Happy Thanks and Giving week! Today, a PPBF on a Monday,
because that's how we've been rolling lately.
Title: Two-List Thanksgiving
Author: Christine Whan
Illustrator: Sienna Youngsun Kim
Publisher: Beaming Books
Publisher: Beaming Books
Birth Date: September 9, 2025
Suitable for: ages 4-8
Themes: traditions, culture, gratitude
Brief synopsis: Check in with a Korean American family to see how they combine two cultures into one festive Thanksgiving meal and celebration.
Opening page: Every year, both sides of my family come to our house for Thanksgiving. This year I'm old enough to help! I help mom make two lists -- one for the Korean market and one for the local market.
Try some of Dr. Jean's Thanksgiving activity suggestions.
Dance The Turkey Tango.
Learn the Buchaechum Korean dance.
Why I like this book: Written in the voice of a young girl who's finally old enough to help with the Thanksgiving feast, this treasure invites the reader into two different holidays meals. Spend the day with her mom and her as they pick up traditional foods from both the Korean and the American cultures. The descriptive artistry in words and illustrations invites us to have a seat at the table and experience the holidays traditions: the spices, the scents, the textures, the tastes.
Of course, it also leads beautifully into a discussion, a writing project, or an art project as students and staff alike share their two lists. On my holiday list, there'd be some German potato salad and maybe some red cabbage, some turkey and dressing, some ham and sweet potatoes, some Danish Kringle.
Survey your students: Pecan pie? Pumpkin pie? Apple pie?
Or something from another culture? German Küchen? Czech Kolaches?
Then, research the origins of each of these tasty treats.
Ask students to share their family's versions of traditional pastries.
We could also create Christmas lists, Hanukkah lists, Birthday lists.
Included in the back matter of this nugget, a glossary to introduce key vocabulary, an author's note to personalize the work, and two recipes, one from each culture.
Check out this book, then head to Susanna Hill's blog for
some other PPBF holiday gift books for the KidLit shelves.
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