Run, Turkey, Run!

by Diane Mayr

illustrated by Laura Rader

With so many books about the Thanksgiving turkey getting away, I'm surprised any of us actually have turkey on the 4th Thursday in November.  I wasn't sure about reading so many turkey escape books...would they lead my children to protest the consumption of the holiday bird?  Too bad for the turkey at our house, Thanksgiving dinner is way too delicious.  

Run, Turkey, Run! is one of my favorite fugitive turkey picture books.  As the family prepares the rest of the Thanksgiving meal, the farmer sets out after the turkey.  Turkey goes on the run. "If Turkey rolls in the mud, will the farmer think he's a pig?"  The kids will enjoy yelling, "No!!  Run, Turkey, run!"  The turkey also tries hiding out as a duck and a horse, with the farmer getting more bedraggled with every step.  

I really like this craft because it illustrates exactly what I'm most thankful for-- our family!  Use the handprints from everyone in the family to make the feathers!  I'm sure you can figure out how to make it on your own, but here are the directions just in case.

Happy Thanksgiving!

book image via nhbookcenter.blogspot.com

Sometimes it's Turkey, Sometimes it's Feathers

by Lorna and Lecia Balian

Little old Mrs. Gumm finds a turkey egg out in the forest one day. She rushes home and takes care of it, all the while exclaiming how much she's looking forward to how big and fat the turkey will be at Thanksgiving.

The turkey hatches and he's trouble. He eats pretty much everything else Mrs. Gumm planned to grow to use in her thanksgiving meal. But the woman doesn't let it get to her. She just exclaims what a fine, fat turkey he will be by then for all he's been eating.

The fateful Thanksgiving day arrives, and out comes the hatchet. What's for dinner? Read it to find out!

Make sure you get a more recent publication of this book. The newer version is full color. The older version is printed in a color that is neither green nor brown. And when I say that's what it's printed with, that is the only color they use. Very hard to see the pictures when everything (floor, chairs, walls, people) are all the same color on a page.

Have a little fun: Make your own turkey that won't be eaten this Thanksgiving! I'm all about crafts that kids can go at completely on their own. Crafts that require lots of intervention on my part really don't end up being their proud treasure like the crafts they create on their own.

Use the turkey as a placecard holder by having the kids nestle name cards into the pinecone.

image via rockbottomprices.com

Thank you, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving

by Laurie Halse Anderson

illustrated by Matt Faulkner

Did you know the same person who composed "Mary Had a Little Lamb" was also responsible for the creation of our national day off from work for Thanksgiving?  And how did she do it?  Despite failure after failure, she was "bold, brave, stubborn and smart."  The greatest lesson in this?  She was just a mom who never gave up and persevered to make a difference.   

image via biblio.com