The Magic Tree House books are a series by Mary Pope Osborne. Ms. Osborne writes about two children, Jack and Annie who live in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania. Through a magic tree house, they are transported all over the world, during different times in history, learning new things along the way.
This is a wonderful series for the beginning chapter reader. Often it will give the reader a birds eye view of true historical events, but the books are fun as well. Children learn about all sorts of times and places, even fictional ones, such as Camelot.
Today's book is "Thanksgiving on Thursday". In this book, Jack and Annie are sent to Plymouth to celebrate the first Thanksgiving feast. They meet Squanto, Miles Standish, and most importantly Priscilla Mullins, who takes the two children under her care as they try to figure out their jobs during the first Thanksgiving feast.
In the book, the children find out that the first Thanksgiving wasn't celebrated until Abraham Lincoln made it an official holiday. What we think of as the first, was actually a three day feast the pilgrim's organized to give thanks for their bountiful harvest. In gratitude, they invited their Indian neighbors. To help feed some many guests, Jack and Annie are sent out to go clamming. Although they try, Jack and Annie's ideas of how to help with the Thanksgiving feast, and the pilgrims are miles apart. But with the help of Priscilla and Squanto they manage to learn, while not giving themselves away.
This is a great book to read tonight or tomorrow while you are waiting for the gravy to thicken or the turnkey to cook. If you have a crowd you might want to invite the younger readers to enjoy the book. It isn't a thick book but it will be thick enough to keep little ones occupied. They can enjoy the book while they are waiting to enjoy the turkey.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.
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