This First Thanksgiving Day

Dear Readers,

Two years ago, I recommended to my young friends a story entitled This First Thanksgiving Day by Laura Krauss Melmed and Mark Buehner (c. 2001).  Well, I stand corrected!  My elementary friends have quite enjoyed this Thanksgiving story too!

Revisit my previous post here.  Then consider letting the older readers read it to their younger siblings.  And while the younger siblings look for the hidden turkey on each two-page spread, have the older siblings look for that quirky dinosaur on various spreads (we're still not sure just how many).  While the younger siblings count the people on each spread, have the older siblings practice their addition by finding and then adding the various animals (squirrels, rabbits, fish, birds, geese, chickens, etc.) on each spread.  Either way, enjoy the fun activities while celebrating Thanksgiving!

Parents, this would be a great book to check out before that long car trip or while you're trying to get dinner on the table but the Macy's Day Parade ended hours ago.

A is for Autumn

Welcome autumn with Robert Maass' A is for Autumn (c.2011), a photographic alphabet salute to one of the year's most delightful seasons.  This title is great for preschoolers and great for early readers.  And the photographs make it an overall "feel good" kind of book, perfect for the change of season.

a Pumpkin Moonshine update:

Even though Halloween has passed.  I just have to share this sweet little book by Tasha Tudor with you once again.  You know, we all need our memories refreshed from time to time.  And this little book remains an old friend.  Just as good friends don't neglect each other, the dust jacket of Pumpkin Moonshine (c. 1938, renewed 1966) evidences love worn as its story becomes a familiar one.  I don't think of it so much as a Halloween story as a late fall, November story. AND it's still in print!

So begins Tudor's charm: 

Sylvie Ann was visiting her Grandmummy in Connecticut.  It was Hallowe'en and Sylvie wanted to make a Pumpkin Moonshine, so she put on her bonnet and started out for the cornfield to find the very finest and largest pumpkin.

When they reached the field, Sylvie looked among the shocks of corn for the very fattest pumpkin.  Way across the field she found such a fine one!

Be sure to check out this delightful tale to discover what happens between the previous illustration and the following illustration.  Of course, you'll want to read the ending too!

But worst of all it bumped right into Mr. Hemmelskamp who was carrying a pail full of whitewash!

Harvest Home

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Harvest Home

by Arthur Guiterman

                   The maples flare among the spruces,
                   The bursting foxgrape spills its juices,
                   The gentians lift their sapphire fringes
                   On roadways rich with golden tenges,
                   The waddling woodchucks fill their hampers,
                   The deer mouse runs, the chipmunk scampers,
                   The squirrels scurry, never stopping,
                   For all they hear is apples dropping
                   And walnuts plumping fast and faster;
                   The bee weighs down the purple aster --
                   Yes, hive your honey, little hummer,
                   The woods are waving, "Farewell, Summer."

The Fox went out on a chilly night

A perfect read for this time of year especially, Peter Spier brings this folk song to life in his Caldecott Honor book THE FOX went out on a chilly night (c. 1961).  It's a circle of life song not at all for the fainthearted.

After the lively, amusing reading, I recommend listening to Nickel Creek's adaption.  You won't at all be disappointed!

Debra and Jessica, this one is especially dedicated to your families, with love!  I can't listen to this song (or read this book) without thinking of "Mimi" singing it to her children and then her grandchildren, as well as her Shanghai and Horizon audiences.

The fox went out on a chilly night,
And he prayed to the moon to give him light,
For he'd many a mile to go that night
Before he reached the town-o, town-o, town-o,
For he'd many a mile to go that night
Before he reached the town-o.

He ran 'til he came to the farmer's bin,
Where the ducks and the geese were kept therein
"A couple of you will grease my chin
Before I leave this town-o, town-o, town-o
A couple of you will grease my chin
Before I leave this town-o."

He grabbed a grey goose by the neck,
Then he swung a little one over his back
And he didn't mind their quack, quack, quack
Or their legs all dangling down-o, down-o, down-o
He didn't mind the quack, quack, quack
Or their legs all dangling down-o.

