Thankful: Sharing The Bread by Pat Zietlow Miller

MAMA, FETCH THE COOKING POT.

FETCH THE TURKEY COOKING POT.

BIG AND OLD AND BLACK AND SQUAT.

MAMA, FETCH THE COOKING POT.

Mama leads the way on Thanksgiving Day, but everyone pitches in, sharing the work to share the meal together.

Daddy builds the fire and and gets it nice and hot for Mama's cooking pot. Sister kneads the dough for the loaves of bread and sets them aside to rise, while brother bastes the turkey and the delicious scent of roasting meat fills the room.

Grandpa crushes the cranberries and soon the sauce is bubbling away. Grandma crafts the crust for the pumpkin pie, and it adds its spicy smell to the mix. Auntie wields the potato masher with an iron hand:

AUNTIE, MASH THE POTATOES NOW,

JUST LIKE GRANDMA TAUGHT YOU HOW.

TOP WITH BUTTER FROM OUR COW.

Even the cow makes her contribution, as Uncle brings out the cider jug, and the children make decorations for the long table.

Soon it's time to shout, "Come and get it!"

WE WILL SHARE THE RISEN BREAD,

OUR MADE-WITH-LOVE THANKSGIVING SPREAD.

GRATEFUL TO BE WARM AND FED.

WE WILL SHARE THE BREAD.

Pat Zietlow Miller's contribution to our 2015 Thanksgiving, Sharing the Bread: An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Story (Schwartz and Wade, 2015) shows in her lively quatrains the whole family sharing the chores and food in the cooperative spirit of the holiday, and artist Jill McElmurray dishes up delightful gouache American primitive-styled illustrations of a cozy 1800s household preparing the traditional feast together. Among the few new holiday offerings this year, this one is a standout. “...A warm and wonderful holiday treasure.” says Publishers Weekly's starred review.