Thanksgiving at the Tappletons' FROM OUR EDITORS
Wolves get a bad rap. Their reputation for mayhem will dissolve, though, when readers celebrate Thanksgiving with the Tapletons, the nicest family of wolves you'll ever encounter. In this delightful story, Mrs. Tapleton makes the turkey; Mr. Tapleton buys the pies; Kenny tosses the salad; and Jenny mashes the potatoes. A quirky, homey feast.
ANNOTATION
When calamity stalks every step of the preparations for the Tappletons' Thanksgiving dinner, they realize that there is more to Thanksgiving than turkey and trimmings.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Thanksgiving is always a special day at the Tappletons'. Mrs. Tappleton gets up early to prepare the turkey. Mr. Tappleton buys the pies at the bakery. Kenny makes the salad, and Jenny mashes the potatoes. Then all the relatives arrive for Thanksgiving dinner.
This year nothing seems to go right. First the turkey slides down the icy hill into the pond. Then the bakery sells out of pies. It looks as if it's going to be a pretty bleak holiday... until Grandmother saves the day.
Thanksgiving at the Tappletons' has been completely re-illustrated in full color by Maryann Cocca-Leffler. Her bright and bouncy paintings make this favorite Thanksgiving tale more hilarious than ever.
Author Biography: Eileen Spinelli, the author of many other books for children, lives in Phoenixville, PA.
Maryann Cocca-Leffler, who has illustrated many picture books, lives in Saugus, MA.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
First published in 1982, Thanksgiving at the Tappletons' by Eileen Spinelli is being reissued with new art by Megan Lloyd. The illustrations present an all-animal cast (who bear a slight resemblance to Ashley Wolff's furry critters), with the Tappleton clan starring as wolves determined to make the most of it when their roast turkey goes missing. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature - Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D.
With joyous enthusiasm the Tappletons begin their preparations for their Thanksgiving feast. Alas, the big uncooked turkey slides away and into a pond when Mrs. Tappleton reaches for the milkman's eggnog. Unaware of this disaster, Mr. Tappleton leaves to pick up the pies. He waits in a nearby coffee shop for the line to go down at the bakery. When it does, the pies are gone. In the meantime, Kenny cannot complete his task of preparing the salad because he took the vegetables to school to feed the rabbits. Jenny gets so engrossed in a telephone chat that she lets the mashed potatoes fly all over the room. When Uncle Fritz and the grandparents arrive, everyone sits down to the dining room table. They gradually discover that there is no Thanksgiving dinner-no turkey, no fixings, nothing. Unabashed, Grandmother offers the before meal prayer, giving thanks for the family and their togetherness. Then everyone pitches in to fix a meal with what's on hand. They feast on liverwurst cheese sandwiches, pickles, and applesauce. Lively illustrations feature a family of wolves with wonderfully human characteristics. A good story to share with children when discussing the true meaning of Thanksgiving. 2003, HarperCollins, Ages 5 to 9.
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 3-This charming title, originally published in 1982 (HarperCollins), has been newly illustrated with vibrant, humorous artwork, with wolves instead of people as characters. The trouble begins when the turkey slips from Mrs. Tappleton's grasp and slides out the door, across the lawn, and into the frozen pond. Nonstop hilarity continues and more challenges develop with the pies, mashed potatoes, and even the salad. This family races through the day, experiencing one calamitous food catastrophe after another. However, the guests realize that Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate one another, not the traditional feast. This never-a-dull-moment look at Thanksgiving is a feast for the eyes; the slapstick events that develop are what help to strengthen the family ties. A comical, quirky view of tradition and togetherness, this title will be a surefire hit with the storytime crowd.-Andrea Tarr, Corona Public Library, CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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