GATHER GRATEFUL, a Graceful Approach to Fall and Gratitude

 Do you live where leaves fall at this time of year? Where the change of seasons is unmistakable  not only for its shifts in weather but also for the altered patterns of birds and other animals in habitats near by? If you do, this new picture book will resonate in your bones, in your heart, in your family. If you reside in one of those climates that sustains one season all year long, this is a valuable way to share the FALL/seasonal change that your young ones might not have experienced but will readily imagine as you read together.

GATHER GRATEFUL is written by Megan Litwin and illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey. 

CANDLEWICK PRESS, 2025

Written in rhymed text, the limited lines on each page launch visual storytelling of the many signals and rhythms of fall.

Colors change, temperatures drop. It's time to GATHER. Sweeping double page illustrations in shades of orange/brown and blue contrast with a crisp white background. The tones and shadows of those browns and blues, occasionally accented with black, allow readers to note birds and bears, crusty trunks and flittering leaves, all while recognizing the changes necessary with Fall's arrival.

Nesting, migrating, harvesting and hibernating unfold as "gather" expands to include huddles and cuddles and visits and vistas. Even as the latter pages reveal the various joys of gathering of humans with friends and loved ones, shifts in perspective circle back to the outdoor critters whose seasonal changes have thickened their fur coats, feathered their burrows, and beckoned them to the glow of warmth from windows and campfires. 

This could be described as a lovely lyrical list of Fall activities, and that would be true. But it is written and illustrated so that each posture and frame, each tone and tender expression invites readers to FEEL the characters and their neighbors in nature. This could also be called a Thanksgiving book, but that word is never used. Instead the word GATHER is a celebration of community, of family, of flocks, and of friends. It is anchored to a season, but not to a particular day or time or culture or era. In fact, the universally recognizable joy conveyed is something to be grateful for all year long.

A Fall Ball for ALL: Nature Throws a Party in Wisconsin

Yesterday morning I pulled out of my driveway and nearly every tree in my yard was leafy green. When I returned in the evening I found half (or more) of those leaves were sporting glorious fall golds, oranges, and reds. It's no surprise that so many people who live in temperate climates list Fall as our favorite season. Adjectives (and even camera lenses) can't do justice to the spectacle nature provides at this time of year. The sudden color adds to my recognition that a single windy night could- WHOOOOMP -snatch that overhead brilliance from the sunlight above and cover the ground with a carpet of leaves. 

MIllbrook Press, 2018

There are times, like yesterday, when Mother Nature's hand feels very deliberate, intentional.
Jamie A. Swenson's latest picture book, A FALL BALL FOR ALL, captures that sense of intention by giving a personified voice to The Wind.
While I felt Autumn's painterly hand in yesterday's sudden transformation of color, Swenson's book gives life to the wind with this beckoning message:
"Once upon a golden day,/Autumn Wind blew in to play,/ Whooshing leaves into the air--/ Orange, brown, purple, everywhere!"

With that irresistible opening, the stage is set in a Wisconsin woodland  (a location Swenson confirms in the author note back pages). 
The animals welcome the news, delaying migration and hibernation in order to participate. The Windfall Ball is coming!

While Swenson's rhyming text swirls from page to page, rich with delightful descriptions and figurative language, illustrator Chiara Fedele's double-page spreads saturate the scenes with movement, revealing growing enthusiasm among the guests, and conveying expressive wildlife postures and features. 

Swenson's text utilizes both familiar and expansive vocabulary, with a lilt:

"Gusts and gales and tempest forces/ set a fete with seven courses:/

Cranberries, chestnuts, corn and plums,/ Sunflowers, daisies, chrysanthemums."

On the spread with this text the listed elements are pictured, along with pumpkins so robust they make the page look heavy, magnificent mushrooms, late season daisies, and more. On each page I was seeking out faces, tails, and beaks- and any other signs that the complex mix of residents of the woods might be tucked among the dense visual images, anticipating a celebration on each pre-ball day.

There is a brief note about the TWO meanings of windfall on back pages:

The actual fruit and other crops blown to the ground by the wind, 
and 

An unexpected gift or good fortune.

That note called to mind the many years when I lived on large acreage in a rural area. The land included an overgrown orchard. Windfall fruits attracted countless furry and feathered wildlife to the area. As critters are together in the dark they occasionally generated quite a bit of noise.  Upon hearing it, I would hope that their disagreements would end with no one harmed. Now I realize it may have been rousing windfall parties like the one we are privileged to attend in A FALL BALL FOR ALL.

