Happy Thanksgiving

Grade 4-6 In the opening chapter, the authors attempt to put Thanksgiving into a perspective beyond ``merely a day to pig out on turkey with all the trimmings and to watch football games on TV.'' Carefully avoiding sentimentality, they suggest ways to think about the holiday, ideas for community projects, and methods of communicating with out-of-town relatives and friends. Several easy to make and follow recipes are given, including cranberry relish, pumpkin ice cream pie, and frosty gingerbread (made with ice cream). Even a Thanksgiving breakfast menu is suggested. Cautions for using the stove are repeated in each recipe. Some ideas appear in various craft books; others are unique. The presentation of Thanksgiving through concepts and activities that are understandable and relevant to modern children is useful. The format, however, often appears tight, making suggestions sometimes difficult to separate. Clear chapter headings and an index overcome this problem to an extent, although they don't entirely make up for the lack of enough white space and subheadings. Black-and-white line drawings are sprinkled throughout to illustrate and illuminate. Each chapter opens with a couple of Thanksgiving-related jokes or riddles (most of which have appeared elsewhere, and all of which will cause a groan). A useful addition to flesh out typically slim Thanksgiving collections. Maria B. Salvadore, Dist . of Columbia Pub . Lib .
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.