Thank You, World

A picture-book hymn of thankfulness for all the good things of the world - the wakeful sun, the shining blue sky, the rocking swing, the soft grass, and the dancing breeze - things that children everywhere can enjoy, Thank You, World is a simple, but lovely reminder that, regardless of where we are in the world, we benefit from many of the same blessings. Each two-page spread features eight inset square illustrations, depicting children from eight different countries - the United States, Mexico, Mail, Saudi Arabia, Bolivia, France, India and China - all experiencing the same thing, in different ways. The conclusion, in which eight mothers tuck their children into bed, and nighttime is thanked for bringing soft gray shadows, and dreams, show more is a fitting finale for this quiet bedtime book.

I'm so very glad that my online friends rated this one so highly, and recommended it so sincerely (thanks, Kathryn & Lisa!), as I don't think I would have picked it up, otherwise, and that would have been a shame. Not only is the simple narrative very effective, at communicating the beauty of the world around us, and the feelings of gratitude that this beauty calls forth, the artwork by Wendy Anderson Halperin in a multitude of soft crayon colors, is simply gorgeous! I loved everything about this book, visually speaking, from the decorative endpapers to the eight inset illustrations on each two-page spread. This is just a lovely, lovely book, one I recommend to anyone looking for titles that emphasize the idea of global community, and of thankfulness. show less

Thank You, World is about all these different cultures how they do the same of activities just in different parts of the world. From the time the sun comes up to the time the sun goes down. The story shows how all these different cultures do the same activities, while their not all done in the same area, that they are all the same activities that the rest of the world does.

This book is very simple and the author is thanking the Earth for all it has given. I thought it was really neat because the pictures show different places of the world, but yet still the same things are happening (the sun rises, the rain falls.. etc.) so it would be a great book to have in your classroom when talking about different places of the world as well as diversity and contrast and comparisons as well.

8 different countries are represented on each two-page spread. All the pictures show children doing something, like dancing or flying kites, in their home country. The message being that no matter where you are or who you are, we all do similar things in our lives.

A cool concept book, 8 different countries are represented on each two-page spread. All the pictures show children doing something, like dancing or flying kites, in their home country.

Could be used to show how many similarities there are among cultures.

"On the title page of this marvelously conceived volume, Halperin suggests the pattern to follow, using different patterns or designs to reflect the eight featured countries: the United States, Mexico, Bolivia, France, Mali, Saudi Arabia, India and China. On the endpapers she puts eight globes, each with one country highlighted on its surface. On each spread, she offers eight boxed images reflecting for those locales the line of poetry given. The verse itself follows morning to bedtime simply and somewhat clumsily: “Thank you, sun, for waking up the morning and coloring the sky. / Thank you, sky, for shining blue that calls me to touch you, swinging high.” Each line carries a noun from the previous line: The swing connects to grass, show more grass to breeze, breeze to trees, etc. What captures the heart and the attention are Halperin’s wonderful pictures, made with crayons over pencil drawings in her signature luminous style. So children are flying kites from a Paris park to an Indian market and their windows at twilight look out from a Mali thatched dwelling to a Mexican stucco home. The dedication suggests how to say thank you in each language. (Picture book. 4-8)" www.kirkusreviews.com show less

Ages: 4-6
Pierce Public Library
This book is about 8 different kids from around the world and all the things that see and do everyday. Even though they are so far away, they all do and see similar things around the world.