Told from the perspectives of a young Wampanoag boy named Dancing Moccasins and a young English colonist named Resolved White, the narrative of this historical picture-book explores the events of the harvest feast of 1621, when the Wampanoag people visited the English colony of Plymouth, in what is now Massachusetts. It was this visit that inspired the story of the 'First Thanksgiving' that has become mythologized in American history. The book is illustrated with photographs of reenactors from Plimoth Plantation, a living museum devoted to the history of the Plymouth Colony. An extensive afterword gives more information about the myth and history of the first Thanksgiving, the type of foods eaten and clothing worn by both natives and settlers, and the role of Plimoth Plantation in preserving history...

Giving Thanks: The 1621 Harvest Feast is one of a number of books - other titles include Sarah Morton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl, Samuel Eaton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Boy, and Tapenum's Day: A Wampanoag Indian Boy in Pilgrim Times - from author Kate Waters and photographer Russ Kendall that explore Colonial American history through the lens of reenactors at Plimoth Plantation. I found it engaging and informative, and think that it would work very well in a study unit on early Colonial American history and/or the story of the "first" Thanksgiving. The use of photographs of historical reenactors will make the narrative come alive for many young people, and make it feel real for them in ways that illustrations might not. Recommended to anyone looking for children's books that offer a more realistic and historically accurate depiction of the event that came to be known as the "First Thanksgiving." ( )

Students love this story because it shows photographs of what Pilgrims and Native Americans might have looked like. We hear about a harvest feast that inspired our modern-day Thanksgiving holiday from two points of view: Resolved White is a young English settler and Dancing Moccasins is a teenage member of the Wampanoag tribe.

The two boys take turns talking about preparations for the gathering. This gives us a sense of the cultural differences between them but also a sense of commonalities. Dancing Moccasins doesn't understand the concept of target practice and Resolved's community thinks that welcoming guests with a gun fire salute shows respect. But both boys enjoy games and good food, and both are excited about the possibility of becoming friends.

This story sparks lots of discussion and generates interest. My only complaint is with the cover - I wish it showed the boys with similar expressions.

My son loves this story of what could have happened during that first Thanksgiving from the perspective of a Pilgrim boy and a Native American boy. Best of all, the pages are loaded with photos of well-done reinactment, including convincing dress. I have not seen another book like this. ( )