What makes a holiday dinner so special? Is it the food? Or the company? Mrs. Rabbit has a large family, but this year, everyone’s too busy to join her for the annual holiday dinner. She’s very sad, but she cooks a feast anyway, mostly out of habit. When she sits down at her table, alone, to enjoy the carrot stew feast she’s prepared, she realizes she has way too much for just one person and she’s still all alone. That is until there is a knock on the door. One by one, her closest friends appear bringing their own festive foods to share. Soon her table is brimming with love and laughter and lots of good food. You see, friends can be family, too. And festive holiday get-togethers are all about sharing and caring.

Carole P. Roman’s picture book, Mrs. Rabbit’s Friendsgiving Dinner, is a sweet story about sharing and caring. Told in simple language so young readers can follow along, the plot follows Mrs. Rabbit as she faces her loneliness on a very festive day of the year. She loves her family and she’s ever so proud of them, but this year they can’t get together. As the plot unfolds, she soon discovers the joy of family amongst friends. With lots of dialogue as the different animals arrive with their favorite holiday foods, young readers will learn to accept each of their differences, as Mrs. Rabbit does, and welcome them into her home, even if she’s not too keen on sharing some of their food offerings, like grubs and worms. What really matters is the love and the laughter they share. Beautifully told with wonderful illustrations.

The holidays are happy times when families come together to celebrate. But this wasn’t the case for Mrs. Rabbit. Mrs. Rabbit felt unhappy and lonely because she would spend the annual holiday dinner alone. Her brood of bunnies had unavoidable engagements from work to family life, school, and everything else that prevented them from joining their mama. Mrs. Rabbit wouldn’t go hungry so she cooked her famous carrot stew that filled the entire house with its aroma. Unfortunately, she mistakenly cooked too much because she was used to making enormous meals. How painful! While she sat at the table moping, a knock sounded at Mrs. Rabbit’s door, changing her life forever. Follow Mrs. Rabbit’s Friendsgiving Dinner, written by Carole P. Roman and illustrated by Mateya Arkova.

Mrs. Rabbit’s Friendsgiving Dinner is a heartwarming picture storybook. It will appeal to children and even adults who don’t mind some wisdom from the mouths of babes. I loved the color scheme, illustrated cartoon characters, and calm fonts. Mateya’s touch in this book is exceptional. The story is also memorable, reminding us to look beyond our cocoons. Family isn’t only those who share blood relations with us; it is a broad word. Those who look out for us at our lowest and stand with us when it matters are family. I smiled when Olivia, Gary, Petey, Petunia, and the rest rose to the occasion that started a lifelong ritual. I also learned that while we enjoy people, we must look out for others. Thank you for a beautiful book, Carole Roman.

Mrs. Rabbit’s Friendsgiving Dinner is a children’s book by Carole P. Roman. Mrs. Rabbit feels depressed as her brood of rabbits is not able to share the holiday with her. She prepares her famous carrot stew and sits down to eat it, but she fully realizes her loneliness as she stares at the empty places around her table. Several friends knock at her door, expressing their sympathy over Mrs. Rabbit’s loneliness, and bringing with them their own meals to share. After she understands the gestures made by her neighbors have become an event, Mrs. Rabbit declares a new name for the holiday and vows to share “Friendsgiving” with the animals around her table every year.

A theme of friendship is present on every page of this brightly colored tale! Children will enjoy seeing forest animals and hearing the alliteration in their names. Each animal brought a different dish, and readers can learn more about the diets of the animals in the story by reading about the food they prepared. The illustrations are a perfect complement to the text, as they have enough color to grab the reader, but they appear beautifully classic. Even though the original name of the holiday isn’t mentioned, Mrs. Rabbit’s Friendsgiving Dinner would be a great book to read around Thanksgiving. Parents, librarians, caregivers, and educators should add Carole P. Roman’s story to their bookshelves, as it’s an endearing book about friendship. It’s also a good conversation starter for children who know an adult in their community who may be lonely during holidays or special events.

Mrs. Rabbit is not used to being on her own, having had a large family. Her children are all far away and unable to visit her on Thanksgiving. She is saddened as she cooks too much food and is about to sit down to her meal just as some of her friends start visiting her with food. Gary Gopher is the first one to come and join her. He is soon followed by other friends, and couples who have guessed this was a hard time for Mrs. Rabbit. Olivia Owl is the second thoughtful friend and neighbor and is far from being the last one. This evening ends in a lovely party which Mrs. Rabbit decides to name “Friendsgiving Day!” in honor of her dear friends. And this will be repeated every year!

Mrs. Rabbit's Friendsgiving Dinner by Carole P. Roman is a wonderfully illustrated children’s book. It deals with the loneliness of parents whose kids are away (at school or working) during family holidays. This is a topical issue and it is perfectly analyzed for and presented to young children, thanks to the story of the adorable Mrs. Rabbit and her numerous animal friends. Mrs. Rabbit's Friendsgiving Dinner is in fact the perfect illustration of the well-known proverb: “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” Another great book from the “mother of reinvention” for the pleasure of our little ones and ours! Thank you for sharing such a delicate and thoughtful story! A story for very young kids and adults to enjoy.