Genre 1: Picture Book - Post 2

Mora, Pat.  2009.  Gracias Thanks.  Ill by John Parra.  New York:  Lee & Low Books Inc.  ISBN 9781600602580.

This bilingual (Spanish and English) book allows readers to follow an elementary aged boy who is thankful for a variety of things (the sun that wakes him up every morning, the ladybug that landed on his finger, and the music his uncle plays) and people (his Abuelita who secretly gives him a dollar, his little brother who makes him laugh, and his friend, Billy, who shares a book with him).  The characters are primarily Hispanic and the backgrounds are filled with colorful, everyday settings that children will recognize - a house, a beach, a lake, a park, even a school auditorium.  Although the author doesn't establish a storyline,  "the poetic writing"¹ shows a boy who is genuine as he gives thanks for the little things in life.  Mora makes this boy familiar as if he could easily be a neighbor, a classmate, or a family member; this generality adds to the book's appeal.

This book is illustrated by John Parra who is inspired by his Hispanic heritage, and, therefore, appropriate for this book.  "Parra's folk-art-style acrylic illustrations look as though they're painted on wood; the lines and imperfections give the pictures a worn, homey appearance that matches the sweetness of the text and the old-fashioned feel of the setting."²

At the end of the book, Mora writes a note to the reader asking, "What are you thankful for?"³ and lists specific things she's thankful for including "readers like you."⁴  She encourages us to chat "about the large and small pleasures in [our] lives"⁵ and challenges us to "keep the circle of giving thanks, growing."⁶  I say we do just that and ask our children, students, friends, and family members what they are thankful for and maybe have them jot it down to create a book all their own.

Notes:

1.  “Gracias ~ Thanks,” Pat Mora, accessed June 12, 2011, http://www.patmora.com/book_pages/gracias.htm.

2.  Ibid.

3.  Pat  Mora, Gracias Thanks (New York: Lee & Low Books Inc, 2009), last page.

4.  Ibid

5.  Ibid.

6.  Ibid.