🦃 American and Canadian tradition · Native American perspectives

Thanksgiving books for kids: what it is and how to celebrate

When is Thanksgiving? Thursday 26 November 2026; then Thursday 25 November 2027. That's the US date (the fourth Thursday in November). Canadian Thanksgiving is the second Monday in October.

What is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is a holiday in the United States and Canada for giving thanks for the harvest and the year. Families gather for a big meal, often turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie. The US story is often told through a 1621 harvest meal shared by English colonists and the Wampanoag people; today many families also learn about Native American perspectives on that history.

Who celebrates Thanksgiving, and books for each

American and Canadian tradition

Families travel to be together, cook a shared meal, say what they're thankful for, watch parades (like Macy's in New York) and American football.

📖 Free guide
Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving
Laurie Halse Anderson
the true story of how Thanksgiving became a national holiday
Questions to ask → View on Amazon ↗
📖 Free guide
Balloons over Broadway
Melissa Sweet
the puppeteer behind the parade balloons
Questions to ask → View on Amazon ↗
📖 Free guide
Bear Says Thanks
Karma Wilson
a rhyming story about sharing and saying thank you, for the youngest
Questions to ask → View on Amazon ↗
📖 Free guide
Turkey Trouble
Wendi Silvano
a funny turkey in disguise
Questions to ask → View on Amazon ↗

Native American perspectives

Many Native nations have their own traditions of giving thanks all year round, and some mark the day as a National Day of Mourning.

📖 Free guide
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga
Traci Sorell
a Cherokee family gives thanks through the seasons
Questions to ask → View on Amazon ↗

Questions to ask while you read

Use these with any of the Thanksgiving books on this page. Pick two or three, and there are no wrong answers.

What is the family in the story getting ready for?
Which part of Thanksgiving would you most like to try, and why?
How do the people in the story show they care about each other?
Is anything in the story like something your family does?
What would you like to ask a friend who celebrates Thanksgiving?

Ways to celebrate Thanksgiving with children

Make a 'thankful tree' with a paper leaf for each thing you're grateful for.
Cook one dish together for the family meal.
Draw or write a thank-you note for someone who helps you.
Read a book by a Native author about giving thanks.

Thanksgiving picture books at a glance

All the Thanksgiving books on this page: Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving (Laurie Halse Anderson), Balloons over Broadway (Melissa Sweet), Bear Says Thanks (Karma Wilson), Turkey Trouble (Wendi Silvano), We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga (Traci Sorell).

Questions parents ask about Thanksgiving

When is Thanksgiving?

In the US, the fourth Thursday of November. In Canada, the second Monday of October.

Is Thanksgiving celebrated in the UK?

Not as a holiday, though harvest festivals in September and October have a similar spirit of giving thanks for food.

Related festivals: Harvest Festival · Kwanzaa

All festivals, by month and by faith →

Traditions vary between families, places and communities; ask your child's friends and their families how they celebrate. As an Amazon Associate, Growing Wise earns from qualifying purchases.