The Best Thanksgiving Books for Preschoolers
Thanksgiving is absolutely my favorite holiday of the year. I love the slower pace, the quiet November days, and the time to really just enjoy time with my family. Because it’s my favorite holiday, I REFUSE to let Thanksgiving get lost in the shuffle between Halloween and Christmas. (I’m serious about this- Thanksgiving deserves its own month and this is the hill I’m never giving up.) So to help make sure that Thanksgiving gets the attention it deserves, I’m going to be reading Thanksgiving books to my daughters all November long. So far, these are the best Thanksgiving books that I’ve found for preschoolers.
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Rhyming Thanksgiving Books for Preschoolers
Pookie’s Thanksgiving
The cututest Thanksgiving book on this list. While technically a board book, my daughters love Sandra Boynton books no matter how old they get. (Plus, the rhyming in it is great for children who are starting to become more aware of letter sounds.)
Pookie is sweet, his family is sweet, and it’s just the cutest little Thanksgiving book that’s great to read again and again.
It’s available on Amazon here.
Bear Says Thanks
The Bear books are FANTASTIC, and this one is no exception. Bear and his friends put together a Thanksgiving dinner and all share what they’re thankful for.
I’ve said it before, but these are books that BEG to be read aloud. The rhyming, the cadence, the alliterative word choices- they’re just fantastic.
It’s available on Amazon here.
Happy Thanksgiving Curious George
We LOVE the tabbed Curious George books. They’re seasonally themed and each page features a different rhyme. The Thanksgiving book follows George throughout the day as they get ready to host Thanksgiving dinner. It includes baking, making decorations, watching the parade, and sharing with friends what they’re grateful for.
It’s beautifully written and gave my daughter ideas of how she also wanted to make decorations while getting ready for Thanksgiving.
It’s available on Amazon here.
Books to Emphasize Gratitude
T is for Thankful
For your preschoolers learning their letters- alphabet primers are FANTASTIC. This book is exactly what you’d expect with each letter of the alphabet corresponding to something Thanksgiving themed.
It’s great for helping with phonetic awareness as well as also helping kids be creative in thinking about what they’re really grateful for.
It’s available on Amazon here.
Give Thanks to the Lord
From Karma Wilson (who also write the Bear books), this beautifully illustrated book references Psalm 92. A child looks at the world around him through the lens of gratitude as his family comes to visit and share Thanksgiving dinner with one another.
It is truly a great book for emphasizing the importance of gratitude.
I also absolutely love the inclusion of Psalm 92.
It’s available on Amazon here.
To Introduce the History of Thanksgiving to Preschoolers
Magic Treehouse: Thanksgiving on Thursday
Have you ever seen a preschooler set up a “First Thanksgiving” table and invite Squanto to come eat with her and all of her stuffed animal friends? Nope? Me neither- until my preschooler and I read Thanksgiving on Thursday together.
This was our first Magic Treehouse book and I wasn’t quite sure how it would go- I thought she was possibly too young for it.
HOWEVER, she absolutely loved it. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept behind Magic Treehouse books, two siblings travel through time using a magic treehouse- often with a special mission or problem to solve.
In this one, they traveled back to the first Thanksgiving. They met pilgrims and Squanto and dined with them.
Is it 100% historically accurate? Probably not– given there’s a magic treehouse involved. But it did give my almost-four-year-old a good introduction to the concept that Thanksgiving is`actually a historic event as well as a holiday. It also really piqued her interest in colonial times as well as Native American history (in November we do some preschool activities to learn more about Native American Heritage month, so this fit in well.)
For older siblings in the home, there is also a nonfiction companion to this book that dives into more details about the Pilgrims.
And I have to admit- seeing my daughter now act out “First Thanksgiving”- with Squanto and all- is highly entertaining.
It’s available on Amazon here.
More Ideas
I hope you also enjoy reading some of these Thanksgiving books for preschoolers this holiday season!
And if you’re looking for more books for preschoolers on Native Americans to include in November, check out my post below. Additionally, if you’re looking for Thanksgiving books for babies and toddlers, check out that post here.
