When the editor at Zondervan asked me to write a Thanksgiving book to add to my holiday board book series, I began to wonder how I would tell the history of the first Thanksgiving in 150 words or less. I soon realized that toddlers and preschoolers are too young to understand the idea of leaving your homeland for the sake of religious freedom. The hardships that the Pilgrims suffered on the Mayflower—starvation, disease, and death—are not the topics that you put in a book for little hearts and minds. In elementary schools, the history of Thanksgiving is usually taught around 2nd grade, when children are better able to comprehend this type of story.

Little ones live in the present. They do not grasp the concept of past or future unless it was yesterday or tomorrow—and even that’s a stretch! For most young children, Thanksgiving is about extended family or friends gathering around a table of delicious food. Thanksgiving is about saying thank you to God for His many blessings. So rather than trying to explain the Mayflower, Pilgrims, and Squanto in six two-page spreads, I decided to write a child-like prayer of thanksgiving to the God whose blessings never cease.

My Thanksgiving Prayer  was published in 2007 by Zondervan, and it’s still going strong during the holiday season. With bold and beautiful illustrations by Claudine Gevry, this kid-friendly approach to Thanksgiving is a prayer that gives thanks to God, not only for our food, but for families, for God’s love, for seasons,  and for God’s creation:

Thank you, God, for birds that sing and mountains standing tall.
For rivers, trees, and bumblebees—Lord, you have made them all.

This book can be used throughout the Thanksgiving season, at bedtime, nap time, or mealtime. Some of my MOPS moms have told me that they read the book as the prayer for their Thanksgiving meal. No matter how families use this book, my prayer is that it will remind us of the importance of saying thank you to God.

Thank you, God, for everything you give to us each day.
Thank you, God, for loving us, in Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen

Here’s to a Happy Thanksgiving and grateful hearts!

Crystal Bowman