Five Children's Books to Read on Thanksgiving

The holidays are upon us and if you are a parent, part of the fun is reading holiday-themed books with your child, as it adds to the excitement. Following are my favorite five books to read with my child before putting him to bed:

1. The Night Before Thanksgiving (Natasha Wing, Tammie Lyon) - This story discusses the activities and planning that go into a big Thanksgiving celebration. My child, who loves "The Night Before Christmas", was equally as entranced with this Thanksgiving story. The rhymes are catchy and flow easily and the illustrations are very well done. Overall, this was a fun book to read with my child that will no doubt be read during future Thanksgiving holidays.

2. P is for Pilgrim (Carol Crane) - This book gives a history of Thanksgiving by pairing a rhyme with each letter of the alphabet. This book is both fun and educational - any parent or teacher's dream. It teaches Thanksgiving and American history, as well as the alphabet. The illustrations are also very detailed and fun to look at for a child of any age.

3. Five Silly Turkeys (Salina Yoon) - Five silly turkeys dance and one by one they disappear. Similar to the "Five Monkeys" books, this book is great for toddlers. The pictures are very colorful and shiny and there are crinkly feathers that stick out that your child can grab and play with. The book also teaches counting, so you get to insert a little education into the Thanksgiving fun.

4. Spot's Thanksgiving (Eric Hill) - A dog named Spot wants to make a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. This book is part of the "Spot" series that has captured the hearts of many young children. This story is particularly enjoyable for small children because it encourages them to help out their parents with Thanksgiving preparations. Toddlers will enjoy this book because of the colorful illustrations and kindergarten-aged children will like it because it gives them an idea for something to do to be a "big kid".

5. Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks (Margaret Sutherland, Sonja Lamut) - This book shows the importance of giving thanks on Thanksgiving. I enjoyed reading this book to my child because it is simply about giving thanks, something that is put on the backburner sometimes between reuniting with family members and digging into turkey and dressing.