This Is the Turkey [Paperback]

Abby Levine (Author), Paige Billin-Frye (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000 | Grade Level: P and up

This Thanksgiving tale begins with Max picking out a turkey at the supermarket and ends as he and his family say good-bye to all their company. What happens in between is told in the pattern of "This Is the House That Jack Built." The turkey is roasted, Max's sister kneads bread, Dad stirs the cranberries, and the guests bring all sorts of dishes. As the day progresses, Max plays with his cousins, the table is set, and so on. As his mother brings out the "crispy and golden" turkey, she trips and the mouthwatering bird goes flying into the fish tank. Still, Grandpa declares: "No turkey? No problem! I'm hungry-Let's eat!" and the diners enjoy the rest of the feast. The soft illustrations, rendered in watercolor, pencil, and ink, add humor and complement the activities in this holiday tale of food, family, and that occasional mishap that will be remembered for years to come. A perfect read-aloud.
 

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-This Thanksgiving tale begins with Max picking out a turkey at the supermarket and ends as he and his family say good-bye to all their company. What happens in between is told in the pattern of "This Is the House That Jack Built." The turkey is roasted, Max's sister kneads bread, Dad stirs the cranberries, and the guests bring all sorts of dishes. As the day progresses, Max plays with his cousins, the table is set, and so on. As his mother brings out the "crispy and golden" turkey, she trips and the mouthwatering bird goes flying into the fish tank. Still, Grandpa declares: "No turkey? No problem! I'm hungry-Let's eat!" and the diners enjoy the rest of the feast. The soft illustrations, rendered in watercolor, pencil, and ink, add humor and complement the activities in this holiday tale of food, family, and that occasional mishap that will be remembered for years to come. A perfect read-aloud.
Olga R. Barnes, Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, NC
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Ages 3-5. Max, his family, and their neighbors share a happy Thanksgiving in this appealing companion volume to This Is the Pumpkin (1997). With rhythm and rhyme reminiscent of "The House that Jack Built" but without the cumulative lines, the text radiates warmth like a kitchen stove. The words and pictures together tell what happened at Max's house: the food is prepared; the guests arrive and admire the table; and then, the roast turkey is accidentally dumped into the goldfish tank. At last, thanks are given for "home and family and friends and food." The turkey incident will have children in stitches, and its handling within the story will reassure them of what's really important on this day. The ink, pencil, and watercolor artwork mirrors the spirit of the text, while adding its own visual action, emotion, and humor. An excellent addition to Thanksgiving story hours. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807578894
• ISBN-13: 978-0807578896
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.7 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,058,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Family fun on Turkey (or not) day!, November 4, 2001

By 

S. Mannix (Central, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: This Is the Turkey (Library Binding)

I was trying to find a story about Thanksgiving that was NOT the usual, dry pilgrim & indian fare and this book filled my requirements perfectly. My 4-year-old took it to pre-k to share and I arrived just as the teacher began reading it; it was interesting enough to keep the rapt interest of fourteen 4-year-olds right up until the last page which, I think, says a lot. It begins with a little boy, Max, picking out the Thanskgiving Turkey at the market and the story goes on from there with friends and relatives arriving one-by-one, bearing traditional holiday dinner dishes.

There's a surprise near the end that could ruin the day but (and here's the "moral") the message is clear that, even when things go wrong, as long as you are with the people you love the day can still be fun. The story is written in a way that reminds me of the Mother Goose rhyme "This is the house that Jack built" but it's not excessively repetitive. I would say that children ages 3 through 7 or 8 should enjoy this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thanksgiving Delight, October 29, 2004

By 

Allison L. Shaw (Sacramento, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: This Is the Turkey (Library Binding)

Max and his family are back to celebrate Thanksgiving in a whimsical rhyme that describes the holiday preparation and activities from a child's point of view. Beginning with: "This is a turkey to shout about! And Max is the one who picked it out," the story builds with anticipation of the celebration ahead. But when the turkey ends up in the fish tank, Max is reminded how much he has to be thankful for. The rhyme is contagious with a "House that Jack Built" meter that incorporates the voices of family and friends. Watercolor, ink and pencil sketches with plenty of white space create a warm and welcoming atmosphere that makes you wish you were invited to dinner with Max on this "best Thanksgiving yet". Ages 3-6.

4.0 out of 5 stars This Is the Turkey, December 12, 2009

By 

Book loving teacher (Lansdale, PA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: This Is the Turkey (Paperback)

Thanks for the speedy delivery! Good condition, little bend on the edges. I teach 1st and 2nd grade Autistic Support and my students loved this story!