Five books fit for a feast

When my family gathers for Thanksgiving, we have food and games. This year, we’ll also have a story.

The idea to share a story for the holiday came when I first saw GATHER GRATEFUL (Candlewick Press, 2025), written by Megan Litwin and illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey. And, yes, in my last Picture Book Builders post, I featured I AM WE, also illustrated by Alexandra. I didn’t plan to highlight back-to-back books illustrated by her, but here we are, and both titles are lovely.

Anyway. GATHER GRATEFUL is a rhyming ode to food, shelter and families of the animal and human variety. Thanksgiving isn’t specifically mentioned, but the story’s theme of thankfulness makes it a very appropriate read. Some of my favorite lines:

Gather twigs and sticks to nest.
Gather safety, strength, and rest.
Gather up and fly away.
Gather close. Prepare to stay.

If you also want to share a story — or more than one — to commemorate the day, here are some other tantalizing titles to consider.

And there’s still time to get them from a bookstore or library before the big day.

FAMILY FEAST (Crown Books for Young Readers, 2025). Words by Carole Boston Weatherford. Illustrations by Frank Morrison.

This rhyming story features a large, happy family led by Big Ma and Pops. Everyone comes together for a fantastic feast that’s summed up by this refrain:

Tastes like home when family meet;
a bond so warm, so strong, so sweet.

Carole Boston Weatherford received the Children’s Literature Legacy Award from the American Library Association for her many and ongoing contributions to children’s literature. Hence the shiny gold sticker on this book’s cover.

HAPPY FRIENDSGIVING (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2025). Words by Marcie Colleen. Illustrations by Laura Sandoval Herrera.

This book is an ode to the relatively recent trend of friends and found family gathering for the Thanksgiving meal — either in addition to one with relatives or in place of it. One of my daughters is traveling to Minnesota this week for a Friendsgiving and then coming to my house for our family celebration the following week.

Someone brought a card table.
The neighbors borrowed chairs.
It’s snug around our mismatched feast.
We wouldn’t have it any other way.

TWO-LIST THANKSGIVING (Beaming Books, 2025). Words by Christine Whan. Illustrations by Sienna Youngsun Kim.

This charming story shows a girl and her mom making two Thanksgiving lists — one for the local market and one for the Korean market and using the ingredients to create a delicious, dual-culture feast. Recipes for japchae and stuffing are included.

Together we sit around the table.
I smell soy and garlic-braised galbi and sage-roasted turkey with stuffing.
The scent of cinnamony yams mix with shiitake mushrooms from japchae.

SHARING THE BREAD: AN OLD-FASHIONED THANKSGIVING STORY (Schwartz & Wade, 2015). Words by Pat Zietlow Miller. Illustrations by Jill McElmurry.

A 19th-century family comes together with each member from the oldest to youngest taking on a role to bring the Thanksgiving meal to the table. It’s told in rhyme with a refrain.

Sister, knead the rising dough.
Punch it down, then watch it grow.
Line your loaves up in a row.
Sister, knead the dough.

Fetch. Heat. Knead the bread.
Work together till we’re fed.

No matter what your plans are for Nov. 27, I hope you and the people you care about always have much to be thankful for and good stories to read.