The Thanksgiving Story (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Helen Sewell (Illustrator) "It was a summer day in England..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Dagliesh and Sewell received praise for the clarity and immediacy of their picture book, a hit of the season in 1954. Today's children, beginners and advanced readers, will value the story about one family's first Thanksgiving in the Plymouth Colony, strikingly present in stylized, naive pictures like colored etchings. Giles, Constance and Damaris Hopkins are aboard the Mayflower, overcrowded when the Speedwell turns back to England. On the journey, the children's baby brother is born and named Oceanus; he will be one of the smallest in the company of settlers who endure the terrible first year in the New World and gather to celebrate the harvest the next November. The story ends with the great feast to which the colonists invited the Indian chief Massasoit, Squanto and their people who had helped the strangers survive hunger, cold and sickness.
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description

"A well written, easy-to-read, interesting picture-story of the voyage of the Mayflower to the New World, the settlement at Plymouth, and the celebration of the first Thanksgiving Day."--Library Journal.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (August 31, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684189992
• ISBN-13: 978-0684189994
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,223,439 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Thanksgiving Story, September 30, 2000

By A Customer

Wonderful easy to read chapter book dealing with everything from the Mayflower and Speedwell to Squanto in a very realistic, historical manner. As a first grade teacher, I have found this book to be both interesting for young readers as well as informative. It differs than other "Thanksgiving" books in that although it is most sympathetic to the abilities of the reader, it provides a very compassionate, "adult" look into our history. It is much more than just a "pilgrims, Mayflower, Indians and turkey" story book! It is an excellent resource for the home and the classroom!END

36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally! A THANKSgiving book...., September 30, 2004

By	HSing mom with two blessings "just starting t... (New England area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Thanksgiving Story (Paperback)

I was just at a huge retail bookseller yesterday looking at Thanksgiving books that I could read to my homeschooled Kindergartener. There is a large selelction of bland books about thanksgiving. The wise child will say, "But, WHO are we thanking?" after reading most of those books. THIS book answers that question...GOD! Yes, while it seems politically incorrect, the truth is that the first settlers to our country WERE religious pilgrims, seeking a safe haven from religious persecution. This book is a gem in a PC sea of bland, corny thanksgiving day books for children. Children will enjoy the simple story; those just getting into chapter books will enjoy feeling successful reading a 'big kid' chapter book; and they will enjoy seeing how God blesses the faithful when they endure through trying times and complete hard work. This is a great book that your early elementary aged children will enjoy and can become a traditional read aloud for your family on the holiday!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great history simply told., November 29, 2008

By	K. Childs (Rochester, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Thanksgiving Story (Paperback)

This is an excellent "history book" for listeners as young as first grade, maybe even Kindergarten if the child is accustomed to chapter books. It tells the story of the arrival of the Pilgrims, and the times leading up to the first Thanksgiving. There are five chapters, and illustrations on most pages. The story is told in a manner that is full of historical detail, and yet also delightfully simple. We follow three Pilgrim children--Giles, Constance, and Damaris Hopkins--and read of their experiences travelling on the Mayflower, building a settlement in New Plymouth, first being afraid of and then befriending some Indians, and finally sharing a feast together, each thanking God in their own way. This would be a great family read for Thanksgiving Day, or leading up to it.