The Thankful Pumpkin: A Thanksgiving Picture Book About Gratitude
on Goodreads (10)
What’s inside...
The Thankful Pumpkin is a picture book by Julia Zheng that tells the story of a pumpkin expressing gratitude for the things that help her grow and bring her joy, making it an ideal Thanksgiving read for children ages 2-6. It teaches the importance of being thankful and appreciating the small things in life. Julia Zheng, originally from Fujian, China, is a children’s author who now resides in Massachusetts. With a background in English and Western culture from Nanchang University, and experience teaching English in China, her children’s books aim to impart valuable lessons through engaging stories with humor and warmth.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
2-6
Length
27 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What are some things that made the pumpkin in the story feel thankful? Can you think of things that make you feel thankful?
How do the characters in the book show their gratitude to each other? Can we do something similar in our family?
Why do you think being thankful is important? How does it make you and the people around you feel?
If you were the thankful pumpkin, what new things would you want to explore? Why?
How does the story of the thankful pumpkin change the way you think about Thanksgiving?
Tip: Role play these questions
While discussing the book, emphasize the emotions of the pumpkin and other characters to help your child understand the feeling of gratitude.
Encourage your child to express their own thoughts and feelings about thankfulness by relating personal experiences or desires.
Use the illustrations in the book to delve deeper into the story — discuss the colors, faces, and scenery, and ask your child how these might relate to feelings of thankfulness.
After reading, consider performing a small gratitude exercise where each family member states what they are thankful for, inspired by the book’s theme.
Create a habitual reading routine where discussions about the book’s themes like gratitude become a natural reflection after reading.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Gratitude
Explanation: The story focuses on a pumpkin that reflects on things it is thankful for, teaching children the importance of gratitude.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by regularly expressing what they are thankful for, whether it's during family meals or before bedtime.
Example Lesson: Sharing
Explanation: The Thankful Pumpkin shares its gratitude with others, showing children the value of sharing positive feelings and thoughts.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to share their belongings, thoughts, and feelings with friends and family, fostering a supportive community.
Example Lesson: Seasonal Awareness
Explanation: The book is set around Thanksgiving, which helps children understand the concept of seasons and associated celebrations.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to recognize and participate in seasonal activities and traditions, enhancing their cultural and environmental awareness.
Example Lesson: Empathy
Explanation: By seeing the world from a pumpkin’s perspective, children learn to understand and share the feelings of others, even if they are different from their own.
Real-World Application: This can help children develop the ability to empathize with friends and classmates, leading to more harmonious interactions.
Example Lesson: Positive Thinking
Explanation: The pumpkin consistently finds things to be thankful for, demonstrating a positive outlook.
Real-World Application: This teaches children to focus on the good in their lives and surroundings, which can improve their overall mental health and resilience.