Kate Waters

Told from the perspectives of a young Wampanoag boy named Dancing Moccasins and a young English colonist named Resolved White, the narrative of this historical picture-book explores the events of the harvest feast of 1621, when the Wampanoag people visited the English colony of Plymouth, in what is now Massachusetts. It was this visit that inspired the story of the 'First Thanksgiving' that has become mythologized in American history. The book is illustrated with photographs of reenactors show more from Plimoth Plantation, a living museum devoted to the history of the Plymouth Colony. An extensive afterword gives more information about the myth and history of the first Thanksgiving, the type of foods eaten and clothing worn by both natives and settlers, and the role of Plimoth Plantation in preserving history...

Giving Thanks: The 1621 Harvest Feast is one of a number of books - other titles include Sarah Morton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl, Samuel Eaton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Boy, and Tapenum's Day: A Wampanoag Indian Boy in Pilgrim Times - from author Kate Waters and photographer Russ Kendall that explore Colonial American history through the lens of reenactors at Plimoth Plantation. I found it engaging and informative, and think that it would work very well in a study unit on early Colonial American history and/or the story of the "first" Thanksgiving. The use of photographs of historical reenactors will make the narrative come alive for many young people, and make it feel real for them in ways that illustrations might not. Recommended to anyone looking for children's books that offer a more realistic and historically accurate depiction of the event that came to be known as the "First Thanksgiving." show less

Fictionalized story, with re-enactors photographed, of a day in the life of a young boy who really did exist and really was seven in 1627. Very engagingly told in authentically 17th-century language, with a welcome glossary to elucidate difficult words (*I* didn't know that "gammy" meant clumsy) and other supplementary material on Samuel himself and his times, perhaps the most surprising of which was words and music (the music reproduced in facsimile) to a ballad which was sung during the show more working day in the story.

I would like this book even if my mother were not an Eaton with distant connections to the branch of the family that settled in Plymouth. But given the circumstances, it will be treasured. show less

Sarah Morton has been living in the Plimoth colony in the New World for four years, she tells readers. Now age nine, we get one jam-packed day in her life. A Pilgrim girl, she speaks in the vernacular of 1627: "Come thee with me. Let me show thee how my days are," she invites. And thus we see her milking goats, cooking meals, learning her letters, playing knickers (marbles) with friends, reciting her Bible verses, and — in a fascinating sequence of ten pictures — getting dressed: her show more "overgarments," which include three petticoats and a separate pocket. Photographed on location at Plimoth Plantation, an actual living-history museum, the images are largely unposed and provide a historical verisimilitude with which young readers will easily connect.***SRC Quiz*** show less

Yes, there are poop stickers.

Ok, having gotten that out of the way, these two new titles from the Smithsonian imprint are excellent introductions to their subjects.

Poop Sleuth introduces a female scientist, Sarah Putnam, who studies poop! Readers will learn how and why poop is studied and the many things scientists can learn about animals, their diet and habitats. And, of course, there are plenty of pictures of different kinds of poop, including animals.... in action, as it were. There is a show more glossary, but no other back matter.

Curious about worms introduces readers to many different types of worms, from the familiar earthworm to parasitic worms and more. It includes bristle worms, deep in the ocean, similarities and differences between different worms, and their function in their various habitats. The glossary is the only back matter.

Both titles are a trim, 7x7 square. They are primarily available as paperbacks, but can also be purchased prebound. Text is limited to short paragraphs interspersed with copious photos, additional facts, and a varied layout. These will make a good addition to a nonfiction section to meet the needs of grade school students eager for science and nonfiction on a variety of topics at their reading level.

Verdict: Not a first purchase, but if you are building up a nonfiction collection and need more titles, these are a good option for intermediate readers. I'm currently short on nonfiction titles to meet the needs of my school district's new curriculum and these are just right for filling in the gaps.

Poop Sleuth
ISBN: 9780451533708; Published 2017 by Smithsonian/Grosset & Dunlap; Review copy provided by publisher; Prebound edition purchased for the library

Curious about worms
ISBN: 9780451533692; Published 2017 by Smithsonian/Grosset & Dunlap; Review copy provided by publisher; Prebound edition purchased for the library show less