The books measure 9" x 10".  The author is Rhonda Gowler Greene, and the illustrator is Susan Gaber.  The copyright is 2003, and the publisher is Scholastic.

The following is a synopsis of the plot of the book.: This historical fiction, picture book is about when settlers first arrived to America, what their interactions with the Native Americans were like, and what they did to prepare for the the initial Thanksgiving.  It tells about the life of the Pilgrims and, how with the help of the Indians, they were able to overcome their troubles and survive and prosper.  Rhyming descriptive verses trace the events that lead up to the first Thanksgiving Day.  This charming story introduces the Thanksgiving holiday to young readers/listeners and explains how it first came to be.  The author and illustrator take children on a journey back to the very first feast on Thanksgiving Day when two societies came together to share and exchange and honor the earth's bounty in peace.

This book has definite kid appeal, as it follows the pattern of "The House That Jack Built", and it has breathtaking, gorgeous, Dutch-inspired paintings.  The rich illustrations convey a surprising amount of emotion.  Children will enjoy the repetition, as each page has a line from the previous one.  They will also like how the story ends up coming full circle to where it started, as it works backward from the feast to the Pilgrim's departure from their homeland of England.  The story begins with the day of the Thanksgiving and works back in time to when the Mayflower landed on Plymouth Rock in the New World.  The author describes how the Pilgrims built their homes in straight rows and how they farmed and harvested their food to store for winter.  The book explains how the Indians were very kind to the Pilgrims and how they worked together and learned from each other.  It describes the first harsh winter and finally, the first Thanksgiving in which the Pilgrims had much to be thankful for.  

This is a beautifully illustrated, informative picture book for young children about the Pilgrims building a new life and the original gathering of the Pilgrims and Indians for the sharing of the first Thanksgiving feast.  The text is placed into a gentle rhyme that takes children back to the landing at Plymouth Rock, where a series of lovely paintings then depict the people's lives in their village by the harbor that first year.  Although hardships and struggles are hinted at in both rhyme and painting, the real focus is on the positive relationship between the two peoples, as the Indians helped the Pilgrims adapt to their new home.  This simple book is a perfect introduction to the experience and history of the Thanksgiving holiday for young children, and the rhyming scheme will keep children interested.

This is a delightful cumulative tale with detailed, colorful, realistic acrylic paintings that are accurate and precise and a reverse chronological story structure.  It provides a brief history of Pilgrims, Indians, and the journey to the New World on the Mayflower.  It is obvious that the illustrator put a lot of careful attention into the historical accuracy of this book. The text and the illustrations are well-researched, as explained in the authors's and illustrator's notes at the beginning of the book.  This story expresses not only the toils faced by the Pilgrims, but also the joy and thankfulness felt by them at the celebration of the first Thanksgiving.  This is an excellent book for briefly and engagingly covering the history of the American holiday of Thanksgiving.

This sweet rhyming book takes the reader/listener on a trip back in time through each part of the first Thanksgiving, from the Mayflower to the New World and the food the Pilgrims and Indians created together.  The rhyming nature of the text gives it a nice tone, while it covers some historical facts.  The story is told through the perspective of someone who was there at the time of the events, which allows the readers/listeners to feel connected to the experience.  This is a fantastic book and appropriate for young readers.  They will gain knowledge of what the first meal was like based off what the land provided, the pilgrimage to the New World, the living conditions, what the Pilgrims had to go through to get to the first Thanksgiving Day and how the Indians aided them.

This book set would make a wonderful addition to a preschool, kindergarten, or 1st grade classroom!  These books would also be nice to give to little ones as Thanksgiving gifts!  I am hoping to find this set a good home.