SSD Public Website: Booklists: November

November is Picture Book Month!

Balloons over Broadway by Melissa Sweet
Tells the story of puppeteer Tony Sarg, the man who first invented the helium balloons that have become the trademark of the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The First Thanksgiving by Peter Mavrikis; Katrina M. Phillips (
Publication Date: 2021-08-01
Every November, the United States celebrates Thanksgiving Day. But what actually happened at the first Thanksgiving? And when did it happen? Discover the facts and find out the fiction surrounding one of America's favorite holidays.
If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving by Chris Newell; Winona Nelson
Publication Date: 2021-11-02
What if you lived when the English colonists and the Wampanoag people shared a feast at Plimoth? What would you have worn? What would you have eaten? What was the true story of the feast that we now know as the first Thanksgiving and how did it become a national holiday? Chris Newell answers all these questions and more in this comprehensive dive into the feast at Plimoth and the history leading up to it. Carefully crafted to explore both sides of this historical event, this book is a great choice for Thanksgiving units, and for teaching children about this popular holiday.
Let's Celebrate Thanksgiving by J. Patrick Lewis
From setting the table to sharing a meal with family, this book helps readers celebrate the joys of Thanksgiving. Poetry
THe Mayflower by Messner, Kate
Publication Date: 2020
Challenging popular misconceptions about the actual events behind major historical periods, a fact-first chronicle of the Mayflower voyage and founding of the Plymouth Rock colony reveals how the Pilgrims nearly settled elsewhere, almost had a second ship and only met the Wampanoag months after arriving.
The Perfect Thanksgiving by Eileen Spinelli; JoAnn Adinolfi (Illustrator)
Two families--one that is perfect and one that is far from it--celebrate Thanksgiving in their own loving ways.
Squanto's Journey by Joseph Bruchac; Greg Shed (Illustrator)
Squanto recounts how in 1614 he was captured by the British, sold into slavery in Spain, and ultimately returned to the New World to become a guide and friend for the colonists.
Thankful by Elaine Vickers; Samantha Cotterill (Illustrator)
Stunning, diorama illustrations bring to life this lullaby of a picture book about celebrating everyday things that make life wonderful. I am thankful for a home where I am safe and warm. Thankful for parents who read me stories and comb my hair gently, gently. Who whisper the same poem every night when they tuck me in. When the first snow falls, a little girl writes down the things she's thankful for on strips of paper and links them together. As one idea leads to another, her chain grows longer.
The Thankful Book by Todd Parr (Illustrator)
This title celebrates all the little things kids can give thanks for and inspires readers to remember all of life's special moments.
Thanks for Nothing by Ryan Higgins
ISBN: 9781368075855
It's autumn in Soggy Hollow, and the mice have a lot to be thankful for. But Bruce the bear is not so thankful for all the thanking.
Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson; Matt Faulkner (Illustrator)
Relates how Sarah Hale, a magazine editor and author, persuaded President Lincoln to transform Thanksgiving Day into a national holiday.
This Is the Feast by Diane Z. Shore; Megan Lloyd (Illustrator)
This is Thanksgiving, a time to remember the friendships and freedoms we all share together. Poetry

America's White Table by Margot Theis Raven; Chris Ellison (Illustrator); Mike Benny (Illustrator)
ISBN: 1585362166
Publication Date: 2005-05-01
Three children set a special white table in memory of service members fallen or missing in action, and especially in honor of their Uncle Jim, a POW in Vietnam.
Hero Dad by Melinda Hardin; Bryan Langdo (Illustrator)
Some superheroes wear rocket-propelled boots, drive super-powered cars and have X-ray vision. But other superheroes wear army boots, drive tanks, and go away for long trips to make the world a safer place. It's a tough job, but that's what superheroes have to do.
Hero Mom by Melinda Hardin; Bryan Langdo (Illustrator)
The moms in this book are superheroes. They may not leap over tall buildings, and they may not have super-human speed. But these moms construct buildings, fly planes, and make tanks roll. They do all kinds of things to help create a safer world. These superheroes are moms. Military moms. Hero moms.
Tuesday Tucks Me In by Luis Carlos Montalván; Bret Witter; Dan Dion (Photographer)
Tells the story of the amazing service dog who helps former U.S. Army Captain Luis Carlos Montalván overcome his combat-related wounds.
Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by Jeff Gottesfeld; Matt Tavares (Illustrator)
With every step, the Tomb Guards pay homage to America's fallen. Discover their story, and that of the unknown soldiers they honor, through resonant words and illustrations. Keeping vigil at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in Arlington National Cemetery, are the sentinel guards, whose every step, every turn, honors and remembers America's fallen. They protect fellow soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, making sure they are never alone.
The Wall by Eve Bunting; Ronald Himler (Illustrator)
A boy and his father come from far away to visit the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington and find the name of the boy's grandfather, who was killed in the conflict.

Giving Thanks by Jake Swamp; Erwin Printup
Presents the Iroquois Thanksgiving Address prayer, which voices gratitude to Mother Earth for all that nature provides. Also available on BookFlix.
Jingle Dancer by Cynthia L. Smith; Cornelius Van Wright (Illustrator); Ying-Hwa Hu (Illustrator)
Jenna loves the tradition of jingle dancing that has been shared over generations in her family and intertribal community. She hopes to dance at the next powwow. But with the day quickly approaching, she has a problem--how will her dress sing if it has no jingles?
Raven by Gerald McDermott
Raven, the Native American trickster, feels sorry for those who must live in darkness, and he decides to help. He flies over mountains, valleys, and lakes and discovers that light is being kept hidden inside the house of the Sky Chief. Using his cleverness, Raven finds a way to bring light to the world.
Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie; Yuyi Morales
Call Number: E ALE
Thunder Boy Jr. is named after his dad, but he wants a name that's all his own. Just because people call his dad Big Thunder doesn't mean he wants to be Little Thunder. He wants a name that celebrates something cool he's done, like Touch the Clouds, Not Afraid of Ten Thousand Teeth, or Full of Wonder. But just when Thunder Boy Jr. thinks all hope is lost, he and his dad pick the perfect name...a name that is sure to light up the sky.
We Are Grateful by Traci Sorell; Frané Lessac
The word otsaliheliga(oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. Beginning in the fall with the new year and ending in summer, follow a full Cherokee year of celebrations and experiences.
We Are Still Here! by Traci Sorell; Frane Lessac (Illustrator)
Twelve Native American kids present historical and contemporary laws, policies, struggles, and victories in Native life, each with a powerful refrain: We are still here!
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom; Michaela Goade (Illustrator)
Winner of the 2021 Caldecott Medal #1 New York Times Bestseller Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America,We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth's water from harm.

Booklists: November

November is Picture Book Month!

Find more Native American legends and folktales in the 398 section of the library.