Old Mother Giggle-Gaggle jumped out of bed
Out of the window she popped her head
Crying, "John, John, the grey goose is gone
And the fox is on the town-o, town-o, town-o
Crying, "John, John the grey goose is gone
And the fox is on the town-o.

So John, he ran to the top of the hill,
Blew his horn both loud and shrill;
The fox, he said, "I better go on with my kill
Or they'll soon be on my tail-o, tail-o, tail-o."
The fox, he said, "I better go on with my kill
Or they'll soon be on my trail-o."

He ran till he came to his nice warm den
There were the little ones eight, nine, ten
Saying, "Daddy, Daddy, better go back again
For it must be a mighty fine town-o, town-o, town-o."
Saying, "Daddy, Daddy, better go back again for it
Must be a mighty fine town-o."

Then the fox and his wife, without any strife
Cut-up the goose with a fork and a knife
They never had such a supper in their life
And the little ones chewed on the bones-o, bones-o, bones-o.
They never had such a supper in their life
And the little ones chewed on the bones-o.

Apples and Pumpkins

Wow!  Lizzy and Anne Rockwell's Apples and Pumpkins, one of our favorite fall books, received an update.  Take a look at the 1989  cover:

And compare it to the new 2011 cover:

Here's the publishers description:
In Apples and Pumpkins, a little girl spends a glorious fall day picking apples and searching for the perfect pumpkin. This classic story and perennial backlist favorite has delighted audiences for more than twenty-five years, and now it’s been revitalized to reach a new generation of readers. Featuring a new cover and an updated interior with rescanned artwork and reset text, this edition is both familiar and fresh—just like a fall day.

Yep, I knew we had good taste around here.  :)

Tops & Bottoms

What happens when you mix a clever, determined Hare and a lazy, slothful Bear?  A topsy turvy tale!  As the publisher says:
With roots in European folktales and the slave stories of the American South, Tops & Bottoms celebrates the trickster tradition of beating hardship by using one's wits.  And an acre of hilarity tops it all off!

Author and illustrator Janet Stevens masters the art of storytelling while exploring the artistic frontiers of childrens' book illustration.  Stevens executes her illustrations by using watercolor, colored pencils, and gesso on paper made by hand by Ray Tomasso.  In addition to the clever tale, the kids especially delighted in the way the story opens vertically, top to bottom.

So, hop on over to your local library to check out Tops & Bottoms (c. 1995), the perfect harvest time read.

Thanksgiving Is Here!

Diane Goode remains one of my favorite children's book illustrators.  My grandmother first introduced me to her one Christmas by giving me Pinocchio, and now my children enjoy that time-worn copy.  Goode's illustrations are filled with whimsy, humor, and life.

If you haven't read Thanksgiving Is Here!, you must check out a copy before everyone else grabs them up! 

Just like Tasha Tudor's Pumpkin Moonshine is my favorite pumpkin story, Goode's Thanksgiving Is Here! is my favorite Thanksgiving story.  She faithfully captures the commotion of family and friends reuniting at Grandma and Grandpa's Thanksgiving table.  It seems that Goode catalogues my personal Thanksgiving memories: Grandma's early rush into the kitchen to put the turkey in the oven, the long extended table with mismatched chairs, the post-feast naps or walks, and the long anticipated pumpkin pie.  Goode's "pen-and-ink drawings with a watercolor wash" present many surprises!  Look for the hidden stories her illustrations hold, just to name a few: the mysterious gift, "whose dog is that?", and Great-grandma's knitted present.  I guarantee that your family will enjoy Thanksgiving Is Here!


Note: Goode collaborated with Cynthia Rylant a few times to readers' delight.  I will feature those two books, Christmas in the Country and When I Was Young in the Mountains, later on.

The Very First Thanksgiving Day

The Very First Thanksgiving Day by Rhonda Gowler Greene with paintings done by Susan Gaber (copyright 2002) was quite a hit with the kids!  The story follows a rhythm comparable to "This is the House that Jack Built" with its own clever rhymes.  Greene begins her story in the classical literary technique in medias res ("in the middle of things") with "This is the very first Thanksgiving day" and builds her story backward to England and then again forward to the first feast, making this version a unique approach in retelling the Thanksgiving story.