A Thanksgiving Picture Book Feast

I'm taking another piggyback-post shortcut here to share a veritable cornucopia

of fun picture books dealing with gratitude and thankfulness. These are not specifically Thanksgiving titles, rather the kinds of books that foster genuine awareness of  and deep gratitude for our blessings, relevant throughout the year. There's nothing syrupy or schmaltzy about them; they are simple and charming stories featuring diverse characters and situations. 

This post by Gi Hallmark on THE CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW deserves a careful read, a bookmark, and sharing. I'm grateful for the post, and you'll be grateful to have such a convenient list of titles to suggest not just during this season, but all year long.

I'll just add one personal disclaimer:

as much as I adore Shel Silverstein's work, THE GIVING TREE is on a very short list of picture book titles that I personally do not enjoy or recommend, for a variety of reasons. For insights into the curiously intense debate about the book, read this COMMON SENSE MEDIA post.

It's never a good idea to share a book without reading it yourself first, even more so with picture books. Children "read" themselves into books, seeing every nuance in the illustrations and impact of the overall story. So check these recommendations out and make your choices-- there are plenty to go around for someone you know!

Thanksgiving and Hannukkah Converge

This year Thanksgiving and Hannukkah together to make Thanksgivukkah. Rarely does Thanksgiving fall this late on the calendar, nor does Hannukkah come as early. In this case, though, as rare as it is, digital communication has landed this new word in Wikipedia, on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube,  and it even has a hashtag on Twitter (#Thanksgivakkah). 

What I couldn't find, even in these times of instantaneous publishing, was a picture book about it. You'd think that when two such important celebrations converge every 150 years it would merit a picture book of its own, wouldn't you?

Instead, I'll feature a few titles about the more conventional annual event, spelled in a variety of ways:
Chanukah, Hanukkah, Hanukah, Hannukah, Channukah, and at least ten others.

Blue Apple Books, 2008

HANUKKAH HAIKU, written by Harriet Ziefert and illustrated by Karla Gudeon provides an ideal starting point. It's vibrant colors and traditional images in figures, symbols, and border trims combine with simple and descriptive haikus to describe and celebrate the story of Hanukkah. The successively cut-page design is dramatic and gorgeous, concluding with a look resembling an heirloom quilt or tapestry. Back matter offers the explanation of the blessing said at the lighting of the candles each day. This book offers something for everyone, regardless of ethnicity or age.

Harper Collins, 2004

A more sober but uplifting title is by the prolific and incomparable Eve Bunting: ONE CANDLE, illustrated by K. Wendy Popp. The muted, sepia-toned illustrations are as powerful as the text in revealing one family's tradition of using the first night to retell the story of Great-Aunt Rose's Hanukkah as a thirteen-year-old girl in a concentration camp. "It has to do with being strong in the bad time and remembering it in the good time. And for the women in Grandma's barracks and others who didn't live to come out." This, too, captures the true meaning of Hanukkah.

Harper Collins, 1995

Then there's THE TIE MAN'S MIRACLE: A CHANUKAH TALE, written by Steven Schnur and illustrated by Stephen T. Johnson. It's out of print now but available in libraries and online. This is actually a somber story, perhaps for older readers. It, too, sees the candles through the eyes of a holocaust survivor. Despite having a more vague description than ONE CANDLE, its tone is darker and conveys more fully the horror of those events. The miracle, though, is the ability of the survivor to hold out hopes that wishes can come true, that young children can believe in better things.

For even more suggestions check this November 16 Nerdy Bookclub blog post by Stacey Shubitz : Top Ten Chanukah Books.

Chronicle Books, 2013

Then, whether yours will be a traditional Thanksgiving or a blended Thanksgivakkah, you'd do well to have on hand GIVING THANKS: POEMS, PRAYERS, and PRAISE SONGS OF THANKSGIVING.  Edited with reflections by Katherine Paterson and illustrations by Pamela Dalton, this collection draws on sources from ancient to current, from cultures as diverse as native American, Celtic, Vietnamese, and the prolific "anonymous". The poems and thoughts reflect on shared meals, family, inner spirits, and community. The paper cut art is as complex and direct as the text, inviting careful examination and providing ample reasons to return again and again. (If you're a fan of papercut art/ illustrations, Pamela Dalton's name above for more incredible cut-paper art that you can imagine!)

Whether these titles, or holidays, or thoughts of mine matter to you or not, I thank you for reading them, and wish you and those you care for an opportunity to share your blessings and memories together in peace throughout the holiday season.

Thanksgiving- from Many Points of View

Thanksgiving is a holiday celebration observed at different times and with various traditions around the world. Even in this country it had a mixed history until it was first formalized as a national day of thanks by President Lincoln, as noted in a last week's post.

