Sharing the Bread: An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Story

K-Gr 2—Everyone helps prepare Thanksgiving dinner in this new holiday offering set in the 19th century. From fetching the cooking pot to folding pilgrim hats, each of the 10 members in this family has a job to do. Narrated by the younger brother in rhyming four-line verse, each spread highlights one aspect of the meal preparations and the relative responsible for it: sister kneads the bread dough, grandpa cooks the berries, auntie mashes the potatoes, etc. The youngster's excitement with the day is conveyed through repetition and simple rhymes and rhythm that mirror the ease with which the family works together in anticipation of their meal. McElmurry's illustrations depict a traditional middle-class family in aprons over their Sunday best. The gouache on watercolor paper affords a three-dimensional, old-fashioned quality to the setting and characters, while the ever-present family dog and cat offer relatable detail for today's digital natives. Muted tones of brown, gray, blue, and black dominate the color scheme and lend authenticity to this celebratory tribute to our national holiday.