Thank You, Sarah; The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving
By Laurie Halse Anderson
Illustrated by Matt Faulkner
If it was not for Sarah Hale’s stubbornness and persistence in the 1800s, you would likely have to attend school instead of celebrating Thanksgiving with 2 days off in November. ‘Thank You, Sarah’ is a historical picture book cleverly and delightfully written by Laurie Halse Anderson and humorously illustrated by Matt Faulkner. With its bold font standing out on mostly golden pages and its witty sentences, it is a joy to read.
Years ago, Thanksgiving was no big deal except in a few places in New England. Sarah Hale, the Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving (subtitle), was distraught; it “curdled her gravy” that the entire country did not have the same day to give thanks and celebrate.
So what did brave and persistent Sarah Hale do decade after decade to give us a Thanksgiving holiday? Who helped her and how? How many decades did it take for the government to grant Sarah and others their wish for a national holiday? How many presidents grumbled and disagreed and said “No!”? Who were they? One president said “Yes”! Who was he? Read this delightful and informative book to find the answers. You may also be interested in the “Feast of Facts” and the Resources at the end.
And…the well-known author of this book, Laurie Halse Anderson, is a descendant of Sarah Josepha Hale… and they both have contributed greatly to the world by writing.
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