Ann Heinrichs - Thanksgiving

Published by The Childs World
1980 Lookout Drive Mankato, MN 56003-1705
800-599-READ www.childsworld.com

Acknowledgments

The Childs World: Mary Berendes, Publishing Director
The Design Lab: Design
Jody Jensen Shaffer: Editing

Copyright 2014 by The Childs World
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in
any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 978-16232-35130
LCCN 2013931406

Printed in the United States of America
Mankato, MN
July, 2013
PA02169

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ann Heinrichs lives in Chicago, Illinois.
She has written more than two hundred
books for children. She loves traveling to
faraway places.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Charles Jordan is a freelance illustrator
whose illustrations appear in many
magazines, books, and other publications
for children. He lives in Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

chapter 1

Happy
Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy
delicious foods and to celebrate
family and friends.

Big, fat cardboard turkeys decorate the walls.
Delicious smells drift from the kitchen. And here
comes the pumpkin pie. Its Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is a warm and friendly time.
Family members gather together. Often they travel
from far away. Friends are welcome, too. They enjoy
a delicious feast together.

Above all, they give thanks. They give thanks for
a rich harvest that brings them plenty of food. They
give thanks for all they have. And they give thanks
for each other. What a happy holiday!

chapter 2

Celebrating
the Harvest

The word cereal comes
from the name of the
goddess Ceres.

Many ancient people had harvest festivals. They
gave thanks for their plentiful farm products. Ancient
Greeks and Romans had goddesses of farm products.
To the Greeks, the goddess was Demeter. For the
Romans, she was Ceres. Both peoples made offerings
to their goddesses in the fall. They offered corn, fruit,
and pigs.

In ancient Egypt, spring was harvest time.
Egyptians held a festival in honor of Min. He was
the god of the harvest. A big parade was held. There
were dancing, sports events, and offerings.

Ancient people had special gods
and goddesses for crops.

chapter 3

Life in a
New Land

Thanksgiving Comes Again

The year has turned its circle,
The seasons come and go.
The harvest all is gathered in
And chilly north winds blow.

Orchards have shared
their treasures,
The fields, their yellow grain,
So open wide the doorway
Thanksgiving comes again!

Author unknown

Americas Thanksgiving began with the Pilgrims.
The Pilgrims were a religious group. They originally
lived in England. But their beliefs were not welcome
there. So they left to find a new home.

The Pilgrims sailed to the New World. This
land would become the United States. The
Pilgrims set sail in 1620. Their ship was called the
Mayflower . The Pilgrims settled in Plymouth. They
built the Plymouth Colony . That site is now in
Massachusetts.

Native Americans helped the
Pilgrims survive in their new land.

Life was hard in their new land. Winters were
bitterly cold. But Native Americans helped the
Pilgrims out. They gave the newcomers seeds. They
showed them how to grow corn.

The Pilgrims Came

The Pilgrims came
across the sea,
And never thought
of you and me;
And yet its very strange
the way
We think of them
Thanksgiving Day.

We tell their story,
old and true
Of how they sailed
across the blue,
And found a new land
to be free
And built their homes
quite near the sea.

Every child knows
well the tale
Of how they bravely
turned the sail
And journeyed many
a day and night,
To worship God as they
thought right.

The people think that
they were sad
And grave; Im sure that
they were glad
They made Thanksgiving
Daythats fun!
We thank the Pilgrims,
every one!

Annette Wynne

chapter 4

A Great Feast

In the fall, the Pilgrims had a rich harvest. They
were thankful. They wanted to share with their
Native American friends. The Pilgrims invited
them to a big meal.

Canada has a Thanksgiving
Day, too. Its the second
Monday in October.

Thanks to the Native Americans, the
Pilgrims had a plentiful harvest.

The First Thanksgiving Day

Heap high the board with
plenteous cheer, and
gather to the feast,
And toast that sturdy
Pilgrim band whose
courage never ceased.
Give praise to that All
Gracious One by whom
their steps were led,
And thanks unto the
harvests Lord who
sends our daily bread.

Alice Williams Brotherton
(18481930)