Thanksgiving is a holiday that I definitely grew up with, thanks to my American grandma who always made sure we watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV & ate plenty of apple pie.
But because we celebrated in Mexico, I had only a cursory understanding of the actual Thanksgiving story. And it was definitely a very white-centric version, a one-sided one that wasn’t inclusive of indigenous voices and experiences.
So needless to say, Thanksgiving is still something I’m learning about (I found this essay, a Native perspective on Thanksgiving, very enlightening). And of course, I want to do what I can to make sure my kids’ understanding of Thanksgiving is broader than mine was.
Also I would like books that accomplish this in Spanish, please. Is that so much to ask? 🙂
Unsurprisingly, there aren’t really thaaat many Thanksgiving books in Spanish. Which makes sense, as it is a holiday only celebrated in an English-speaking country. But! Below I’ve listed some favorite books that celebrate gratitude, immigration, and even a couple of specifically Thanksgiving-themed ones in Spanish.
And I’m also including some favorite Thanksgiving books in English! So my dear bilingual friends, I hope you can find a new title or two to read as a family before the pleasure of eating all of that delicious food.
THANKSGIVING BOOKS IN SPANISH
¡Gracias, Omu! by Oge Mora
I love this book so much! Omu, an Igbo grandmother, has prepared a delicious soup for her dinner. So delicious, in fact, that the smell spreads throughout her neighborhood and invites many people to her door to sample it. I love her generosity in feeding those around her, and also love that they all share with her in return. This story is so perfect for a holiday about joy and celebration surrounding a feast.
Gracias / Thanks by Pat Mora, illustrated by John Parra
This bilingual book is a list of a young boy’s simple pleasures and things he is thankful for. While it’s not a book specific to Thanksgiving, the author does encourage young readers to make their own list of things they’re grateful for. (Some of the things the boy is thankful for reminded me of my hija #3 (2), who told us she was grateful for “cheese sticks” as her contribution to our Thankful Turkey this year, haha.)
Soñadores by Yuyi Morales
Ok, stick with me here– technically this book is not about Thanksgiving, but it IS about immigration, and about the beautiful gifts immigrants bring. And what is Thanksgiving if not a story about U.S. immigration? I love this beautiful book so much and will take any excuse to read it, any time of year.
Un día una señora se tragó un pavo by Lucille Colandro, illustrated by Jared Lee
I think this book may be out of print, because the only working link I could find to purchase it is from a bookstore in Guayaquil, Ecuador. But if you do happen to come across this title, it’s a silly, Thanksgiving-themed twist on I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. It’s an easy book that is great for discussing sequencing!
THANKSGIVING BOOKS IN ENGLISH
Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet
I bought this book just this year, and it’s for sure one of my all-time favorites from this list (see: years and years of watching the Macy’s parade with Grandma on Thanksgiving morning). Balloons over Broadway tells the true story of the creator behind the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The illustrations are sweet and phenomenally well-done, and even though it’s a children’s book you can tell it’s extremely well researched. LOVE.
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
You already know I will read and love anything Juana Martinez-Neal creates! This is such a sweet story of a modern Native American family, and what fry bread means to them and their family history. I love that it brings in food and family & shows a variety of indigenous tribes.
Over the River and Through the Wood by L. Maria Child, illustrated by Matt Tavares
We moved to Arizona (from Utah) in the middle of winter 11 years ago specifically to escape the snow. Reading this book is the ONLY time I am even slightly tempted to live somewhere with snow, which I think is a real testament to how gorgeous it is! This picture book is a beautiful winter-y book to display all season long.
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorrell, illustrated by Frane Lessac
This gorgeous book focuses on the word “otsaliheliga,” which is a Cherokee word that means gratitude. The story focuses not just on one celebration of gratitude, but a full year of gratitude and celebrations. It’s a perfect Thanksgiving read!
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I hope you have a beautiful Thanksgiving this year! It’s truly one of my very favorite holidays, porque nunca está por demás to take a minute or two to consider all of the beauty around us.
P.S. Because IMO Christmas starts at midnight the night of Thanksgiving 🙂 a Spanish Christmas book roundup to get you started!