This is the Feast by Diane Z. Shore

This is the Feast by Diane Z. Shore--


On my quest to find Thanksgiving picture books that would convey both the historical and spiritual significance of the first Thanksgiving, I found a lot of duds.  Of the twenty-five books I obtained from the library, This is the Feast is my favorite for preschoolers.  It combines bold, engaging illustrations, with simple, but thorough history, and highlights the pilgrim's faith (which many of the picture books actually left out entirely).  Most pages have just one or two sentences, but combined with detailed illustrations, manage to convey a lot.   Every few pages, there is a sentence in quotes as if spoken by the pilgrims collectively thanking God:  "Thanks be to God, our strength and our guide," etc.  My four-year old enjoyed this book, examining the pictures on each page carefully and asking many questions, which allowed me to flesh out the history beyond just the simple details included in the story.   At times I found the rhyming format to be a bit clunky, but overall, this book was a winner and worth purchasing for next year.