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Parents' Guide to

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

By Teresa Talerico, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Classic Turkey Day special for young and old.

Movie NR 1973 25 minutes
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 4+

Based on 9 parent reviews

Andrew W.
Andrew W. Parent of 5-year-old
September 22, 2023
age 8+

Did not age well. Avoid for little kids.

Definitely not for little kids. Talk of depression and bullying. Not to mention lots of problematic language like stupid, blockhead, and "kill myself". Pretty heavy on the religious themes at times as well. Avoid.

This title has:

Too much swearing
The M.
The M. Parent of 4-year-old
March 26, 2023
age 4+
😊

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 9 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING, the popular animated special created by Charles M. Schultz, Charlie Brown (voiced by Todd Barbee) finds himself hosting a Thanksgiving meal for his friends. At first, the characters are ambivalent and somewhat negative about the holiday. But thanks to some philosophical words from Linus (Stephen Shea) and Marcie, the Peanuts gang comes to realize the true meaning of the holiday. Also included is The Mayflower Voyagers, which follows the Pilgrims -- including Charlie Brown and friends -- as they journey to the New World in 1620.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (9 ):
Kids say (13 ):

Nobody does holidays quite like the Peanuts gang, and this special is no exception. Stumped over what to serve his friends for Thanksgiving dinner, Charlie Brown whips up a few tried-and-true recipes, including buttered toast, popcorn, and pretzel sticks. In a fun kitchen scene, Snoopy "conducts" the food preparation to Vince Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy," probably the most well-known and well-loved Peanuts tune. Snoopy steals the show again when he and Woodstock set the Thanksgiving table and later when they don Pilgrim-style costumes.

Released in 1988, The Mayflower Voyagers (the second feature on the DVD) strays somewhat from the simplicity that made its predecessors so endearing, but it's still educational. The animated special follows the Pilgrims -- including Charlie Brown and friends -- as they journey to the New World in 1620. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving does a good job of depicting the perilous Mayflower voyage, as well as the challenges of settling in a new land.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the real meaning of Thanksgiving, how it's not only about turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. How did the Peanuts gang learn that lesson in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving? What will you be thankful for this Thanksgiving?

  • What did you learn about the Mayflower voyage that you didn't know before? How could you learn more?

  • How does Charlie Brown show the true spirit of Thanksgiving to his friends, even though he doesn't know how to cook turkey or much of anything else?

  • How do the characters in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving demonstrate gratitude? Why is this an important character strength?

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