Once again, I have been stunned by the artwork!  I could just sit and look at this book again and again!  Gaber does a beautiful job of depicting the brilliant colors of the Pilgrims' natural-dyed clothing.  And your kids will delight in the frequent images of children throughout Gaber's illustrations.  Have your children search for the Pilgrim and Wampanoag dolls throughout the story and discover the themes of thanksgiving and sharing through visual representation.  Don't miss the author and illustrator's notes at the beginning for fascinating background information.

The Pilgrims of Plimoth

I especially enjoyed reading The Pilgrims of Plimoth written and illustrated by Marcia Sewall (copyright 1986).  What I particularly like about this book is that the language rings true to the time period (complete with a thirty-seven word glossary in the back).  Sewall dedicates her book to "The Pilgrim Village Interpreters, whose great spirit gives life to our Plimoth pilgrims" and captures that living history feel in her text.  It "sounds" like an oral history recitation, making it a pleasure to read aloud. Meanwhile, Sewall's illuminated paintings further bring her text to life.

What's unique about Sewall's book is that she gives a detailed account of life after the Thanksgiving feast.  She chronicles the events from the Mayflower's voyage to the growth of "Plimoth" Plantation through the following sequential points of view: The Pilgrims, the Menfolk, the Womenfolk, the Children and Youngfolk ("of survivors . . . over half were children"), and The Plantation.

N.C.Wyeth's Pilgrims

What a treat!!!  In N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims, acclaimed children's author Robert San Souci takes Newell Convers Wyeth's series of murals originally created for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in New York and gives them a voice with his thoroughly researched text (text copyright 1991 and illustrations copyright 1945).  Souci's succinct yet detailed account presents a thorough summary of events from the excellent contrast between the Pilgrims and the "strangers" to a factual synopsis of life in the village after the feast.

Wyeth's twelve paintings, although not entirely historically accurate, provide a visual feast.  For those of you unfamiliar with N.C. Wyeth, he is father to Andrew Wyeth and to a lineage of talented American artists.  Here's a website to quickly view some of his most recognizable children's book illustrations: click here.  And last, but certainly not least, the book's endpapers supplies a copy of the Mayflower's original passenger list, furnishing a fascinating historical read.

A Pilgrim father shows his son how to shuck corn.

The Thanksgiving Story

The Thanksgiving Story written by Alice Dalgliesh and illustrated by Helen Sewell received the 1955 Caldecott Honor, making this the earliest Thanksgiving book that I'll feature.  What I like best about this book is that Dalgliesh personalizes the Thanksgiving account by telling the story of Giles, Constance, Damaris, and little Oceanus who was born at sea. Through her simple text we learn about the day-to-day activities that the Hopkins family experiences through surviving, planting, harvesting, and feasting.  This is  shorter than Weisgard's version, allowing the little ones to follow it more easily. 

The Plymouth Thanksgiving

Hello, readers!  Now we're getting into the books telling about the Pilgrims journey from England to the New World, their grueling winter, the Wampnoag tribe's critical help during the planting season, and the celebration of the very first Thanksgiving feast.  Over the course of the next few days, I'm going to acquaint you with a handful of my top picks (after examining many choices) that introduce this story.  In each book, I learned something new about the Pilgrims' journey which became the exciting part of this process.  Of course, each story-teller and illustrator communicates their version of Thanksgiving story differently, so hopefully you'll find one version that's best suited for each of your children.


Today, we're going to take a look at illustrator Leonard Weisgard (1916-2000).  Weisgard won the Caldecott Medal in 1947 for his illustrations of The Little Island, and you can read more about him in this short biography.  Weisgard wrote and illustrated The Plymouth Thanksgiving (copyright in 1967), striving to attended to detail and accuracy by using William Bradford's diary and by spending extensive time and research at Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Weisgard is best known for his illustrations, and this is no exception (I've included two different cover illustrations).  The kids especially liked being able to see the detail of the Mayflower interior.  Personally, I was gripped by the listing of all the passengers on the Mayflower, which made the story come alive for me (and made the fact that only half survived all the more startling).

This First Thanksgiving Day

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to feature a few Thanksgiving books so you'll have time to check them out before Thanksgiving day.

