From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-Presenting the holiday from a child's point of view, the book begins the day before Thanksgiving with three poems set at school. A group of children dress as Native Americans, Pilgrims, and turkeys to provide a little historical background. Once home, preparations begin in earnest. The house and yard are tidied, family members start to arrive, and the cooking commences. Listening to grandma's stories, participating in a small-scale Thanksgiving parade, playing charades, and enjoying a good meal are all part of this family's celebration. Although the poems are primarily cheerful, a "Prayer for Others" is included as a reminder that not everyone will take part in such a plentiful feast. However, it is paired with "Thank You God for Bugs," which does detract somewhat from its serious message. Alley's illustrations make the book. Humorous touches abound, greatly enlivening the text. As the children prepare for the Thanksgiving play, their costumes are falling off, losing pieces, and tripping them up. Two birds on a branch seen through a window are adorned with an Indian headdress and a Pilgrim hat. As the play begins, the turkeys get tangled and a stray pumpkin flies off into the audience. The book ends on just the right note with a "Goodnight Prayer." Pass the pumpkin pie, dig in, and enjoy!-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Carlstrom's poems present a family's Thanksgiving, from the preholiday festivities at school to the home-centered activities of a jolly extended family. The rhyming verse, varied in form and full of good humor, takes a child's view of holiday moments, including the arrival of company, Granny's stories, charades, grace before dinner, "the quiet moment" after dinner when everyone is full and contented, and a good-night prayer. The themes of prayer and thanks recur throughout the book, giving a dimension of meaning that makes the holiday more than fun and games. Sometimes humorous, sometimes tender, the lively details in Alley's illustrations make each turn of the page a delight. The cross-hatched ink drawings washed with watercolors reflect the changing mood of the poems from one spread to the next. A pleasing addition to the growing collection of Thanksgiving books for children.
Carolyn Phelan
