I am enjoying the Thanksgiving posts by my fellow Christian Children’s Authors. It is easy to forget the details of that first Thanksgiving and the hardships the Pilgrims faced in their quest for religious freedom. I love the details that Diane wrote about in her blog. She didn’t water it down–she told it like it was. It’s a history lesson that most children learn in the elementary schools, but I fear the true story of Thanksgiving is being watered down by our secular society. The Thanksgiving feast was not about the Pilgrims thanking the Native Americans (as some schools are now teaching!). It was a celebration of God’s goodness and his provision.

In many schools, the story of the Mayflower and the Pilgrims’ journey is taught in the second grade. It is a story of hardship and one that is too heavy for the ears of toddlers and preschoolers. When Zondervan asked me to write a Thanksgiving boardbook, I knew that telling the story of the Pilgrims would be too much too soon. Little ones live in the moment. They do not have an understanding of “many years ago” or “there were many harships.” For little ones, Thanksgiving means a big meal with extended family. Just as the grateful Pilgrims thanked God for his many blessings, we can thank God for the abundance that surrounds us.

My Thanksgiving boardbook was recently released in a smaller size, just right for the hands of a young child. The title is My Thanksgiving Prayer, and the rhyming text is a simple prayer to God, thanking him for specific blessings. The colorful illustrations add warmth and charm to the pages. The book can be read to a child anytime during the season, or it can be used as the prayer before your Thanksgiving feast. No matter how the book is used, the important thing is that it’s about thanking the One who provides it all.

This year our family has two more reasons to be thankful. Our twin grandsons arrived beautiful and healthy on November 9.

Every good and perfect gift is from above! (James 1:17)

Here’s to giving thanks to God all year long!

CRYSTAL BOWMAN