The Best Thanksgiving Picture Books

We added this one to our collection last year and it's wonderful (which is why it won so many awards last year!). The word Otsaliheliga is used by members of the Cherokee nation to express gratitude and this book takes you through a full year of Cherokee celebrations of community and gratitude. A must read!

This has been one of my favorites for years because it captures so well what my family's Thanksgiving gatherings have always been like. All the food, all the people, all the fun.

This is a fun (and funny) read. The people in Squawk Valley don't have any turkeys for Thanksgiving. Luckily Ebeneezer Beezer has an idea! They'll have a turkey themed arts and crafts fair and try to lure in Pete, the town's very vain, plump and perky Turkey. But Pete might be more clever than they think!

Set to the rhyme and rhythm of "Twas the Night Before Christmas, but this version stars turkeys. It's super fun and clever - always a hit with my kids.

This Reading Rainbow book is a beautiful message of gratitude from the Native people of upstate New York and Canada. The gorgeous, colorful illustrations are the perfect companion to the text. This is a fantastic perspective to add to your Thanksgiving reading.

This is a sweet and gentle book about being thankful. The rhyming text and adorable illustrations make it a favorite read aloud at our house.

I used to love watching the Macy's Parade on TV when I was a kid, so it was fun to find this book about the puppeteer Tony Sarg, who masterminded all of those giant balloons that the parade is famous for. The pictures in this one are amazing!

This is the classic poem, but paired with gorgeous woodcut illustrations, it really comes to life! It's a wonderful classic to have in your home library.

Grandma always encourages Maggie to invite someone "poor or lonely" to Thanksgiving dinner, but when she shows up with Mr. Whiskers, Grandma is worried that she's invited someone a little too unsavory. But don't worry, Grandma is going to open up her heart, and maybe even share her famous cranberry bread too.

This is an oldie but a goodie from the 1970's. I love the illustrations, and the cranberry bread recipe at the end of the book!

My kids giggle their way through this silly book about a turkey who tries to disguise himself as other animals to avoid becoming Thanksgiving dinner. It's quite clever and fun!

This is a lovely book, with simple rhyming text, about the joys of sharing a good meal with the people you love. It's a quintessential Thanksgiving Picture Book.

This is a sweet and simple book about a young girl anxiously awaiting the arrival of her uncles for the Thanksgiving feast, while her mother keeps her entertained with family memories. It's a fast paced, rhyming text, which makes it a quick and fun read.

The turkey is very stuffed, but not for the reason you might think. Turkey was invited to FIVE Thanksgiving dinners, and he attends them all, eating until he is, well, stuffed. This is another silly book that kids will love.

Illustrated with photographs of stunning woodcut art, this book is a collection of poems, songs, prayers, and meditations on gratitude. It's a lovely book to read all throughout the month of November as you teach and talk about thankfulness.

A friend introduced me to Karma Wilson's lovely books earlier this year (I don't know how I'd missed them!) and this one quickly became a favorite. Bear wants to invite all of his friends over for a feast to say thank you, but he has just one problem, all his cupboards are bare. Luckily, Bear has a special gift he can still share.

Even very young children will appreciate this fantastic Thankful book. Bright colorful illustrations and simple text, with a wonderful message that's easy to understand. We love the Todd Parr books!

This is a quirky little book, but I love it! An old woman burns the Thanksgiving Dinner, so her and her husband head out to find a restaurant that's open. They do find one with an open door, not realizing that they've intruded on a family gathering. Luckily, the family is ready to welcome the uninvited guests.

This one isn't really a Thanksgiving book, but it gives me all those kind/grateful/generous feelings when I read it, so I added it to our Thanksgiving basket. This is the book to read when you need a reminder that there really are good people everywhere. It's a beautiful book.

This is a brand new book and a new addition to our Thanksgiving collection. The illustrations are completely charming and the story, about a young girl giving thanks for all of the things in nature that make an apple cake possible. There's even a delicious apple cake recipe at the end!