Using fairly brief text and approximately 25 vibrant photographs, the book introduces young readers to Thanksgiving. The books in the "Holidays Around the World" series give a flavor for the holiday from a global perspective; in the case of Thanksgiving, the author relates the holiday to the harvest festivals celebrated by people all over the globe. Both visually and through the text, "Celebrate Thanksgiving" focuses on historical and cultural aspects of the holiday: traditions, food, types of celebration. The extensive back matter includes fun facts; a Thanksgiving recipe; a Thanksgiving poem or song; a map showing either the locations of the photographs in the book or historic sites from the first American Thanksgiving; a resource list of books, videos, and Web sites; and a note from Dr. Elizabeth Pleck, the book's consultant. Dr. Pleck's note, aimed at parents and teachers, helps put the holiday in a greater cultural and historic context.

Author Biography

The award-winning author of 15 books for children, Deborah Heiligman has written 13 books for National Geographic. She specialises in writing about complex subjects for young people, particularly in the areas of science and social studies, and also writes fiction.