Review by Booklist Review
When an unexpected package arrives for Sallie Bee, she's delighted to find a handmade scarf from Grandma. She wants to text her immediately, but since Mom's using the phone, Sallie drafts her text on paper, and soon it gets very long: "Thanks, Grandma," Sallie writes, "Every time I wear it, I will think of you." Mom explains that she's written a thank-you note, which they promptly put in the mail. Soon, Sallie's inspired to write more notes--to the crossing guard; her "bus buddy," for sharing an umbrella; and even her brother, for keeping his pet tarantula in its cage. Then Sallie gets one, too: from Mom, sharing why she's thankful for Sallie. Sallie's letters appear within the bright, cartoon illustrations and incorporate sweet, revealing moments, such as thanking Ms. Myers in the cafeteria for taco day ("I'm happy we get to make our own tacos, because I don't like beans"). With its entertaining, lively approach, this charmingly depicts the joy in not only finding gratefulness but sharing that gratefulness with others. Appended tips may encourage readers to write their own.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--Sallie Bee receives a scarf from her grandma one day and goes to send a thank you text right away, but her mother is using the phone. Sallie Bee goes right ahead and writes out the text, so she'll remember it, and by the time she is done, she has created a thank you note explaining why she loves the scarf so much and how it makes her feel. And that was so much fun that she has to write some more. The authors have created a story about the importance of thank you cards--how they demonstrate feelings and brighte the sender's and the recipient's day. Simple vocabulary makes this accessible even to younger students, while demonstrating to older ones how everyone can be thankful in their own lives. Ross adeptly creates fantastic pictures conveying how others' actions affect Sallie, and how her cards impact them. Sallie's handwriting on the cards is particularly adorable and looks exactly as if a student wrote it. VERDICT Finally! A good book to teach students that writing a thank you note can be fun and brighten someone's day, as well as their own.--Margaret Kennelly
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Sallie Bee, a little girl with bee-shaped clips in her hair, is surprised to receive a present one day in the mail -- a yellow scarf with black stripes accompanied by a note from her grandmother. She immediately wants to text Grandma Bee to thank her, but Mom is using the phone. Sallie Bee decides to put her thoughts on paper so she won't forget, including "I love my new scarf. It has two of my most favorite colors." By the time she's done, she has written a full thank-you note, so instead of texting, she and her mother put the note in the mail. Sallie Bee enjoys the process so much that she begins finding people to whom she can express appreciation, such as the crossing guard and a friend who lends her an umbrella, and she writes a note to someone each day. Ross's pencil, paint, and digital illustrations use bright colors with expressive lines against white pages with words incorporated into the pictures -- all of which make the task of writing thank-you notes look like fun, not work. More importantly, this is not a book about manners; it is a very upbeat demonstration of the satisfaction to be found in noticing others' helpfulness and expressing gratitude for it. Susan Dove Lempke November/December 2022 p.74(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Nothing says thank you like a heartfelt handwritten note. It's not every day that Sallie gets a gift in the mail, but when she receives a handmade scarf from Grandma Bee, she just has to say thanks. Sallie is eager to text Grandma, but her mother is on her phone, and Sallie finally decides to write down her text so she won't forget it. Saying thank you isn't enough, Sallie decides, and the thanks naturally evolve as she writes down what she is thankful for and how the gift makes her feel. Mom declares Sallie's work a thank-you note that just needs to be signed and mailed. Sallie is hooked on writing thank-you notes decorated with hearts and swirls--for the crossing guard, a bus buddy, and the lunch lady. Readers with sometimes-annoying siblings will appreciate that Sallie even thanks her brother for keeping his tarantula, Cuddles, caged all day. Later, Sallie receives more mail--a thank-you note from Mom for showing her "how many reasons there are to write a thank-you note." Rosy illustrations featuring Sallie's colorful notes help tell the story and capture familial love and the protagonist's kindnesses. Look for Sallie's kitten in most of the illustrations. Sallie and her family are brown-skinned; their community is a diverse one. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Will inspire and prepare readers to share their thanks. (step-by-step instructions for writing a thank-you note) (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
