🍂 Favorite November Read Alouds and Activities for the Classroom
It’s November — time for cozy stories, classroom gratitude projects, and turkey-themed read alouds! 🦃
Whether you’re looking for silly Thanksgiving tales, friendship stories, or comprehension activities to match, here are some of my favorite November read aloud books and easy-to-use activities for your classroom.
🦈 Who Will Carve the Turkey This Thanksgiving? by Jerry Pallotta and David Biedrzycki
Description:
This silly story imagines what would happen if different animals tried to carve the Thanksgiving turkey. A shark? Too scary! A polar bear? Too clumsy! A swordfish? He’d slice the whole table in half! Thankfully, Grandpa saves the day at the end.
Story Questions:
- What day is it? → Thanksgiving
- Why wouldn’t you find a saber-toothed tiger? → They are extinct
- What might happen if leafcutter ants carved the turkey? → The slices might be too small
- What might happen if the elephant carves the turkey? → He might eat all the stuffing
- Who ends up carving the turkey? → Grandpa
🦃 Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano
Description:
Turkey is trying to hide from becoming Thanksgiving dinner! He disguises himself as his barnyard friends until he comes up with the best plan ever.
Classroom Tip:
Pair this book with a fun sequencing activity to keep students engaged!
CLICK HERE to download this FREEBIE!
🪶 The Littlest Pilgrim by Brandi Dougherty
Description:
Mini is the littlest pilgrim in her village, and no one thinks she’s big enough to help. But when she meets a new friend in the forest, she learns that kindness and friendship are the most important ways to contribute.
Story Questions:
- Why couldn’t Mini help her brother? → He was too busy
- What did Mini want to help her sister do? → Sew a dress
- What happened when Mini tried to help her mother? → She was too busy baking
- What did Mini’s father ask her to do? → Pick berries
- How did Mini feel? → Sad
- Who did she find in the forest? → A little girl
- What was her special gift? → Making a friend
🍽️ The Very Stuffed Turkey by Katharine Kenah
Description:
Turkey is invited to five Thanksgiving dinners and doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings—so he goes to them all! After so much food and fun, he ends up very stuffed indeed.
Check out my Book Companion Activity in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store — it includes picture-supported story questions, a writing prompt, sorting activity, and more!
🏃 The Great Turkey Race by Steve Metzger
Description:
The turkeys overhear Farmer Kate and Farmer Joe deciding who the Thanksgiving turkey will be. To avoid being the “chosen one,” they hold a field day competition—and then come up with a clever plan to save themselves!
Story Questions:
- How do they escape? → They jump the fence and run away!
- What are Farmer Kate and Farmer Joe deciding? → Who will be the Thanksgiving turkey
- How do the turkeys decide the winner? → A field day
- Who won the first medal? → Wing
- What does Cassie overhear? → The turkey will be “mighty tasty”
- What do Cassie and Ollie decide to do? → Let Wing win the rest so they can escape
- How do they feel after? → Guilty
CLICK HERE to download my Comprehension Coloring Page FREEBIE for The Great Turkey Race!
🥧 I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson
The classic “Old Lady” is back—and this time she’s swallowing all the Thanksgiving dishes!
Perfect for sequencing, rhyming, and retelling activities.
🧃 Freebie Alert:
Grab a Free Sequencing Activity to go along with this story → Click here to download!
Check out my TPT Store for more Thanksgiving resources!
🧡 More November Classroom Favorites
Looking for more ways to fill your month with engaging lessons and hands-on fun?
Check out my November Resource Round-Up for:
- Thanksgiving math and literacy centers
- Picture-supported writing prompts
- Comprehension flip books
- Seasonal crafts and projects
📝 Final Thoughts
November is a wonderful time to celebrate friendship, gratitude, and fun in the classroom. These books are perfect for small groups, whole-class read alouds, or literacy centers — and your students will love the matching activities that bring each story to life.
Happy teaching and happy Thanksgiving! 🧡
— Miss Ashlee
