Keepunumuk Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving Story

In this Wampanoag story told in a Native tradition, two kids from the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe learn the story of Weeâchumun (corn) and the first Thanksgiving.

A beautiful new classic perfect for fall. Written and illustrated by four Indigenous creators, this picture book for 3-7-year-olds is about the first Thanksgiving from a Native American perspective—reshaping the story and perhaps questioning how the United States sees itself.

The Thanksgiving story that most Americans know celebrates the Pilgrims. But without members of the Wampanoag tribe who already lived on the land, the Pilgrims would never have made it through their first winter. And without Weeâchumun (corn), the Native people wouldn't have helped.

Written by Danielle Greendeer (Mashpee Wampanoag), Anthony Perry (Chickasaw), Alexis Bunten (Unangan/Yup’ik) and beautifully illustrated by Garry Meeches Sr. (Anishinaabe), Keepunumuk is an important picture book honoring both the history and tradition that surrounds the story of the first Thanksgiving.

  •  Danielle Greendeer is a citizen of the Mashpee Wampanoag Nation and works in the areas of tribal governance, cultural perpetuation, and food sovereignty. She lives in Mashpee.
  •  Anthony Perry is a Chickasaw citizen and author of Chula the Fox, an award winning middle-grade historical-fiction book. He lives in London.
  •  Alexis Bunten, Yu'pik and Unangan, authored the award-winning nonfiction book, So How Long Have You Been Native? Life as an Alaska Native Tour Guide. She lives in Monterey.

Garry Meeches Sr. (Anishinaabe) was born on the Long Plains reserve in southern Manitoba, Canada. His style is reminiscent of the plains style of art and evokes the Eastern Woodlands tradition. He lives in Connecticut, and this is his first picture book.