My First Thanksgiving »

Best known for his award-winning picture book Strega Nona and for the 26 Fairmount Avenue series of chapter books, Tomie dePaola is one of the most prolific -- and beloved -- author/illustrators in the field of children's literature.

The traditional celebration is clearly and simply explained in My First Thanksgiving with spare text and Tomie dePaola's bright illustrations. A 3-D effect brings the cover artwork to life!

School Library Journal

PreS-- In just six double-page spreads and fewer than ten sentences, dePaola tries to capture some of the historical significance and manifestations of the holiday and to relate them to contemporary celebrations. Pilgrims are depicted on the first spread (dressed in a variety of pastel tones?), but there is no attempt to define who they are, where they came from, or why they are grateful to be in ``their new home.'' de Paola states, ``Their friends came with food for the feast,'' but there's no indication that they joined in. The book then jumps to the ways in which a modern family prepares for and enjoys the annual feast--with lots of company and food aplenty. Only total strangers to children's books will fail to recognize the author's familiar illustrative style executed here in watercolor and colored pencil. A harmless, but lackluster holiday offering that should set preschoolers well on the road to asking questions--just don't expect to find any answers here.-- Luann Toth, School Library Journal