This First Thanksgiving Day: A Counting Story

by Laura Krauss Melmed

Book Overview

Countdown to Thanksgiving

This beautiful picture book counting story celebrates the very first Thanksgiving Day with vibrant illustrations and lively verse.

Follow the Pilgrim and Wampanoag friends as they prepare for a great feast, and along the way look for the bold turkey on every page. And for the very sharp of eye, there are all sorts of surprises hidden in the art

"A refreshing look at...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 068814554X
• ISBN13: 9780688145545
• Release Date: September 2001
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 8.5" x 11.0"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

A must have...

This book is a must have for your family library. It is absolutely beautiful, filled with illustrations so rich, they jump off the page. In addition to it's beauty it is informative in short little burst sure to captivate a little ones mind. Our little one calls this the "special" book and carts it around the room. I highly reccomend this book!

Hidden Surprises in the Artwork!

In reading this, I am captivated by the illustrations more than the writing. Mark Buehner, the illustrator, drenches the two-page spreads in warm autumnal hues: rusts, browns, and honey colors. We see falling leaves, and dozens of frisky woodland creatures jumping about the pages. The kids are happy, well fed, and playful as children should be. The colors are bright, bold and appeal to the eye. Melmed's writing's a little forced in places, and I get caught up on a few of the verses when reading aloud. I'm not sure if it's the writing, or my delivery, but it's annoying. The First Thanksgiving Day: A Counting Story is a short book. It takes a little over a minute to read, but the artwork enthralls little ones, especially when they realize there's all sorts of hidden surprises. There's a well-hidden turkey on nearly every page, and it's fun to seek for him. Children will enjoy counting all the animals, or if they look further, they might detect some prehistoric creatures blended into the scenes as well. This book is recommended to children 3 to 8 years, but I say 2 to 6 is more accurate. I did have to explain a few things to him like why the Wampanoag are hunting rabbits, and why they are weaving cattail reeds. He thought they were making baskets out of cat tails, and this upset him. The illustrations are beautiful, and the hide-and-seek qualities are a blast. Overall, The First Thanksgiving Day: A Counting Story is an enjoyable holiday read.

Children are our future!

What a beautifully illustrated book about the Pilgrim & Indian Children who celebrated that first Thanksgiving Day and dinner! We too like the other 2 reviewers love to find the hidden turkey and bunnies! Each page alternates between the pilgrim children and the Indian children showing them playing, gathering, working and eatting! The children are drawn so well, and you almost feel them moving about on the page! It is also nice that this book is a counting book as well! Three cheers for the illustrator and author!

Adored by 2nd Grade Music Students

I read this to my second grade music classes and had them play a drum pattern after every page. The rhyme scheme is catchy, and the pictures are ADORABLE and highly detailed. The children all loved this book and wanted to try to find all of the hidden details besides the turkey. On the 1 page, for example, there is one canadian goose and 1 racoon hiding in the background; the 2 page hides 2 mallards and 2 rabbits in the background, page 10 hides 10 rabbits... All of the pages contain a hidden turkey (sometimes live and sometimes roasted!). The pictures look just like Plymouth Plantation if you've been there, and they show people of both cultures working and helping and getting along. This book has become one of my favorites to share with children.

A beautiful Thanksgiving book to share with your child.

I bought this book last year for my daughter who was two at the time. She loved this book so much that we have been reading it all year. This is a counting book with a Thanksgiving theme. The illustrations are so beautiful. It makes me miss New England in the fall. There are pictures of Native Americans and Pilgrims working and playing with their family and friends. This book was a great way for me to explain what Thanksgiving is all about to my young daughter. This is the pefect book to read on Thanksgiving but it it so beautiful that you will want to enjoy it all year long.