family is having duck for Thanksgiving dinner - not turkey! Nobody has duck for Thanksgiving - what will her teacher and the other kids think? To her surprise, Tuyet enjoys her yummy thanksgiving dinner anyhow - and an even bigger surprise is waiting for her at school on Monday. Dinners from roast beef to lamb to enchiladas adorned the Thanksgiving tables of her classmates, but they all had something in common - family! Kids from families with different traditions will enjoy this warm story about "the right way" to celebrate an American holiday.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1–3—In school, Tuyet constructs a pinecone turkey and learns about Thanksgiving. At home, the child is dismayed because her mother is serving a family recipe from Vietnam of duck with spicy sauce instead of a traditional dinner. She counts her money to see if she has enough to buy a turkey, and then learns that the Saigon Supermarket where they shop does not sell it. Tuyet sets her pinecone creation beside her plate, so there will be a turkey on the Thanksgiving table. She enjoys a wonderful dinner "with lots of good food and family fun" and even has seconds of the delicious duck. Her worries return when she has to admit to her class that she did not eat turkey for the holiday. To her surprise, her classmates chime in with the alternative dishes they had on their tables. This sweet tale is written in straightforward prose and provides a brief glimpse of another culture. Mitter's bright illustrations accented with cozy details draw readers into Tuyet's happy home and enhance the story's heartwarming message.—Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA
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From the Inside Flap

Tuyet is upset when she finds her Vietnamese family is having duck instead of turkey for Thanksgiving, but she feels better when she finds some of her classmates also will not have turkey.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807517348
• ISBN-13: 978-0807517345
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #280,495 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #45 in Books > Children's Books > Holidays & Celebrations > Thanksgiving
  • #100 in Books > Children's Books > Travel & Cultures > Multicultural Stories > Asian & Asian American

More About the Author

Jacqueline Jules is an author, teacher, librarian, and poet. Her books for children include Zapato Power, Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation, No English, Sarah Laughs, and Duck for Turkey Day. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including Christian Science Monitor, America, Cicada, Highlights for Children, and Spider. She is a strong advocate for literacy and education. Please visit her at http://www.jacquelinejules.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, November 28, 2009

By 

pghschooltexts - See all my reviews

This review is from: Duck for Turkey Day (Hardcover)

This book is simply wonderful. The words and pictures are both beautiful and work so well together to create a memorable, well-told story. As a young girl, Tuyet, and her classmates prepare for Thanksgiving, she worries because her family's tradition is to eat duck, not turkey. She enjoys her Thanksgiving with her family, but when it is time to talk about Thanksgiving again in school the next week, she is ashamed to say that they had duck. Then she discovers that many students in her class also had other meals instead of turkey, like enchiladas, noodles and chicken, and roast beef. She then embraces her family's unique tradition and the true meaning of Thanksgiving - celebrating with one's family and being thankful. The story is a perfect length and is easy to follow, yet it is also thought-provoking. It is a delightful, multicultural story about different traditions in America. I highly recommend it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A soon-to-be classic for Thanksgiving, February 25, 2010

By 

Wendy W. Shang "dragonfly97" (Falls Church, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Duck for Turkey Day (Hardcover)

If you have, like me, plowed through literally dozens of Thanksgiving picture books looking for something fresh and original, you'll know that Duck for Turkey Day is an absolute gem. The reader follows Tuyet's struggle to reconcile what she thinks are proper Thanksgiving customs with her Vietnamese background. What she finds is that everyone has a unique take on Thanksgiving, and there is no one "right" way to celebrate. Vibrant illustrations complete a very satisfying story.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stories for Children Magazine 5 Star Review, October 25, 2009

By 

Virginia S. Grenier "Children's Author & Stor... (Ivins, Utah USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Duck for Turkey Day (Hardcover)

A wonderful little story with kid-friendly illustrations makes this book a good read for your children. Tuyet is a little girl of Vietnamese descent who learns all about Thanksgiving Day in her classroom. The students make a turkey craft, sing songs about turkeys, and learn all about the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. Tuyet thinks that Thanksgiving Day is all about eating a turkey dinner.

Tuyet tells her mother they have to have a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Mom says no, they will be having a duck for dinner. Tuyet's grandmother arrives from New York. Tuyet explains to her grandmother that they are having duck instead of turkey. Grandma proudly tells Tuyet that they are using her recipe from Vietnam for duck and that their family likes duck better than turkey.

Tuyet is so upset about having duck instead of turkey that she goes to her room to count her money. She decides to buy a turkey at the market if she has enough money.

Does Tuyet have enough money to purchase the turkey? What kind of meal does Tuyet have for Thanksgiving dinner? What do you think she tells her classmates and teacher when she returns to school? You'll just have to read this darling story to find out what happens to Tuyet's Thanksgiving dinner and discover the true lesson she learns about Thanksgiving from her family, teacher, and classmates. This little gem of a book is a keeper. Your child will want to read it over and over!