Thank you

One of the earliest niceties we often aim to instill in young children is the importance of saying "thank you." In this joyful and earnest picture book, however, the phrase simply bubbles up from the child narrator in appreciation for the world around them. The child begins their ode of gratitude by thanking the moon and sun, and from there each sincere "thank you" becomes more whimsical and imaginative. The child thanks a tree for its shade; the red cap on their head for stopping their "thoughts from floating up, up, and away"; blue and yellow for making green. After forgetting the reason to thank an elephant, the child thanks "the Tyrannosaurus for being the longest word I know." Gratitude continues to spill over for the child's food, loved ones, and bicycle, but what will happen when there's nothing more to say "thank you" for? The digitally rendered mixed-media illustrations capture a wide range of textures in the child's world, from a rock's rough surface to a bubbly bath, while relying on simplified shapes that maintain a sense of playfulness and naivete. The text is rhythmic and lyrical, with occasional rhyme and an ear-pleasing flow. A beautiful example of the way that books for children can guide rather than instruct. Thank you, Jarvis, for this book! (A Spanish edition, Gracias, will be released in September from NubeOcho.) Grace McKinney BeermannJuly/August 2024 p.101 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A youngster is grateful for many unexpected items. It's important that children learn how to show thankfulness; to that end, a tiny tot in a bright red cap and matching boots expresses gratitude for a host of things. As the book opens, the young protagonist lounges on a crescent moon--the first thing on the list: "I thank the moon / for the nighttime." That scene's followed logically by: "I thank the sun for the day." Stepping through patchwork rocks, the child adds, "I thank my boots for knowing the way." Clouds are thanked for providing puddles to splash in, a Tyrannosaurus is thanked "for being the longest word I know," and at bathtime, the child thanks "the toothbrush for my smile" and "the bath for the bubbles." The gratitude doesn't end at snack time: "I thank the bowl for the jelly. Thank you, too, little spoon. I'd also like to thank my belly for making just a little more room." Offbeat in the most delightful and gentle way, Jarvis' work explores everyday blessings and encourages readers to pay attention to surroundings and actions that bring gratitude. Digitally rendered artwork has the look of cut-paper illustrations, with shapes scattered across the pages, bringing energy and verve to text that's by turns contemplative and whimsical. The protagonist is tan-skinned, while other characters are racially diverse. A joyfully quirky gratitude journal for the preschool set. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.