One of the stories that the kids have wanted read to them over and over again is This First Thanksgiving Day: A Counting Story by Laura Krauss Melmed and illustrated by Mark Buehner.  They're taken with Buehner's bright, artful illustrations, jammed packed with "I spy" elements of squirrels, rabbits, and other creatures.  As Melmed writes the text in twelve poems, she highlights the day-to-day harvesting activities from the children's points of view.  Then Buehner ends with a beautiful scene of the two villages eating the first Thanksgiving feast together.

This story provides many fun teaching elements too! 

• Since this is a counting story, practice counting the participants in each page as they ready for the very first Thanksgiving. 
• Listen for the rhyme in the second and fourth lines. 
• Have your children find the hidden turkey in each page. 

 Note: For children unfamiliar with the Thanksgiving story, I'd recommend begining with a book that gives a more comprehensive account of how the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims came together to share a bountiful harvest before I'd begin with this book (and I'll be featuring some of those  recommendations later this week).  Also, this particular story is better suited for the kindergarten and toddler ages.

Pumpkin Pumpkin

My mom introduced me to this beautifully illustrated book by Jeanne Titherington called Pumpkin Pumpkin.  Titherington does the full-color art on each page strictly with colored pencils.  The detail in each illustration almost looks like it could be a photograph with the exception of the softness color pencils lend to each illustration.  Titherington's simplicity in chronicling the life cycle of a pumpkin introduces us to a little boy named Jamie who plants pumpkin seeds and watches a pumpkin grow until it's ready for carving.  The children especially enjoy looking for the insect, amphibian, or mammal in each illustration.

Carol Ryrie Brink

How many of you are familiar with Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink?  Often a forgotten jewel of a story, I wish there was a resurging awareness of this frontier narrative.  Caddie grows up in a family full of brothers, and she conducts herself as an adventure loving tomboy, much to her Boston bred mother's chagrin.  Brink packs each chapter with the spunky Caddie and her brother's escapades as they maneuver the hazards of frontier life in mid-nineteenth century Wisconsin.  What stands out most to me in remembering this book, however, is that Brink casts Caddie's father as the hero.  I think we need more of those around -- books that cast daddies as heroes!  Caddie Woodlawn is a "must read" for all members of the family, perfect for either reading alone or reading aloud.  Also of noteworthy interest, Brink bases Caddie's story on her own grandmother's childhood.   I've included a copy of the old edition cover I grew up reading.

Now that you know how much I fell for Brink's little jewel of a book, you can imagine my surprise and elation when I discovered Brink's poem Goody O'Grumpity in the children's book section of our library.  Ashley Wolff's intricate hand-colored linoleum prints further lend a detailed description to this simple story poem.  The poem opens with "When Goody O'Grumpity baked a cake" and continues on about an early Plymouth Plantation neighbor making a spice cake while the village children eagerly wait "With wishful eyes / and watering mouth."  Don't be mislead by Goody's last name "O'Grumpity."  It's not at all a characterization of her.  Brink uses it for the rhyme.  So do check out this harvest season gem of a book, and be sure to read the illustrator's note at the beginning.

If you end up enjoying Goody O'Grumpity as much as I did, try Jane Yolen's Harvest Home poem illustrated by Greg Shed.  Yolen's beautiful lyrical narrative describes a family's and community's work in harvesting wheat and the harvest traditions that follow.  Shed's illustrations reverberate the harvest theme in its golden, "sun kissed hues done in gouache on canvas."  Again, be sure to read the "Harvest Customs" note in the back of the book.

Pumpkins!

How many books have you read that have instantly drawn you in by the dedication?  Personally, I can think of only one.  Pumpkin Moonshine's charm begins with Tasha Tudor's dedication: A Wee Story for A Very Sweet Wee Person.  Tudor writes and illustrates this winsome and subtly humorous story about Sylvie Ann's visit to her grandparents' farm, complete with pumpkin hunt, runaway pumpkin, and jack-o-lantern carving.  This is one of my all time favorite stories because it begs to be read aloud, attributable to its alliterative and onomatopoeic words.  The kids listen to it mesmerized by the quaint and lively narrative.  Make sure to look for Wiggy the dog throughout the illustrations!

