Thanksgiving Booklist

Lovely books about gratitude that are suitable for all ages... and I'm still looking for a resource that tells the true story of Thanksgiving, for when my child is older. Something honest, not cutesy, that doesn't sugar coat things. Waldorf does the Age of Exploration in 7th grade and U.S. History in 8th.

I am really sensitive to this because I had ancestors who were on the Mayflower. When Zac is older and we learn about our family's history, I don't want the "traditional" story about Thanksgiving to be entangled with that.

Sadly, I think that will be difficult. It is hard to avoid.

"What you learned about the ‘first Thanksgiving’ isn’t true.
Here’s the real story"

"A man without a tribe: The true story of Squanto"

Cape Cod Times

For me, this is a week off work -- which I deeply appreciate -- and I can spend more time with my child than I usually do. We can do all the things I don't usually have time for because I'm always so busy lesson planning and teaching. We can make our house beautiful and cook from scratch together. We can talk about what we are thankful for.

We don't do the big feast with all of the special foods, all of which are the same as Christmas (except the pumpkin pie). So why not just wait until Christmas to have the big feast? Just make some pumpkin desserts as part of appreciating the harvest. We don't celebrate -- or even acknowledge -- Columbus Day either. I just think that we shouldn't celebrate holidays that are about being mean to people. Stealing someone's land is definitely that.

Stolen Words
by Melanie Florence

Here is what I have so far. I'd love suggestions for other titles!

Apple Cake: A Gratitude
by Dawn Casey
with recipe in the back (takes almond flour)

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga
by Traci Sorell

The Hermit and the Well
by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Big Book of Belonging
by Yuval Zommer
this book is available for preorder, and will be released on Tuesday Nov 23

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