Thanksgiving Season!

If you went to the mall or even the grocery store lately, you would think that Christmas is the next holiday around the corner with all the decorations and sales that seem to start earlier with each passing year.

We at the library, however, have not forgotten there is still one major holiday between now and Christmas--Thanksgiving!  So, you won't find any Christmas decorations, books, or movies out on display yet.  Maybe Tom Turkey isn't as popular as Santa Claus, but there are still plenty of things to get you into the Thanksgiving spirit to gather together with loved ones over the river and through the wood.

One of my favorite Thanksgiving books for children is Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano.  It's the story about a turkey who knows what's waiting for him, and to avoid a not-so-pleasant fate, he disguises himself as other animals on the farm to have a happy and unexpected ending.

For adults who are into mysteries, Isis Crawford's A Catered Thanksgiving is sure to provide a mini feast.  Two sisters who run a catering business need to convince a family that they're not responsible for a turkey that exploded and killed a relative.  Each member of the family has secrets, and the real murderer has yet to be discovered.  As a usual bonus in her books, Crawford includes some recipes that go along with her story.

Where movies are concerned, it's hard to imagine (at least for me) a movie that's more Thanksgiving-like than A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.  Snoopy always steals the show, but this time he does it by serving up toast and popcorn for an impromptu Thanksgiving meal at Charlie Brown's house to which Peppermint Patty invites herself and others.

And let us not forget those Thanksgiving diehard fans who want to get to the real roots of the holiday.  For the real history of this uniquely American celebration, check out the following websites: The 1621 Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving History, and Plimoth Plantation.

Remember--when you're besieged by all the glitz of twinkling lights, mistletoe, and reindeer in the stores, the simple turkey, pumpkins, and cranberries come first!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Season!

Whistling the Peanuts' theme song on the perch.