Skip to main content

Five Faves: New Picture Books About Gratitude

American novelist and poet, Gertrude Stein, once said, "Silent gratitude isn't very much use to anyone." These books agree--they loudly proclaim all the wonderful things there are to be grateful for and remind readers of the joy of sharing that gratitude!  

By Jarvis
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2024. Picture Book.

A child goes about their day and finds so many things to be thankful for.   The child thanks a tree for it's shade, the sun and the moon, and the hat on their head that keeps their thoughts from floating away. Silly things, serious things, and everything in between, Thank You shows how many wonderful things there are to be thankful for.  

Finding Grateful 
Written by Diane White
Illustrated by Faith Pray
San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books LLC, 2024. Picture Book.

When their car breaks down, a mother and her little girl walk through city streets finding all the wonderful sights, smells, people, and things there are to be thankful for.  Readers are reminded that gratitude is a choice and things to be grateful for can be found and expressed even when experiencing hard things. 

Written by Lawrence Schimel
Illustrated by Juan Mayorga
Victoria, BC: Orca Book Publishers, 2023. Picture Book.

Bruno loves playing at his friend Sanjay's house. Sanjay has his own room and a pet iguana.   Playing at his house is fun and there are few rules to follow.  Playing at Bruno's house is much different.  His older brother, Mateo, is visually impaired, so things have to be put back in exactly the same place to help Mateo get around.  Even though there are more rules at his house and Bruno has to share his room with Mateo, Bruno couldn't feel more lucky to have Mateo as his brother. 

Written by RomĆ”n, JosĆ© Carlos
Illustrated by Elena FerrƔndiz
Madrid, Spain: Cuento de Luz, 2023. Picture Book.

In this intergenerational read, grandparents are praised for the many ways they enrich the lives of their families.  Once the list of thanks is complete, the grandchildren promise 10 things they will do for and with their grandparent, including hugs everyday and watching sunsets. 

Written by Lindsay Zier-Vogel
Illustrated by Caroline Bonne Müller
Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2023. Picture Book. 

Alice loves her neighborhood so much, but it seems that not everyone does, which makes Alice sad.  This give Alice an idea!  She'll write love letters to her neighborhood and hide them for neighbors to find! Alice's idea works, as previously grumbly neighbors start noticing all the wonder in their very own neck of the woods. But one day, Alice is the one who can't stop grumbling...











Comments

Popular posts from this blog

If You Like...KPop Demon Hunters

KPop Demon Hunters has been one of the most talked-about movies of the summer. If you loved this movie as much as I did, you don't want the magic (or the music) to stop. Try reading these books that touch on some of the same topics and themes as the animated hit! Brick Dust and Bones By M. R. Fournet New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Fiction. 247 pages. Orphaned Marius works in the family business--as their cemetery's ghost caretaker. However, Marius also moonlights as a monster hunter in order to earn the costly Mystic currency he needs to bring his mother back from the dead. As the window to bring his mother back begins to close, Marius's exploits get more and more dangerous, and he may have set his sights on a monster too big to handle on his own. Like Mira, Marius longs for familial connection, and his work as a monster hunter will satisfy the thrill of demon hunting for fans the movie. Where's Halmoni? By Julie J. Kim Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2017. Comics. W...

Five Faves: New Dragon Chapter Books for Middle Grade

As a kid I was OBSESSED (all caps!) with dragons.  Dragons can be scary, majestic, loyal, greedy, but what they all have in common is how fun they are to read about!  Check out the dragon books below for some fun new reads! Dad Rock Dragon Quest Written by Joan Reardon New York : Aladdin, 2025. Fiction. 342 pgs. Dad Rock Dragon Quest follows 12-year-old aspiring rockstar Zadie Drake, whose summer plans to bond with her super cool, if sometimes absent, daredevil park ranger dad get complicated when her mom’s boring new boyfriend tags along. After they arrive at her dad’s cabin, a poacher kidnaps her dad’s ice-breathing dragon, revealing her dad's secret role protecting magical creatures and thrusting the family into a high-stakes rescue mission. Along the way, Zadie begins to rethink her relationships with both her father and her mom’s boyfriend.  Dragonborn Written by Struan Murrya New York, NY : Dutton Children's Books, 2025. Fiction. 320 pgs. Dragonborn  follows 1...

Winter 2026 Book Boxes

Looking for a new read? We’ve got you covered! Check out one of our Book Boxes for kids ages 9-12. Each Book Box contains a book to check out, as well as envelopes filled with fun surprises that you can open as you read along. We have two new books available to check out! Boxes can be put on hold through the library website, and can picked up at the Circulation Desk. Our One Dead Spy and The Case of the Missing Marquess Book Boxes will each be available to pick up from December 19, 2025 through December 30, 2026. Each child aged 9-12 can check out each Book Box once during that time, so get one now to read during winter break, or wait until summer and check it out then! One Dead Spy By Nathan Hale New York : Amulet Books, 2012. 127 pages. Comic. This graphic novel tells the tale of Nathan Hale, one of America's first spies, who was hanged for espionage in 1776. But in this version, just before he is set to be hanged he is eaten by a giant book, which he uses to explain the revoluti...