Friends of Montclair Library

Thanksgiving has us thinking about things we’re thankful for, like libraries and their ardent supporters! Here are a dozen children’s books about gratitude and giving thanks, for Thanksgiving and every day, along with a handful of recommendations for adults, too.

Don’t forget the Montclair branch will be closed Thursday, November 27th and Friday, November 28th this week for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Thank You, Thanksgiving by David Milgrim (J FIC MILGRIM)
While on a Thanksgiving Day errand for her mother, a girl says thank you to all the things around her.

Round the Turkey: A Grateful Thanksgiving by Leslie Kimmelman (J FIC KIMMELMAN)
As they gather to celebrate Thanksgiving Day, members of an extended family take turns describing, in rhyme, the things that make them feel grateful.

The Thankful Book by Todd Parr (J PICBK PARR)
Easy-to-read text encourages the reader to find something every day for which to be thankful, from underwear that is just the right size to birthday cakes and the wishes they bring.

Gracias/Thanks by Pat Mora (J SPA PICBK MORA)
A boy celebrates family, friendship and fun by telling about some of the everyday things for which he is thankful, with parallel text in English and Spanish.

Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes (J PICBK MARKES)
At Thanksgiving time, children express their gratitude for the people and things in their lives.

Thanks a Million by Nikki Grimes (J 811.54 GRIMES) (not at Montclair)
“This collection of sixteen poems reminds children that there are so many things for which to be thankful and shows how important the words ‘thank you’ are.” — Scholastic

Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson (J PICBK WILSON)
Bear thanks his friends for bringing food dishes to his dinner party and finds a way of sharing something of his own.

Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Chief Jake Swamp (J 299.74 SWAMP)
“Based on the Thanksgiving Address of the Iroquois people, the words in this read-aloud book reflect the Native American tradition of greeting the world each morning by giving thanks to all living things.” — Scholastic

Splat Says Thank You by Rob Scotton (J PICBK SCOTTON)
Splat the Cat figures out how to let Seymour know that he’s thankful for their friendship.

The Circle of Thanks by Joseph Bruchac (J 811.54 BRUCHAC)
Fourteen poems with themes of thanksgiving and appreciation of nature, based in part on traditional Native American songs and prayers.

Feeling Thankful by Shelley Rotner and Sheila Kelly (J 179.9 ROTNER)
This simple photo-essay encourages young children (ages 4-7) to think about the many things they have to be thankful for.

Before We Eat: From Farm to Table by Pat Brisson (J PICBK BRISSON) (not at Montclair)
As a family sits down to enjoy a meal, thoughts of those who provide the food, from farmers who plant and tend seeds to store clerks who sell groceries, fill each one with gratitude.

Gratitude books for adults:
Living Life as a Thank You: The Transformative Power of Daily Gratitude by Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammons (179.9 LESOWITZ)
Explores themes like practicing gratitude in everyday life, staying thankful in difficult times and tools for putting gratitude into action.

On Gratitude: Sheryl Crow, Jeff Bridges, Alicia Keys, Daryl Hall, Ray Bradbury, Anna Kendrick, B. B. King, Elmore Leonard, Deepak Chopra, and 42 More Celebrities Share What They’re Most Thankful For by Todd Aaron Jensen (179.9 ON) (not at Montclair)
Everyone’s got something to be thankful for. These stories entertain, but also overflow with quirkiness, sentimentality–and most of all, appreciation. Looking beyond the famous faces, you’ll find unexpected insights from esteemed characters that will wake you up to the most valuable things in your own life.

Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier by Robert A. Emmons (179.9 EMMONS) (not at Montclair)
“The first major study of gratitude that shows how ‘wanting what we have’ can measurably change people’s lives.” – Amazon

A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life by John Kralik (179.9 KRALIK) (not at Montclair)
Kralik’s inspiring memoir about how the seemingly ordinary act of writing thank you notes led him out of hopelessness and into fulfillment of lifelong dreams.

What are you most thankful for about the library?