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Overview
Every year on the fourth Thursday of November, Americans celebrate with a Thanksgiving meal. But what is the origin of this tradition? Did it really begin when the Pilgrims and Native Americans got together in 1621 in Plymouth,Massachusetts?
In her signature narrative nonfiction style, Penny Colman paints a fascinating picture of this cherished American holiday. She examines numerous Thanksgiving claims which were antecedents to the national holiday we celebrate today, raises the turkey question—does everyone eat turkey on Thanksgiving?—and shows Sarah Josepha Hale’s instrumental role in establishing the holiday. Get ready to delve into the rich past of Thanksgiving in an enlightening history that uncovers the true story.
Thanksgiving is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Synopsis
Describes the history and activities of the American holiday of Thanksgiving Day.
Examines numerous competing claims for the first Thanksgiving, including the traditional story of the feast shared by the Pilgrims and Native Americans in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Paints a fascinating picture of the holiday and its changing meanings throughout American history.
VOYA
The inspiration for this book emerged from a class Colman taught in which she discovered different claims to the origins of her favorite holiday. Historically there are twelve competing claims for the first Thanksgiving celebration. Colman relates the significance of each claim, debating the educational view of Thanksgiving as the "Pilgrim and Indian" story. Colman also explains the role of Sarah Joespha Hale in the establishment of a national Thanksgiving holiday in November. She looks into the holiday's idealism and traditions, the cooking and chores, charity, football, parades, and games throughout American history. Looking at the evolution of the holiday can help determine the historical ties to its creation. This resource takes the idealism surrounding Thanksgiving into account while trying to discover its origin. Colman created a survey to determine people's knowledge, thoughts, and traditions based on Thanksgiving and then uses historical evidence to understand the shift in perception. The clean layout makes it easy to read, and the abundance of pictures allows the readers to follow the historical changes of the holiday. Colman blends factual evidence with the results from the surveys in each chapter leaving the reader to determine the truth. Reviewer: Jennifer Rummel
Editorials
Children's Literature -
Very rarely do we find books written about a holiday for readers too old for picture books, yet not quite ready for imposing tomes. This work is a welcome exception, and one that could easily find its way into a school curriculum. Colman has studied the Thanksgiving holiday, trying to present the true reason for the occasion. The Thanksgiving we celebrate today on the fourth Thursday in November has only been a national observance since 1941. Prior to that, it was celebrated on other dates, and at the discretion of the President of the United States or state governor. Other events, such as a thanksgiving celebration in the Texas panhandle in 1541, a celebration for French settlers in Florida in 1564, and a feast with settlers and Abenaki Indians in Maine in 1607, all have a place documenting a separate day of thanks. The traditional Thanksgiving we know began as a glimmer of hope for a magazine editor wishing the entire nation would stop and enjoy a day of reflection and thankfulness. Sarah Josepha Hale is primarily responsible for the holiday and its inclusion in American history, though it was not an easy effort. Her story is told here and is well documented. What about the pilgrim and Indian version of the story? Is that true? It could be, though it is probably not likely. Colman has done her research and presented how schools have perpetuated this story and many believe it as truth. A good classroom discussion is likely after reading this book, reflecting on the students' beliefs, traditions, what they like most—or least—about the holiday, their perceptions of how it originated, as this book lends itself to follow-up sessions. Colman's writing style is much different thantextbooks and other works of nonfiction. Her narrative style is reminiscent of a college master's thesis and, at times, defeats the authenticity of her message. Following the text are ample notes and a handy chronology of events leading to the modern Thanksgiving: shopping, football, and all. Reviewer: Elizabeth YoungVOYA -
The inspiration for this book emerged from a class Colman taught in which she discovered different claims to the origins of her favorite holiday. Historically there are twelve competing claims for the first Thanksgiving celebration. Colman relates the significance of each claim, debating the educational view of Thanksgiving as the "Pilgrim and Indian" story. Colman also explains the role of Sarah Joespha Hale in the establishment of a national Thanksgiving holiday in November. She looks into the holiday's idealism and traditions, the cooking and chores, charity, football, parades, and games throughout American history. Looking at the evolution of the holiday can help determine the historical ties to its creation. This resource takes the idealism surrounding Thanksgiving into account while trying to discover its origin. Colman created a survey to determine people's knowledge, thoughts, and traditions based on Thanksgiving and then uses historical evidence to understand the shift in perception. The clean layout makes it easy to read, and the abundance of pictures allows the readers to follow the historical changes of the holiday. Colman blends factual evidence with the results from the surveys in each chapter leaving the reader to determine the truth. Reviewer: Jennifer RummelVOYA
Although the history of the first Thanksgiving in America is uncertain, Colman spends the first two chapters discussing the various claims to the first occurance and the traditions of harvest festivals and declarations of thanksgiving days. Included are Sarah Josepha Hale's letters to United States presidents requesting an official national holiday of Thanksgiving and a chapter devoted to the popular Pilgrim and Indian story. Colman mentions little-known facts about Thanksgiving as well - the ragamuffins who begged for fruit in the streets of New York City and the Fantastical parade of wild, costumed men that occurred in the late 1700s and 1800s. Colman writes this nonfiction book in first person, similar to her bestseller Corpses, Coffins and Crypts: A History of Burial (Henry Holt, 1997). Her own personal comments about how Thanksgiving is celebrated in her home and details about her research process makes the book friendly to the reader. The book reads easily and quickly, and the illustrations and photographs of Thanksgivings of the past are fascinating. The appendix provides a chronology, detailed notes, and sources that include many primary sources and Web sites. Pair this with the picture book Thank You, Sarah: the Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson (Aladdin/S & S, 1997) during Thanksgiving week to encourage discussion of Thanksgiving traditions and history revision. Reviewer: Sarah HillSchool Library Journal
Gr 5-9
In an effort to discover the real story of Thanksgiving, or rather the true first Thanksgiving, Colman conducted research that included firsthand accounts, proclamations, magazine and newspaper articles, museum exhibits, and interviews. The first section of the book discusses the history of the holiday and its various observations; the second half describes the traditions that have evolved around it. The writing is clear and readable, and a number of the black-and-white photos and reproductions enliven the text. This title is similar to Laurie Hillstrom's The Thanksgiving Book (Omnigraphics, 2007), which contains even more primary sources. Colman's title should be considered as an additional purchase where there is a strong need for books about the holiday.-Geneva Reeder, Lower Dauphin Middle School, Hummelstown, PA