The book is set in a Pilgrim village in the 17th century. A young girl named Grace is worried about what her neighbors say is going to be a harsh winter. Grace remembers that the last winter was harsh, her sister was born premature and nearly didn't survive, and her father barely made it home in a blizzard. Grace is scared and doesn’t want to go through that again. She prays for a gentle winter and her prayers are answered. The spring comes and the crops grow then fall is here and it’s time for the harvest. A new comer to the village tells about a new custom in her village where everyone gathers for a feast. The community likes the idea and sets a date for their own feast. The day comes and they sit down to eat but Grace stops them so they can say thank you to God. After that Graces family takes turns at every meal saying “Grace”.

I liked this book. I loved the introduction of Thanksgiving and the explanation of why people “say grace” before meals. I think it’s an excellent book to show Pilgrim culture.

1. Could be used in a history lesson about the Pilgrims, the illustrations are great for showing what the time period would look like.
2. Would be great to use in a lesson about the changing of the seasons and how we adapt to the change.

NCLA Review - There is no Biblical law or teaching in the church that instructs us to say grace before (and sometimes after) meals. Yet the custom was widely practiced as early as Bible times. Amidst the hardships of New England during the 1600's, a young girl realizes that she should thank God for the blessings He bestows on her, her family and community. During the community's first harvest feast she suggests a thank you to God in prayer which then became a daily mealtime habit for her family. The author provides some useful Christian mealtime prayers that have been passed on for generations. Illustrator Timothy Ladwig, uses a palette of yellows, reds and oranges for the lush fall foliage season that complements the text. This book is a wonderful addition for any church library, especially during the Thanksgiving season. It reminds us all to appreciate the blessings that God has bestowed on us and reminds us to say grace. Ages 4-8. Rating: 3 —BS ( )

This book is about how a little girl named Grace came up with the idea of saying grace or prayer before meal times. ( )