5 Best Thanksgiving Books for Preschoolers

Get ready for turkey day by reading these fun books!

Growing up, Thanksgiving was one of my favorite holidays! One day a year, my WHOLE family got together. I LOVED it! With the smell of turkey roasting in the oven, the taste of my mom’s incredible gravy, I got to spend time with my cousins, no school; what’s not to love? To get your preschoolers, kindergarteners, and elementary kids in a Thanksgiving frame of mind, check out these great reads below.

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Pookie’s Thanksgiving

Written by Sandra Boynton

Published by Boynton Bookworks 

Ages 0-5

Pookie helps Mom get ready for Thanksgiving. Together, they work to bake pies, set the table, and enjoy a wonderful family dinner. Pookie is a great helper and manages to have fun along the way. This fun board book introduces toddlers and young children to the meaning of thanksgiving, family traditions, and togetherness.

This is a sweet new edition to Boynton’s Little Pookie series. Readers will enjoy Boynton’s signature rhymes (occasional humorous ad-lib from Pookie!) and charming illustrations. This is an excellent addition to any classroom or home library.

Turkey Trouble

Written by Wendi Silvano

Illustrated by Lee Harper

Published by Two Lions

Age 4+

Turkey has a problem. Thanksgiving is coming, and he doesn’t want to be the main course! Utilizing his problem-solving skills, Turkey comes up with clever disguises. Surely, people will not want to eat him if he looks like a horse or a cow, right? Kids (and grownups) will LOVE reading this hilarious book to see what Turkey will come up with next!

Extension idea: if YOU were turkey, who would you dress up as? A sparkly mermaid or a ferocious dinosaur? I would love to see what you come up with; tag me on Instagram @playgroundlibrarian.

Five Little Thank Yous

Written by Cindy Jin

Illustrated by Dawn M. Cardona

Published by Little Simon

Ages 0+

This adorable rhyming board book is shaped like the hand turkeys many of us drew in elementary school. Jin and Cardona crafted a simple and sweet book that encourages the youngest friends at the dining room table to pause and express gratitude.

Balloons Over Broadway

Written by Melissa Sweet

Published by Clarion Books

Ages 4+

Ever wonder about the story behind the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? Look no further than Balloons Over Broadway. This beautiful picture book filled with whimsical collages and watercolor illustrations tells the true story of Tony Sarg, who, as a boy, loved tinkering and problem solving; when he was asked to feed the chickens on his family farm early in the morning, he devised a tool with pulleys, so he would be able to accomplish the chore, and not have to get out of bed. He was never asked to do chores again!

As a child, Tony Sarg loved puppets and grew up to invent the large helium balloons the parade is now famous for. Balloons Over Broadway is a wonderful book filled with history, art, design, and engineering.

After reading this book, check out Macy’s Parade 101 for fun STEAM activities relating to designing and creating all things related to a parade, including float design, inflation, route mapping, and more!

For a behind-the-scenes view of the Macy’s Day Parade, check out the video below:

10 Fat Turkeys

Written by Tony Johnston

Illustrated by Rich Deas

Published by Scholastic

Ages 2+

10 Fat Turkeys is a silly picture book with funny repetitive language that will make for a fun preschool or kindergarten thanksgiving read-aloud. Reminiscent of the nursery rhyme, “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on a Bed,” 10 Fat Turkeys shows readers the funny scenarios ten fat turkeys fall into when fooling around on a fence. What do you think will happen in the end?

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Reading!!!

XO, Sheryl