cover image THE VERY FIRST THANKSGIVING DAY

THE VERY FIRST THANKSGIVING DAY

Rhonda Gowler Greene, , illus. by Susan Gaber. . S&S/Atheneum, $15.95 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-689-83301-4

The team behind The Stable Where Jesus Was Born reprises a "House That Jack Built" format: "These are the Pilgrims who farmed the new land,/ who steadfastly labored and toiled by hand,/ and learned from the Indians, skillful and strong." While this construct necessitates somewhat simplistic characterizations, Greene succinctly describes the first feast and traces the Pilgrims' roots back to England. Gaber contributes breathtaking paintings, particularly noteworthy for their distinctive autumnal lighting and robust, Brueghelesque palette. Her illustration of the Mayflower, seen as a tiny ship against a vast sea nearly indistinguishable from the sky, alone testifies to the Pilgrims' courageous journey. Ages 3-6. (Oct.)