Thanksgiving: What Makes It Special—Book Review
Tired of children’s Thanksgiving books that forget the true meaning of the holiday? Stories that hinge on a generic message of “be thankful” without any reference to the true Giver of all good?
Thanksgiving: What Makes It Special? is a sweet story that gets right at the heart of the true message of the holiday. With mention of both the history of Thanksgiving, the reasons why we should be thankful, and the many blessings we can give thanks for, this picture book is a good introduction to the subject of Thanksgiving.
The ideal audience for this book would be very small children, since its exceptionally innocent and right-hearted content is expressed in very simple terms and would not be stimulating to older children. In fact, plot and character development are on the weak side, even for a children’s picture book, which is reflected in our rating below.
That being said, it is a book that will not do a child any harm, and does not shy away from speaking plainly the true meaning of Thanksgiving, and the message that the greatest of all gifts is the gift of His Son.
Book Details
- Title: Thanksgiving: What Makes it Special?
- Author: Harold Myra
- Publisher: Tommy Nelson, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc.
- Genre: Children’s Picture Books
- Number of Pages: 16
- Theme: True Meaning of Thanksgiving
- Age Range: 2-5
- Source: Internet Archive, Amazon
Summary
When a woman on the radio wishes everyone a happy “Turkey Day,” a Christian family discusses the true meaning of Thanksgiving—and what makes it special.
A sweet picture book for very small children, Thanksgiving: What Makes It Special discusses the fundamental principles and history that make this holiday meaningful. A good introduction to the subject of giving thanks.
SAW Rating System
We have recently altered our reviewing system using the model of our poetry grading worksheet. For an explanation of the new system, see our introductory post.
Total Score—63/100
Great Qualities—23/50
Plot development—4/10
Character development—3/10
Command of language—4/10
Impact of the book—6/10
Originality—6/10
Good Qualities—40/50
Innocence regarding evil—9/10
Active promotion of good—8/10
Level of spiritual challenge—7/10
Healthy view of life—8/10
Honouring God—8/10
Items of Note
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Romance and morality
No issues.
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Disturbing content
No issues.
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Language
No issues.
-
Alcohol and drug use (includes tobacco)
No issues.
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Spiritual content
This book is written from a mainstream Christian perspective and speaks freely of God and Jesus. There is no real denominational bias.
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Family roles and behavior
In the illustrations a child is depicted playing with his food.
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Mature subject matter
No issues.
Thanksgiving: What Makes It Special?
We all know the right answer to that question. We all realize the importance of giving thanks, and of passing on that legacy of thanksgiving to the next generation.
But at the end of the day, how many of us actually practice it? On the 364 days that are NOT marked Thanksgiving on our calendars, do we stop and think of all the things we have to be grateful for?
As the season of Thanksgiving is approaching this year, I want to challenge each of us to practice what we preach. As we read stories about the true meaning of Thanksgiving to our children or to the other little people God has placed in our lives, let’s take the message home ourselves. Let’s make not only Thanksgiving but every day of the year a special day—special, because in it we choose to be thankful.
Wanting to find other holiday books you can read to your kids? See our review of Larry’s Little Lamb:
