Independent Reading Level: Grade 2-5
Awards/Honors: NA ( )

Gr 2–5—A much-needed, truthful exploration of the Thanksgiving myth that finally addresses its impact from the
perspective of the Wampanoag and other tribes who lived in Plimoth thousands of years before the colonization and
decimation of their people. Newell (Passamaquoddy Tribe) and Nelson (Leech Lake Band of Minnesota Chippewa)
have created a resource that should be part of every school's curriculum.

Ameasured corrective to pervasive myths about what is often referred to as the “first Thanksgiving.”

Contextualizing them within a Native perspective, Newell (Passamaquoddy) touches on the all-too-familiar elements of the U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving and its origins and the history of English colonization in the territory now known as New England. In addition to the voyage and landfall of the Mayflower, readers learn about the Doctrine of Discovery that arrogated the lands of non-Christian peoples to European settlers; earlier encounters between the Indigenous peoples of the region and Europeans; and the Great Dying of 1616-1619, which emptied the village of Patuxet by 1620. Short, two- to six-page chapters alternate between the story of the English settlers and exploring the complex political makeup of the region and the culture, agriculture, and technology of the Wampanoag—all before covering the evolution of the holiday. Refreshingly, the lens Newell offers is a Native one, describing how the Wampanoag and other Native peoples received the English rather than the other way around. Key words ranging from estuary to discover are printed in boldface in the narrative and defined in a closing glossary. Nelson (a member of the Leech Lake Band of Minnesota Chippewa) contributes soft line-and-color illustrations of the proceedings. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Essential. (Nonfiction. 8-12)

-Kirkus Review

What was it like at the first Thanksgiving? Did they really eat turkey? Did the English people and the Native Americans really get along?
This title is recommended as a reference text for grades 3-6. The author uses color illustrations and factual text to tell both sides of the Thanksgiving story. There are reference helps such as a table of contents, and glossary. ( )

What if you lived in a different time and place? What would you wear? What would you eat? How would your daily life be different? Scholastic's If You Lived... series answers all of kids' most important questions about events in American history. With a question and answer format, kid-friendly artwork, and engaging information, this series is the perfect partner for the classroom and for history-loving readers.