Can you smell that pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg? Thanksgiving is in the air! It’s time to fill your classroom shelves with the best picture books for Thanksgiving! Let’s bring the spirit of gratitude into our day with these great Thanksgiving books!
12 of the Best Picture Books You Need for Thanksgivng:
This nonfiction book is perfect for teaching little learners about thankfulness this Thanksgiving. It features photos of children and something they are thankful for. I like it because it gives children ideas of things they are blessed to have in their lives, and it makes a wonderful Thanksgiving-themed picture book to introduce gratitude classroom activities.
2. Five Silly Turkeys by Salina Yoon
This cute book is a bit of fun! It will make your students giggle while reading about five turkeys and the silly things they like to do. This is one of the best picture books to incorporate math skills into your reading time. It focuses on counting, which is just right for your preschool class.
3. Thank You, Thanksgiving by David Milgrim
What are you thankful for on Thanksgiving? This little girl is so grateful for her warm boots, the song the birds are singing, and so much more. When she returns from her errand, her family shows her how thankful they are for her. This is an excellent Thanksgiving-themed book for preschoolers and young students to be aware of all the things around them that they can be thankful for. This book leads perfectly into a classroom discussion around all we have to be thankful for in our lives.
- 4. Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson
Bear wants to have dinner with his friends, but his cupboards are bare! What will he make for dinner? Little learners will love reading to see what special surprise Bear has for his friends. This is a great Thanksgiving-themed picture book to read to share how some people may celebrate Thanksgiving.
5. The Thankful Book by Todd Parr
I am a huge fan of Todd Parr and this book does not disappoint! It is the best picture book for teaching kids about being aware of all the special moments and simple things that they should be thankful for. Todd Parr uses playfulness and sensitivity to teach kids these essential concepts.
6. Thankful by Eileen Spinelli
Thankful is a great Thanksgiving book to read out loud since it features rhyming text that will keep your little learners engaged and wanting to hear more. This is the best picture book to teach children about being thankful for essential workers, some they may not even be aware of. How about encouraging the children to draw a special picture or write a thank you note to someone in the community that helps us?
- 7. Just So Thankful by Mercer Mayer
Little Critter and his family ask, “What are you thankful for on Thanksgiving?” This book is excellent to teach thankfulness and not focusing on what others have that we may want. Little Critter wants some of his new friend’s things, but he soon realizes that he should be more thankful for his family!
8. Bear Says “Thank You” by Michael Dahl
I love this book for sharing about manners. Little Bear needs lots of help from Mama Bear to complete his big project, and he doesn’t forget to thank her along the way. I think it is one of the best picture books to encourage using manners in the classrooms.
- 9. How to Catch a Turkey by Adam Wallace
This is such a fun Thanksgiving book to read! Your preschool students will love seeing all the silly ways the students try to catch the turkey that is loose in the school. I like to use this book before introducing a STEM project for creating their own turkey trap.
10. Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano
Turkey seems to be in a bit of trouble! The farmer wants to eat him for Thanksgiving, but turkey tries changing what he looks like to fool him. Your students will delight in this Thanksgiving-themed book for preschoolers; it is funny, and your class will love seeing what Turkey has planned next!
11. Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White
Oh no! Rebecca has too many pumpkins, and she can’t stand them! Read about how Rebecca uses all her pumpkins to bring happiness to others. Your preschool students will love reading about how she creatively uses the pumpkins to make things for others.
12. Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland
Thanksgiving is all about turkeys and pilgrims, right? Not quite! I like to focus on gratitude and thankfulness. This great Thanksgiving book is perfect for teaching students about those things.
Need more ideas for teaching gratitude? Check out this blog post 4 Thanksgiving Theme Preschool Activities that Teach Gratitude in the Classroom! It has ideas tailored to little learners that will be so much fun to incorporate this Thanksgiving time.
I hope these 12 Thanksgiving-themed picture books are loved in your classroom as much as mine! They were picked with preschoolers in mind and are some of the best picture books for teaching thankfulness and gratitude this Thanksgiving season.
One last thing before you go, click on the picture below to receive my Kindness Scenario Cards FREEBIE. So useful for getting your young learners thinking and talking about how they can sprinkle kindness into any situation.
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Sara