7 Favorite Thanksgiving Homeschool Read Aloud Books

One great way to prepare for your delicious Thanksgiving feast while fostering an atmosphere of cherished memories is by reading our favorite books about Thanksgiving with our kids. When we gather together, snuggled on the sofa to read Thanksgiving stories, the holiday spirit comes alive in each of us. These stories create a shared culture, one that holds meaning for each of us. Here are our 7 Favorite Thanksgiving Homeschool Read Aloud Books.

For more book suggestions to help your kids learn about this holiday season, read these similar posts.

The True Story of the First Thanksgiving Book List for Kids Some of my favorite authors like Alice Dalgliesh and James Daugherty are in this list!

Traditional Thanksgiving Poems and Songs for Kids

Fall-Themed Copywork (Free Printable)

Video: 7 Favorite Thanksgiving Homeschool Read Aloud Books

7 Favorite Thanksgiving Homeschool Read Aloud Books

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#1 Sleep Tight, Farm: A Farm Prepares For Winter by Eugene Doyle, Illustrated by Becca Stadtlander

In this adorable book, a farm brings in the harvest and prepares for the cold winter ahead. The owners gather the root vegetables, tuck the hens in for winter, cover the strawberries and hoop house, and chop the firewood. They stock the farm stand and string the holiday lights. They put each part of the farm to bed as it prepares for the darker, colder winter days. Although the story of Thanksgiving is not mentioned, the themes of harvest and preparation for winter rest are the highlights of this story. The gorgeous illustrations in Sleep Tight, Farm gives you an idea of what it would be like to live on a farm during the bountiful harvest season.

#2 Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin

This story takes place near a cranberry bog in New England. A little girl and her grandmother prepare for the Thanksgiving meal. They gather wood for the fire and, of course, make Grandmother’s famous cranberry bread. Grandmother tells Maggie to “invite someone poor and lonely.” But she is taken aback when Mr. Whiskers shows up on Thanksgiving day as Maggie’s guest. Grandma suspects that the rough Mr. Whiskers (“too many whiskers and not enough soap!”, as Grandma describes him) might try to steal the main dish, her famous cranberry bread recipe! In a unique turn of events, Mr. Whiskers saves the day by recovering the stolen cranberry bread recipe. They finish the Thanksgiving evening by eating pumpkin pie together by the fire.

My kids love this warming story with its colorful illustrations! They ask me to read it again and again. You can even try making Grandmother’s Famous Cranberry Bread by following the recipe on the back cover of the book.

#3 Sarah Morton’s Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl by Kate Watters

This book gives a snapshot of the daily life of a pilgrim girl living in the Plimouth colony. Photographs for the book are taken from the Plymouth Plantation History Museum. You can follow Sarah (an actual pilgrim girl mentioned in several journals) through her day. Watch her tend the farm animals, get dressed, prepare Indian fry bread, tend the fire, and recite her lesson to her father. As you read this story, your kids will gain a new understanding of the hard times pilgrim children experienced in early American settlements. It just might help them express gratitude for everyday conveniences!

#4 Over the River and Through the Wood | A Thanksgiving Poem by Lydia Maria Child, Illustrated With Woodcuts by Christopher Manson

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What is Thanksgiving without reading the classic poem Over the River and Through the Wood?! I love reading this original poem to my kids every year. The end of this book includes sheet music so you can play and sing the song with your kids. This version contains six of the twelve original verses of the poem.

I especially love the woodcut illustrations of Christopher Manson. Lovely pictures of horses and sleigh, children ice-skating on a pond, snowy farm scenes, and more depict the old-world style of earlier days.

This poem is a yearly must-read!

#5 A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting, Illustrated by Diane de Groat

This is a fun book for a young reader. In this story, Mr. and Mrs. moose invite their animal friends for Thanksgiving dinner. They plan the place settings, pull out the candles, and paper pilgrims. Everything is set, but the only one missing is Mr. Turkey! To please his wife, Mr. Moose determines to find Mrs. Moose a Thanksgiving turkey.

When Mr. Turkey is found, he is frightened and hides! He doesn’t want to go anywhere for Thanksgiving! The animals drag him against his will to the home of Mr. Moose. To Turkey’s surprise, he has been invited as a guest, not as the meal. He remarks to Mrs. Moose how pleased he is to be “AT the table, and not ON the table.” Little children get a kick out of this story when they see that Turkey gets to enjoy the meal with all of his friends.

#6 Sarah Gives Thanks by Mike Allegra, Illustrated by David Gardner

This book with detailed illustrations tells the inspiring true story of Sara Josepha Hale, a widowed mother of five. After her husband’s death, she earns a living with her pen by becoming editress of a popular lady’s magazine. During this time in history, Thanksgiving was a holiday mostly celebrated in the New England states, where the Massachusetts colony originated, but Sarah thought Thanksgiving should be celebrated as a national holiday in the United States. She wrote letters to the president every year. Four presidents ignored her petitions, but the fifth president, Abraham Lincoln, listened to Sarah!

This story gives some unknown insight into the history of Thanksgiving through the decades. Additionally, it inspires young writers to persevere and make their stories known.

#7 An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Story by Louisa May Alcott

I have saved the best for last. I confess that this is my absolute favorite of all on our list!! While the other books above are picture books, this is a short story. It can be read in one sitting, but we usually take the Monday through Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day to read it in sections.

This festive story introduces readers to a New England family, the Bassetts, and their eight children, as they prepare the farm and food for Thanksgiving Day. All the food preparation is coming along nicely when suddenly bad news whisks mother and father away. The children must manage the house and cooking themselves for the important event. The day is full of old family stories, cooking blunders, and unexpected events, but mother is pleased to return to a beautiful Thanksgiving table all put together by her children.