Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Parr explores the idea of gratitude in this picture book: "Every day I try to think about the things I am thankful for." Those "things" include personal characteristics-"I am thankful for my hair because it makes me unique"; music- "because it makes me want to dance"; nature, and so on. Readers are sure to get a laugh out of the notion of being thankful for underwear-"because I like to wear it on my head." Parr's signature illustrations employ bold outlines and bright colors and feature an array of characters both human and animal. The theme is ripe for discussion and lends itself to extension activities in which readers create their own "I'm thankful for" pictures. Pair this book with Mercer Mayer's Just So Thankful (HarperCollins, 2006) or Greg Foley's Thank You Bear (Viking, 2007) for storytimes filled with gratitude.-Stacy Dillon, LREI, New York City (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Parr focuses his simplistic childlike art and declarative sentences on gratitude for the pleasures and wonders of a child's everyday life. Using images of both kids and animals, each colorful scene in bold primary colors declaims a reason to be thankful. "I am thankful for my hair because it makes me unique" shows a yellow-faced child with a wild purple coiffure, indicating self-esteem. An elephant with large pink ears happily exclaims, "I am thankful for my ears because they let me hear words like I love you.' " Humor is interjected with, "I am thankful for underwear because I like to wear it on my head." (Parents will hope that it is clean, but potty-humorloving children probably won't care.) Children are encouraged to be thankful for feet, music, school, vacations and the library, "because it is filled with endless adventures," among other things. The book's cheery, upbeat message is clearly meant to inspire optimistic gratitude; Parr exhorts children to "remember some [things to be thankful for] every day." Uncomplicated and worthwhile for any age. (Picture book. 4-6)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
