Thank You, God, For Everything
Kindergarten-Grade 2—This homage to and entreaty for thankfulness introduces Daisy, who is inspired by her parents' example and tries to think of things she, too, can be thankful for. In her preface, Gold informs readers that she ministers to adults who find a similar thankfulness exercise to be a spiritual benefit. Young children, however, are concrete thinkers who can only be thankful for tangible things and are moved most by stories they can relate to; Daisy's list of watered-down and abstract gifts—her loved ones, God's creation, diversity, and His unending presence—don't move beyond the page into personal experience. Halperin uses pencil and oil on canvas to illustrate the child's thought process, and while the pictures are interesting to look at, her challenge—to draw a concept—often proves too great. Thankful to God for the "breath of life," Daisy sits beneath a mural of noses, beaks, and snouts, as Halperin attempts some connection between the two "breaths." The attractive package can't overcome this effort's inherent weaknesses.—Lisa Egly Lehmuller, St. Patrick's Catholic School, Charlotte, NCCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.