The Thanksgiving Door
Kindergarten-Grade 3-After burning the Thanksgiving dinner, an elderly couple goes down the street to a restaurant. They wander in through the open door of the New World Caf‚, but the proprietor's family thinks that having customers will ruin their private party. Grandmother chastises them and so the "guests" are given the seats of honor. Soon, Ed and Ann join Papa, Grandmother, and the others in sharing their songs, dancing, and holiday warmth. As the family bids their new friends good evening, Papa wonders at the raw potato jammed under the door. Grandmother says, "In old country Thanksgiving door is like happy heart, opened up big and wide. Potato good for that." Atwell's luminous folk-art illustrations expand the story through details such as Russian onion domes in a picture on the wall, fur hats on the men, scarves on the women, and the cover illustration of Grandmother jamming that potato under the door. A particularly nice feature of this story is its focus on the elderly couple. A fine addition to holiday collections and for those looking for immigrant stories.Bina Williams, Bridgeport Public Library, CTCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.