Thanksgiving Story

When people think about Thanksgiving, they usually think about the Pilgrims and Indians and a giant feast. In Thanksgiving Story, the idea of what thanksgiving really means is looked at in a different way. The main character is giraffe named Jermaine, who is alone on Thanksgiving with no family to care for him and no food to eat. To the contrary, his friend, Grant, an ant, has gone home to his family to spend Thanksgiving, enjoying a bountiful feast and being thankful for one another. When all hope seems lost to the hungry and lonely Jermaine, his friend Grant and his family have a pleasant surprise in store for him, showing that the focus of Thanksgiving is, and should be, more about food.

Author Jessica Crews does a great job of creating a story that, with the whimsical illustrations by Yulia Potts, help bring Thanksgiving Story to life. Each piece, while entertaining on their own, will draw the attention of readers young and old alike. By telling a story about Thanksgiving without Pilgrims or Indians, readers can see that Thanksgiving is more than a holiday, but also an action. Through the actions of her characters, Crews shows that being thankful for what you have, and who you have to share it with, is just as important as celebrating the holiday. The contrast in size between the main characters of a giraffe and a family of ants also emphasizes that alike or different, everyone can come together to be thankful for or about something.

Crews’ choice of using a rhyming/sing-song style of writing will make the book appealing to young readers. However, it has some spots that, with a word or phrase adjustment, would have made the writing style stronger. Overall, Thanksgiving Story is a delightful and beautifully illustrated children’s book.