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Caillou: Happy Thanksgiving!
The house is bustling in anticipation of a Thanksgiving feast, and Caillou dreams of all the things he’ll eat at his favorite meal. Yet today he will discover that there is more to the holiday than delicious food—it’s about being thankful for the good things and important people in his life. Capturing the precious memories and emotions of the holiday season, toddlers will learn about the deeper meaning of Thanksgiving in this vividly illustrated story.
24 pages, Hardcover
First published June 30, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 28, 2023
Review originally published on my blog,
Dragon Bite Books
. *I am based in the US.
This book makes family gathering together the centerpiece of Thanksgiving. When Caillou asks what Thanksgiving is, his parents explain that “is a very special day. We celebrate it once a year to say thank you for all the good things in our lives” like “great family and good health.” When it is Caillou’s turn at the table to say what he is important in his life, it is not as he thought several pages back “Teddy and his toys” or even his parents and sister, but “cousins to play with!” The illustrations by Pierre Brigund are mostly on a white background with bright, primary colors as the focal points. The text pages alternate a (really quite good) doodle of a green turkey and a set of pumpkins with fallen leaves that seems more to be drawn with less precision than the turkey.
With both the author and illustrator being Canadian, it is likely that Caillou is celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving, which is celebrated the second Monday in October, where the United States celebrates Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November. This book works for either holiday. The history of Thanksgiving is not discussed, and as such it is one of the least controversial books about Thanksgiving that I have read. There is no mention of Pilgrims, of Indigenous Peoples, or of English explorers in Newfoundland. While the dinner served is turkey and mashed potatoes—staples of an American and a Canadian Thanksgiving celebration—the story of such a gathering of family and a day of thanksgiving could be set in many countries.
This book makes family gathering together the centerpiece of Thanksgiving. When Caillou asks what Thanksgiving is, his parents explain that “is a very special day. We celebrate it once a year to say thank you for all the good things in our lives” like “great family and good health.” When it is Caillou’s turn at the table to say what he is important in his life, it is not as he thought several pages back “Teddy and his toys” or even his parents and sister, but “cousins to play with!” The illustrations by Pierre Brigund are mostly on a white background with bright, primary colors as the focal points. The text pages alternate a (really quite good) doodle of a green turkey and a set of pumpkins with fallen leaves that seems more to be drawn with less precision than the turkey.
With both the author and illustrator being Canadian, it is likely that Caillou is celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving, which is celebrated the second Monday in October, where the United States celebrates Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November. This book works for either holiday. The history of Thanksgiving is not discussed, and as such it is one of the least controversial books about Thanksgiving that I have read. There is no mention of Pilgrims, of Indigenous Peoples, or of English explorers in Newfoundland. While the dinner served is turkey and mashed potatoes—staples of an American and a Canadian Thanksgiving celebration—the story of such a gathering of family and a day of thanksgiving could be set in many countries.
October 4, 2022
Why does everyone suddenly hate this kid?
January 31, 2017
My daughter picked this out at the library. I don't care as much about reading a Thanksgiving book when it's not Thanksgiving season as my husband does. So needless to say, we read this without him. Haha.
The books was ok. Caillou learns the real meaning of Thanksgiving and thinks about the important people in his life. The story wasn't really engaging at all. The only thing it focused on was being thankful for the people in your life, but there is much more to Thanksgiving than that. I believe the ending was supposed to be humorous, but I didn't even chuckle.
I was overall pretty disappointed in this book, and my daughter wasn't super engaged in the illustrations or story either.
The books was ok. Caillou learns the real meaning of Thanksgiving and thinks about the important people in his life. The story wasn't really engaging at all. The only thing it focused on was being thankful for the people in your life, but there is much more to Thanksgiving than that. I believe the ending was supposed to be humorous, but I didn't even chuckle.
I was overall pretty disappointed in this book, and my daughter wasn't super engaged in the illustrations or story either.
November 11, 2016
For all lovers of Caillou. A trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house on Thanksgiving day.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews