Favorite Thanksgiving Books for Children...Plus Two Recipes!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year.  Not only do I love the weather and all of the smells associated with fall, but some of my best memories in elementary school were making Indian vests out of paper grocery bags, Indian headbands and Pilgrim hats.  Oh the memories.  The story of Thanksgiving and the earliest moments in American history just never get old. And the food?  Goodness gracious.  Is is just me or does anyone else daydream about the spread that was laid out on the tables in the cool, crisp New England air that day?

We've read lots of great books about Thanksgiving the last few years, but there are a few in particular that have become fam faves.

Here's our Top Six:

{Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin}

I LOVE this book!  It's a new one for us this year and I fell in love.  Grandmother and Maggie each invite someone to the cranberry farm every year to have Thanksgiving dinner with them.  Grandmother's Cranberry Bread is served {recipe below} and it is long sought after.  To their surprise one of the guests wants the recipe--and it's not who you think...

Grandmother's Famous Cranberry Bread

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup butter

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp grated orange peel

3/4 cup orange juice

1 1/2 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda into a large bowl.  Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Add egg, orange peel, and orange juice all at once; stir just until mixture is evenly moist. Fold in raisins and cranberries. 

Spoon into a greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

If you choose, you may substitute cranberries for the raisins to have an all cranberry bread.

{An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott}

She's best known for writing the popular novel Little Women, but this is another great story by Louisa May Alcott.  Such a cute and classic story.

{Squanto's Journey by Joseph Bruchac}

The illustrations in this book are absolutely beautiful.  You've probably read the story of Squanto many times, but this is written in a fresh and interesting way.

{Thanksgiving Story by by Alice Dagliesh}

This is a story of three siblings making their way to the New World on the Mayflower.  Along the way their brother, Oceanus, is born and as they arrive to their new home they are witness to many challenges that were facing those that came before them.  Love the illustrations in this book!

{The First Thanksgiving by Jean Craighead George}

Jean Craighead George is a Newberry Medalist and Thomas Locker is an exceptional illustrator.  Lots of interesting facts in this book surrounded by great storytelling.  

{Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas}

We read this every year!  Eric Metaxas is great.  If you haven't read this one yet, get it for your library.  It's a classic that deserves a place on your bookshelf!

This was the recipe to the first pecan pie I ever made.  It was so good that I just didn't feel like I ever needed to search for another recipe ever again!  I initially read the ingredients wrong and used two sticks of butter instead of two tablespoons.  Woopsie!  But it tasted so good that I was a little unwilling to let go of all the butter--but I did.  Instead of two sticks I just use one :)  

Practically Perfect Pecan Pie

3 eggs beaten well

1 cup white Karo

1 cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 stick of butter

1 cup pecans

1 tsp vanilla

Start with eggs and add as listed.  If you use chopped pecans go ahead and add those to the mix with everything else.  If you'd like to use whole pecans place in rings on top of the pie before baking.  Pour mixture into an unbaked pie crust {I like to use Pet Ritz}  Bake at 400 for 15 minutes then 350 for 40 minutes.  Check every five minutes or so--don't bake longer than 55 minutes.  If your pie crust starts getting too brown just tear strips of aluminum foil and place on the pie crust.

May our hearts and minds gravitate towards Christ this month and may an attitude to thankfulness, contentment and joy be present in our lives.  We have so much to be thankful for, friends. 

  

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!