Sometime it's Turkey - Sometimes it's Feathers

This book was a great, cute story to share with your students during Thanksgiving. Unlike other stories, it doesn't have the controversial issues about the Native American and pilgrims or historical context. Instead it's a warm fun book about the holiday itself. It has a much more deeper meaning about being thankful and kind.
Mrs. Gumm  finds a large cream-colored egg with freckles while hunting for wild mushrooms. She fills her mushroom basket with soft April grass and places her new treasure in it. Mrs. Gumm was so excited she had found her Thanksgiving dinner, a genuine turkey egg!
Mrs. Gumm tries to hatch the egg. She covers it in flannel and sets it in a warm place. She can't imagine what a fine Thanksgiving dinner she will have!
For days and days she watched it, and turned it, and warmed it, until finally in one day in May they heard a "tap...tap...tap." The freckled egg had finally cracked! Out came a sticky, we, boney little lump. It dried and became a fuzzy little lump with beady black eyes and a sharp beak. Mrs. Gumm will feed him and fatten him up. She can't imagine what a fine Thanksgiving dinner she will have!
The turkey ate everything in sight! Oatmeal, wheaties, cornmeal and bread, seeds, nuts, insects, sand, and cat food. The turkey grew fast; "He'll be plenty big for Thanksgiving dinner" said Mrs. Gumm!
In June, Mrs Gumm started planting seeds. In July, Turkey ate raspberries.  The grapes grew sweet and purple in August. The September wind blew the thorn apples off the tree, and turkey gobbled them up as fast as they fell. In October Turkey ate up all of Mrs. Gumm's corn. All of Mrs. Gumm's food was gone, but she could only imagine what a fine Thanksgiving dinner she would have.
Preparations for Thanksgiving Day began early in November. She prepared a great, big feast! From cornbread, to sweet cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and a steaming bowl of fragrant onion-and-chestnut stuffing.
Mrs. Gumm sets the table and gets ready to bring out that nice plum Turkey to the table. What a fine Thanksgiving it will be!
"I have so much to be thankful for," said Mrs. Gumm, "A Thanksgiving feast and two good friends to share it with. Imagine!" Turkey takes a seat next to Mrs. Gumm.
"He'll be bigger-and much plumper- next Thanksgiving." said little old Mrs. Gumm. IMAGINE!"
I thought this book had such a cute ending! Who would have thought that Mrs. Gumm's big, plump Turkey would become a friend! I think this is a great book to share for the holiday because it teaches you to be grateful of the friends and family you have. I love how it also uses repetition when Mrs. Gumm keeps stating, "What a fine Thanksgiving we'll have, Imagine!" The book also helps with the different months as Thanksgiving arrives.
I would love to use this book in my class followed by a Thanksgiving activity. I think that it'd be great to have the kids make a hand turkey and write something their thankful for on each feather.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!