Pardon That Turkey: How Thanksgiving Became a Holiday by Susan Sloate

Product description from back cover:  Everyone knows about the pilgrims’ “first Thanksgiving.” But do you know how Thanksgiving became a national holiday or why the president pardons a turkey every year? Read along to find out about the woman who saved Thanksgiving, the first pardon, and more!

It is often difficult to find a good book about a holiday that is on an elementary level.  This is an All Aboard Reading  Level 3 (Reading Alone) book.  While better suited for older students to read for themselves, the book is excellent for sharing information about Thanksgiving with younger students. It would make a great read aloud.  Divided into six chapters the book includes information about the first Thanksgiving, Sarah Hale’s campaign to make Thanksgiving a national holiday and the tradition of a presidential pardon for the Thanksgiving Turkey. I’ve read other books about Sarah Hale, but what I like about this one is that it includes more about Sarah’s life as well as her campaign for a national holiday. It gives students a bigger picture of who she was.

Amazon recommends this book for ages 4-8. I would recommend it as a read alone for 3^rd grade and up and as a read aloud for Kindergarten and up.

Mrs. Archer’s Rating: 5 of 5