Giving Thanks

Reach for this book when your child feels like an outsider during family traditions or expresses worry that they do not quite fit in with the grown up world. While the holidays are meant to be joyful, many children experience a quiet anxiety about whether they truly belong at the table or if the celebrations are meant for them. This story uses the beloved Clifford to validate those feelings of being different while providing a comforting resolution. In this gentle chapter book, Clifford watches his family prepare for Thanksgiving and begins to worry that because he is a dog, the holiday of gratitude might not include him. It is a perfect choice for 4 to 7 year olds as it models how to communicate feelings of loneliness and insecurity. Parents will appreciate how it shifts the focus of the holiday from the logistics of a feast to the emotional core of belonging and mutual appreciation.