Educators

Are you looking for wonderful books to share in November with your students? You’ll find a few stories on this list that will make them giggle, and others that will shed light on this beautiful season and all it stands for. Our hope here at Appletree Books is that you will find some time to pull your students together and spend time reading together in November!

By Laurie Halse Anderson

(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)

This is the never-before-told tale of Sarah Josepha Hale, the extraordinary “lady editor” who made Thanksgiving a national holiday! Thanksgiving might have started with a jubilant feast on Plymouth’s shore. But by the 1800s, America’s observance was waning. None of the presidents nor Congress sought to revive the holiday. And so, one invincible “lady editor” name Sarah Hale took it upon herself to rewrite the recipe for Thanksgiving as we know it today.

by Miranda Paul

(Millbrook Press)

This poetry anthology, edited by Miranda Paul, explores a wide range of ways to be grateful (from gratitude for a puppy to gratitude for family to gratitude for the sky) with poems by a diverse group of contributors.

by Adam Wallace

(Sourcebooks)

From the bestselling How to Catch series comes a festive turkey tale! A turkey is running loose in a school right before a Thanksgiving play. Can YOU help catch it? Follow along as students turn their school upside down, trying to catch the turkey, ending with a twist that ensures no turkeys are harmed (or eaten!).

by Ethan Long

(Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Geisel Award-winning author and illustrator Ethan Long turns his attention to the day of thanks with a story that’s to die for! It’s the fourth Thursday of November, and the members of Fright Club are cooking up something spooky … a Thanksgiving feast! But when Vlad’s family arrives unexpectedly, they put their own spin on each of the dishes. Now, the rolls are as hard as headstones; the turkey has been cooked to death! Vlad loves his family, but they’ve made a mess of their meal!

by  Eileen Spinelli

(Zonderkidz)

In a padded board book format, whimsical illustrations combined with short rhymes convey simple gestures and relationships for which to be thankful.

by Melanie Heuiser Hill

(Candlewick Press)

A family gathers with friends and neighbors to share a meal around a special table bursting with diverse food, plates, and flowers brought by everyone as a way to share their interests, pasts, and traditions. Colorful graphic illustrations contribute to the joy of this book that is destined to be a Thanksgiving favorite.