"Biscuit is Thankful" (HarperCollins, $4.99, ages 2 to 6) is a simple tale of a day in the life of the yellow puppy who is well taken care of by a pony-tailed little girl who sets out his dinner in a bowl and takes him on a walk among "soft green grass and bright crunchy leaves." As Biscuit chases a white rabbit, romps through the leaves and plays with his friends, he stops to give thanks for the good things he sees, an example that is easy for children to understand.

"Biscuit is thankful for his bed, his bone, and his biscuits. He has everything a little puppy needs," the narrator says.

A more literal take on this theme is seen in "Grateful: A Song of Giving Thanks" (HarperCollins, $16.99, ages 3 and up) written by John Bucchino and illustrated by Anna-Liisa Hakkarainen in a dreamy style with bright colors and soft edges. The text of the book make up lyrics to a song that Art Garfunkel recorded, and a CD with a recording is included in the back of the book.

Without music, the text is more of a meditation than a story: "Whatever stone life may sling, we can moan ... or we can sing! Grateful, grateful, truly grateful I am."

"The Perfect Thanksgiving" (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, $15.95), on the other hand, is chock full of colorful details. Author Eileen Spinelli paints a comical picture of a little girl's chaotic family gathering as she compares it to her friend Abigail Archer's "perfect" family in a story that teaches tolerance for others and encourages children to forgive their family's faults.

The narrator's mother wears jeans and offers store-bought pie and Jell-O, while Mrs. Archer serves homemade pies with fancy whipped-cream swirls in an outfit of organdy and pearls. And while the Archer family quietly takes dainty bites of turkey, the narrator's table is filled with relatives chewing gizzards, chomping on wings, slurping, burping and loudly singing.

"But we're alike in one way, the nicest way by far — alike in just how loving our different families are," says the narrator, who gives her family an "ultra-perfect" love rating despite pointing out their myriad imperfections throughout the book.

Spinelli's story and Joann Adinolfi's vivid illustrations offer a modern take on the holiday, but "Thanksgiving is Here!" (HarperCollins, $15.99, ages 3 to 8) takes a look at an old-fashioned family gathering at Grandma's house.

Caldecott Honor winner Diane Goode's pen-and-ink drawings with a watercolor wash give the book a nostalgic feel in documenting what appears to be a 1930s-era Thanksgiving Day, from the time Grandma puts the turkey in the oven in the morning until the relatives say goodbye at night.

The story emphasizes family togetherness and the fun they have visiting with each other, playing music, taking walks after dinner and, of course, eating a huge meal.

While the family is by no means poor, the handmade feel of the holiday contrasts with the preference today for fancier, coordinated dinners: "At Grandma's house the chairs don't match ... but we don't mind. We all have a place at the table."

Family togetherness is also the central theme of "Thanksgiving at the Tappletons"' (HarperCollins, $14.99, ages 4 to 8) written by "The Perfect Thanksgiving" author Spinelli and illustrated by Megan Lloyd.

The Tappletons — Mom, Dad, Kenny and Jenny — are a family of wolves who have a serious case of bad luck on Thanksgiving Day. Through a series of mishaps throughout the day, the turkey and all the trimmings disappear one by one. When it's time to eat, the Thanksgiving banquet table is filled with empty plates.