Here are a few more pumpkin books to check out:

• It's Pumpkin Time! by Zoe Hall ~ explains the growth cycle of a "jack-o-lantern patch" in story format from two siblings' point of view.  You'll remember this author also penning The Apple Pie Tree.   Note: also available in Spanish.

• From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pfeffer ~ excellently explains the life cycle of a pumpkin in easily understood language.

• The Pumpkin Patch by Elizabeth Kind ~ a photographic narrative a farmer's year in the pumpkin patch.

• A Day at the Pumpkin Patch by Megan Faulkner & Adam Krawesky ~ photographically chronicles a day at the pumpkin patch and the life cycle of pumpkins.  Note: a Scholastic book.

Apples Again

Have you been checking out apple books yet?  Please weigh in, commenting on your favorites!

We've found a few more that I'd like to share with you:

Apple Cider Making Days by Ann Purmell beautifully illustrates the symbiotic relationship between the apple orchard farmer and his/her orchard.  Purmell thoroughly details the process of taking an apple to make cider.  I also love that this book subtly and overtly promotes families and extended families coming together to help one another and enjoy the beauty of the season!

The Life Cycle of an Apple by Ruth Thompson gives a simple explanation of the life cycle of an apple from seed to tree to table.  I'd recommend reading it to a child as young as 2 years due to the short and simple explanations and the accompanying pictures. 

Apples by Ken Robbins also explains the growth process of an apple.  However, Robbins gives a little more wordy text more suitable for an older 4 year old or 5 year old and up.  Robbins' thorough information satisfies the inquisitive child.  Note: this is a Scholastic book, too. 

Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall tells the apple growth process in story fashion, perfect for slipping science to young children who prefer stories.  I'd recommend 2-3 years of age and up.  Note: another Scholastic book.

We've also read a few beginning to read books of Johnny Appleseed.

Apple

We're quickly approaching that time of year when we make our annual family trip to the apple orchard!  And boy, we can hardly wait!  We come back with bushels of apples to share with family and to hoard for ourselves while we're baking apple crisp, apple pie, apple muffins, and making ham apple sandwiches.  It's taken me many tries and many years, but I've finally found a good apple pie recipe.  I've also tweaked my very own apple crisp recipe, which the kids and I make several times a month during the fall.  My mother-in-law, Nancy, makes an incredible apple spice cake that my husband, especially, adores.  I have tried many a time to replicate that cake, but I've finally given up all disappointing attempts.  Last year, my mom tried a new recipe for apple bread that had a praline topping.  Yep, it was another winner.  But Kathy . . . Kathy made the ultimate apple dessert.  Let me set the stage: she invited us to her home outside of Asheville.  It's perched on a mountain, so as you're sitting on her porch, you're looking into these beautiful hardwood trees.  Did I mention the mountain stream winding it's way below?  As we're enjoying the scenery, Kathy pulls an amazing apple tart out of the oven.  I'm here to tell that this tart is a true rustic beauty, cooked to perfection on her baking stone.  But that's not the half of it!  When you pop a bite of that tart into your mouth . . . well, let's just say it's a little taste of heaven on earth!  But the best part is that she gave me her recipe.  Now we can enjoy that calorie stuffed apple goodness whenever we want!

Okay, so now that I'm salivating and wishing for a pastry, what does all this have to do with children's books?  Well, around here, we get ready for apple season before it even starts!

The kids' two favorite apple books are Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell and Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington.  Quite honestly, I'm not exactly sure why these are such a hit.  Both books feature simple text and illustrations.  However, the kids request these two over and over and over again.  And we read them over and over and over again, right on up until Christmas.

I suggest picking up Apples and Pumpkins before you visit the apple orchard.  It sets the stage by chronicling a typical visit.  The type is large and easy to read, while the font mimics handwritten print, making this an excellent choice for those budding readers in your home who are ready to "spy" words.

One nice thing about Apple Farmer Annie, other than the name Annie, is that it's also available in a Spanish edition: Ana Cultiva Manzanas.  Wellington packs each illustration, making this a good book to count and "spy" items.  And here's where the baking comes in: the last two pages include recipes for applesauce, apple muffins, and applesauce cake.

Please note: we will be checking out more books on apples, pumpkins, and autumn in the coming months.  If you have any favorites, please share with us!