Squanto's Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving

We're studying American History for homeschool this year and the kids and I have both really loved this book. I especially loved that it told the story of Thanksgiving from the perspective of Native Americans. It gave a more comprehensive history of the events that surrounded and lead up to the first Thanksgiving and gave us a better understanding and appreciation of everyone involved. Read this with my 9 year old and 4 year old and I didn't feel that it was too scary or graphic for either of them. The illustrations weren't graphic at all and it talked about how Squanto had been captured, but it didn't tell the story in a way that made the kids feel scared, though we of course talked about it all as we read it. Really grateful for this as a teaching resource and I'm glad we own it so we can return to it again and again.

I bought this book to go along with a Pilgrim Barbie. It's a great kids book. Words are printed over illustrations on every page. The story is told from Squanto's life, not the Pilgrims. And this is a really nice change. It tells of his abduction by a white acquaintance that he trusted. How he was taken to Europe and made a slave. Then rescued by monk who enabled his return to America. So many tragedies befell this man who was instrumental in saving the English Colony. It made my children accutely aware of the generosity of the Native Americans to the white settlers and how badly they suffered as a result. If you want to present history as it was this is the perfect book to read at Thanksgiving.

This is one of the best books about Squanto and the pilgrims that we have seen. It is written from Squanto’s viewpoint, and incorporates the true parts of his life story before the pilgrims. The illustrations are also absolutely beautiful! Very muted tones and very nicely done! The author’s note is also interesting. Highly recommend this book! It went along very well with our homeschooling curriculum.

Love the illustrations and the fact that Squanto's story is being told-- for a picture book though, the writing is a little hard to follow. The author is telling the story of Squanto's life from his perspective and I think trying to sound the way one would imagine Squanto to talk, but there are some events that are not really explained very well (like how did Squanto get freed in Europe-- if you are a picture book aged kid, there is a good chance you don't know what monks are or what they wear-- so this part makes very little sense. He was kidnapped and sold into slavery and then just released with no reason by men wearing brown... what? There are several things like this that I would have to stop and explain because the author does not, and it kills the momentum of the story.) I bought this for my very mature 6 year old, but I think he will struggle to understand the story-- so I will save it for next year at least.

Excellent book to promote kindness and understanding of history and humanity in kids and young readers.

Love having an option to tell “the other side“ of the story. A great introduction to the history of Thanksgiving from a natives perspective, and also great to introduce big topics in a gentle way.

Nice illustrations, and good to have a fairly accurate story for the holiday. My twins aren't quite old enough to grasp the storyline so we summaries, but as they get older this will be a yearly read and the story will be the normal!

If you are looking for a story about the first Thanksgiving from a Native American's point of view, get this book.

Beau livre

Another wonderful book by JB - his stories are wonderful and so easy to understand. Take your children on some journies into the past and you will be delighted by the illustrations by Greg Shed! Without Squanto the first Thanksgiving wouldn't have been possible...he teaches the pilgrims how to survive in the rugged land - corn, beans and squash - the three sisters truly are "a feast for all people."

I bought this book to share with my children over Thanksgiving, and loved it. It has beautiful illustrations, and is written from the unique perspective of Squanto. Full of interesting history which I found instructive learning things about Squanto's history which were not taught at school, but still written at a level that children could enjoy. Any excellent Thanksgiving read.

I was looking for books to explain thanksgiving to my children who have an American father but we live in England. My children loved the story and the illustrations are beautiful. Great book.

Thankyou it's a beautiful book .