Long before that, long before the Pilgrims ever landed at Plymouth Rock, Native Americans honored Mother Earth and her bounty with harvest ceremonies and celebrations. It is foolish to suggest that any one person, blog, or group speaks for all Native Americans, but it is safe to say that attitudes about traditional American Thanksgiving are wide-ranging, and much more complex than typically depicted in the Pilgrims/Indians tales.

Lee & Low Books, 1995

One way to incorporate a balanced approach to this holiday is to share a simple and powerful picture book by Chief Jake Swamp, illustrated by Erwin Printup, Jr. GIVING THANKS: A NATIVE AMERICAN GOOD MORNING MESSAGE offers an inspiring start to Thanksgiving or any day of the year.

The words of thanks in this Reading Rainbow book come from Native People known as the Haudenosaunee, or more commonly, the Iroquois or Six Nations, whose native lands centered around the Great Lakes.

Puffin Books, 2002

Reflecting for even a few minutes on this book is a perfect prelude to reading BROTHER EAGLE, SISTER SKY, a message from Chief Seattle, with remarkable and inspiring paintings by Susan Jeffers. His message about the need to respect every aspect of the Earth and its resources, his plea to recognize that we are but one strand in a web that is both vibrant and fragile, rings even more true today than it was over a hundred years ago when his words were first spoken.
Read what Kirkus Review had to say about this timely and timeless book.

Scholastic Paperback, 2000

Speaking of timeless, here's another challenge for anyone willing to search libraries, used book stores, or online resellers. A THANKSGIVING WISH, by Michael J.Rosen, illustrated by John Thompson, is the perfect selection for those dealing with the loss of a loved one, for those still struggling to recover  from the East Coast superstorm, and for those who believe traditions can draw us closer, especially at holiday times.

With a cumulative 4.29 stars, this synopsis is from Goodreads:
"After her grandmother Bubbe's death, Amanda is worried that Thanksgiving will never be the same. But when she recalls Bubbe's favorite custom -- having her grandchildren make wishes on wishbones she had saved up throughout the year -- Amanda and her family discover the power and comfort embedded in tradition."
I'll add to that. This Thanksgiving story, unlike most, features a Jewish family, a massive storm and power outage, and the generosity of strangers. 

Here's hoping that one or all of these titles find their way into your lives this week or some time in the future. All provide food for thought, as well as heartwarming illustrations and reflections. 

I'm wishing everyone happiness and good company on Thanksgiving and every day.

Never Too Soon To GIve Thanks!

This title is featured in advance of the holiday to allow you to locate it to share during holiday visits.

With the election over, I doubt I'm alone in giving thanks for an end to campaign advertising.

I'm also hopeful that we Americans, as citizens and through our leaders, will find a way to communicate and collaborate in respectful, open-minded ways in the four years ahead and beyond.

Perhaps we'll be inspired by the newly-released movie, LINCOLN, starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Sally Field. Interviews and reviews indicate the focus of this production is on a very narrow window of time in which Lincoln faced a deeply divided country, navigating pressures and hostility on all sides to make decisions that changed our nation forever.

In the midst of the many challenges he faced, he never lost sight of the needs of individuals.

Albert Whitman & Co. 2012

One book that reveals his awareness of the need for healing among the people is SARAH GIVES THANKS, by Mike Allegra, illustrated by David Gardner.

This biography of Sara Josepha Hale extends far beyond acknowledging her role as the driving force behind the establishment of Thanksgiving as an annual national holiday. Widowed, with five children, Sarah still chose to give thanks for her family and the love they shared. She managed to support her family by writing for magazines, rising to responsibility and success as an "editress". At the time, Thanksgiving was not a national holiday, but was honored by various states on various dates. Beginning in 1849, she undertook her own campaign to persuade Presidents Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, and James Buchanan of the importance of declaring Thanksgiving as a national holiday. Despite her persistence, her national audience, and her eloquent arguments, she was ignored year after year.  It was Lincoln, immersed in the pain of the Civil War, who saw the value in pausing to recognize blessings and give thanks, even in the hardest of times. After Sarah's thirty-six years of effort, Lincoln declared a National Day of Thanksgiving to be celebrated by all the states on the last Thursday of November.  Sarah's lifelong effort to learn, to write, to reach her full potential and support other women in overcoming gender limitations is inspiring and should be shared well beyond this annual holiday or a "Women's History" month. With the topic of Thanksgiving, this is an ideal book to share early in the year and refer to often. It includes excellent author notes and  back matter, too. So whether your vote is for pumpkin pie or pecan, let's hope we can set aside differences   long enough to count our blessings, wish each other well, and share some great books.