Review by Booklist Review
An early education class made up of farm and forest animals discovers the history, traditions, and true meaning of Thanksgiving. Mrs. Wright, the teacher bear, asks the circle of students a question: What one special thing about the holiday would you give thanks for? This question gets class members rooting for football, sweet potatoes and marshmallows, and the relatively new ritual of shopping. Mrs. Wright asks who knows about the first Thanksgiving, and then sets the class to preparing for its own celebration. The only student stumped by the various questions is Sam the bear he can think of neither his favorite Thanksgiving ritual nor a Thanksgiving project. But he manages, finally, to come up with a stunning combination of both when he unveils his replica of the Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons. Bolstered by warm watercolor cartoon illustrations, this book is a perfect delivery system for a wealth of knowledge about Thanksgiving, with the story suggesting that family and friends are the main things to be thankful for.--Fletcher, Connie Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Sam the bear, previously seen in A String of Hearts (2010), struggles to figure out what "one special thing" he's thankful for as his classroom gears up for a Thanksgiving celebration. Sam's classmates are grateful for football, shopping, and marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes, and as Sam considers his answer, Elliott incorporates an array of holiday activities into the story that will be a boon for teachers and families alike: creating placemats from wax paper and autumn leaves, donating to food drives, and making bead necklaces to represent wampum, among others. Munsinger is, as usual, attentive to the emotions of her anthropomorphic animal cast, and at Sam's lowest (when his parade-ready balloons nearly fly away), a classmate's quick thinking-and good aim-help save the day. While Sam's eventual realization of what he's thankful for (his family) won't surprise anyone, Elliott does a commendable job of including a great deal of information about Thanksgiving history into the story and in endnotes, including a bit of Wampanoag vocabulary and some guesses as to the menu of that first 1621 feast. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Bright, cheery, and expressive illustrations perfectly complement this sweet story about Sam's holiday dilemma. The bear cub's class is getting ready for Thanksgiving by making projects and sharing what they are most thankful for. Poor Sam can't think of what to do for his project or what makes him feel grateful. After much thinking, he attempts to re-create the Thanksgiving Day Parade, but a strong wind ruins his project. Luckily his friend Mary Ann, a resourceful squirrel, uses her arrow-shooting skills to rescue one balloon and save the day. This prompts Sam to finally realize what he is thankful for: time spent with his family and wonderful friends. This book will foster discussion about family traditions and gratitude. The author's note is an age-appropriate summary of the first Thanksgiving; it's followed by a page of interesting facts related to the holiday and its inception.-Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh, PA (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
While the other students prepare for the Thanksgiving feast, bear Sam worries he's the only one who isn't sure what he's thankful for. With the help of best friend Mary Ann, Sam realizes he knew what to be thankful for all along. Both story and detailed illustrations embody the holiday's homey, jovial spirit. Information about the first Thanksgiving and additional facts are included. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Sam has trouble thinking of what he is most grateful for when his class celebrates Thanksgiving, and Elliott has trouble sustaining the focus on group relationships begun with Sam's first outing (A String of Hearts, 2010). Sam's classmates have no difficulty giving thanks for football, sweet potatoes and shopping. Led by Mrs. Wright, the class discusses the first Thanksgiving (Native Americans taught Pilgrims to plant and hunt; Pilgrims celebrated their friendship and the harvest with a feast). Then the students brainstorm ways to celebratecostumes, food, crafts and a yarn turkey whose feathers are made up of the students' thanksbut that only increases Sam's anxiety. He does manage to think of something for the day of the feast, but will the wind steal it? Mary Ann's bow-and-arrow practice pays off, rescuing at least part of Sam's surprise, and Sam now knows just what to write on not one, but two feathers. It's just too bad more of the book doesn't focus on the close relationships among the students. One page of backmatter tells more about the relationship between the Native Americans and the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving, while another provides some facts about the modern-day Thanksgiving celebration. Munsinger's sweet, enthusiastic and diverse anthropomorphized animal cast is quite busy with individual projects, which all turn out, rather unrealistically, spectacularly. With its wide variety of activities and crafts, this is sure to spark some classroom celebration ideas, though it otherwise doesn't stand out from other holiday titles. (Picture book. 4-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
