A Timeless Holiday Classic About the Woman Who Helped Make Thanksgiving a National Holiday

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A delightful children’s book that makes history come alive through rhyme and imagery.

A new holiday classic for the whole family to enjoy about how Thanksgiving came to be. From the historical pen of Jen Tousey comes Sarah Had a Little Plan (Ambassador International; October 19, 2021; $15.99), the story of Sarah Josepha Hale and her decades long mission—that spanned four presidencies—to make Thanksgiving a national holiday.

About the Book: Author Jen Tousey writes, “In the early nineteenth century women did not go to college, there were not many options for a woman who needed a career to survive, and the country was headed toward Civil War. It was a tough time to be a widow with five children.” Sarah Had a Little Plan is equally the tale of a brave woman who used her pen to provide for her children and shape the history and policy of a nation, as it is the story of how a national holiday came to be. For decades, Sarah wrote to four different presidents, trying to convince them that a day of Thanksgiving was worthy of becoming a national holiday. Written in catchy, singsong phrasing, the book teaches children about Sarah’s dedication to the idea of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. With colorful illustrations, historical imagery, and an attention to detail, Jen Tousey creates a holiday classic for families to read and enjoy year and year. Parents and children alike will marvel at Sarah’s decades-long dedication to Thanksgiving and the unity of the United States, and parents might just chuckle at the nineteenth century red-tape that Sarah Josepha Hale faced long ago.

About the Author: Jen Tousey is just as feisty and tenacious as Sarah Josepha Hale. They are both passionate about education for all, American history, patriotic stories, and Thanksgiving! When Jen isn’t researching or writing about something historical, she’s likely touring a somewhat forgotten landmark with her family, parading around a reenactment in a fabulous outfit, or recreating some lost remedy or historic recipe with her daughter.