Sarah Gives Thanks by Mike Allegra

This picture book tells the true story of Sarah Josepha Hale. It begins right after Sarah’s husband passed away. She needed to find a way to support her family. She tried selling hats but didn’t like it. She had always loved to write. Because women couldn’t go to college, she interrogated her brother about what he was learning every time he came home from college. She began to write and magazines started printing her works.

She soon wrote a novel, Northwood, that was published. She believed everyone in America should celebrate Thanksgiving, but it was mostly celebrated in Southern states only. She then became editor of a women’s magazine that became very successful. Sarah became a household name and people took her opinions seriously. Every year she wrote a letter to the president petitioning Thanksgiving to be a national holiday. 4 presidents ignored her. Then Abraham Lincoln became president and granted her request. In 1863, Thanksgiving became a national holiday!

This is not a traditional picture book. It is very much a non-fiction, historical book. It may not be fast-paced, but it is a wonderful true story about how Thanksgiving almost wasn’t a holiday, perseverance matters, and how one person can truly make a difference. Definitely worth checking to see if you library has this one.

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1. Sarah worked for years and years to make Thanksgiving a holiday and was told no many, many times. Why do you think she kept asking?
2. Something we think if something is God’s will, it will be easy or come right away. Why is this not true? Can you think of other examples?
3. Sarah was just one person, but because of her Thanksgiving is still celebrated today. Can one person truly make a difference?