'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey

I'm not a big meat eater, but I'm not a vegetarian either.  I'm just picky... I don't like my meat to resemble the animal it came from.  This is a dilemma* for me every year at Thanksgiving.  Give me ground turkey!  I don't want to see the whole bird on the table!  Ack!

Anyways, there is a point to this.  In 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving, children go on a school fieldtrip to a turkey farm.  Because this is written to mimic Clement Moore's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, the children rode on a school bus "While visions of drumsticks / Danced in their brains."  Note it's DRUMSTICKS they're envisioning... not what animal they come from!  At the farm, children simply adore the turkeys, who are called by name by Farmer Mack Nuggett, who has a big white beard like a certain jolly fellow we all know.  After much frolicking, "Then sombody spotted / An ax by the door, / And she asked Farmer Nuggett / What it was for."  Then Farmer Nuggett with a gleam in his eye responds, "These feathery beasts / Will be chopped up and roasted / For Thanksgiving feasts."  The children and turkeys react with shocked looks on their faces and begin "a chorus of cries".  The farmer and the teacher discuss how to handle this, and upon their return find the children all mysteriously calmer -- and fatter!  They've stuffed the turkeys under their clothes, then waddle onto the bus -- and of course, the teacher and farmer are clueless.  The turkeys come to Thanksgiving dinner with the children... as guests, while their families feasts on veggies instead.  Gotta love it!

Dav Pilkey wrote and illustrated this book, and he is so much more than the Captain Underpants series, for which he's probably most famous for.  His artwork is full of energy and life and frequently has traces of masterpieces in it.  For example, in this book the teacher and the farmer strike an "American Gothic" pose, and he almost always draws his nighttime skies with traces of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" in them. 

Besides references to art masterpieces, he frequently sneaks in other familiar faces as well.  The turkeys are named Ollie, Stanley, Larry, Moe, Wally, Beaver, Shemp and Groucho.  I had to explain to my daughter who Wally is -- not WALL-E but about "Leave it to Beaver".  There are several other references to "Turkey in the Straw", "Over the River and Through the Woods", and a visual reference to the nursery rhyme "Jack and Jill" while the teacher "fetched some water". 

This is a great Thanksgiving book.  Although it deals with the subject of vegetarianism, Dav says:  "I don't consider this book to be a story about vegetarianism... to me, it's just a silly story about love and friendship. If this book has any 'message', it is perhaps that following your heart is often more important than following the rules."  Find out more about this book at Dav's website, and print a picture to color as well! 

I love Dav Pilkey... you'll be seeing more about him later!

Learn More:

• Dav Pilkey's Extra Crunchy Website-O-Fun!  Pilkey's personal website has information on all of his books, including fun facts and special notes.  There's also coloring pages, games, puzzles and more.  I have loved this website for years!!!

• Dav Pilkey's page at Scholastic Books:  Games and other fun stuff for Captain Underpants, Ricky Ricotta and information about his other books.

• 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore.  My family's favorite version is illustrated by Mary Engelbreit.  We like this one too with the Coca-Cola Santa.

• Thanksgiving books for toddlers/preschoolers:  I used to read these during my storytime.  Actually, sing these.  You sing all three of these books!  Over the River (A Turkey's Tale) by Derek Anderson;  One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by BG Hennessy;  I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson.
  

• National Geographic for Kids:  First Thanksgiving:   This is a great magazine -- I give it to my nieces.  There's history along with re-created photos, activities and games.  Can't go wrong here!

• Thanksgiving Activities for Kids and Teachers:  Thanksgiving is a harvest festival, and these have been held all over the world for thousands of years.  Learn about other country's traditions, read the 1676 First Thanksgiving Proclamation and that of George Washington in 1789 and Abe Lincoln in 1863.  Find Native American resources, historic American Thanksgiving dinner menus, symbols of Thanksgiving and more!!
  

• Thanksgiving Printables for Kids:   puzzles, mazes, coloring pages and more!
  

• Thanksgiving Jokes and Riddles:  What happened when the turkey got into a fight?  He got the stuffing knocked out of him!  Bada-boom!
  

• More on American Gothic and Starry Night.
  

• Who were Ollie & Stanley (better known as Laurel & Hardy), Larry, Moe & Shemp (aka the Three Stooges), Wally & Beaver and Groucho? 

• Some of my other favorite Dav Pilkey books include:  The Hallo-wiener, Dogzilla, Kat Kong, Dog Breath, and God Bless the Gargoyles.
  

*So is spelling the word "dilemma".  I was taught "dilemna" but apparently it is with an "mma".  There is a big discussion on this "spelling dilemna" online.  It just looks wrong to me spelling it "mma".  Ack!