Book Review: Thanksgiving in The Woods
Author Phyllis AlsdurfIllustrator
Book Description:
Every year a family and their friends gather in the woods to celebrate Thanksgiving among the trees. Everyone brings something to share and the day becomes a long celebration of family, faith, and friendship. This picture book includes warm illustrations of people gathered around bonfires and long tables adorned with candles and food, singing songs and sharing laughter.
Thanksgiving in the Woods is based on the true story of a family in Upstate New York who has hosted an outdoor Thanksgiving feast in the woods on their farm for over twenty years.
My Review:
This beautifully illustrated story, Thanksgiving in the Woods begins with a real life picture and caption that for nearly twenty years, this family celebrated a similar set of festivities as the book is depicting. Anticipation, tradition, togetherness, community and gratitude are all character traits we see in this book as family, friends and strangers gather together for a unique celebration in the woods. A celebration filled with food, music and JOY. The repetitive phrase, Thanksgiving in the Woods, will allow children reading along to chime in and be part of this wonderful story. Above all, I loved the addition of musical notes and lyrics to a song they sing in the book for readers to learn and enjoy.
The illustrations are warm and very detailed with evidence of a typical autumn. At the same time, the words reflect the beauty of this time of year with phrases like “we drive over rutted fields, then down a slope to a clearing under trees that reach to the clouds.”
Link to purchase Thanksgiving in The Woods
