The Thankful Book    by Todd Parr Order:  USA  Can Little, Brown & Co., 2012 (2012) Hardcover     Reviewed by Bob Walch A combination of characters share what they are thankful for in this picture book for young readers. While an elephant with pink ears is thankful for his ears because they let him hear words like 'I love you!', a little boy is thankful for his shadow because it makes him appear taller. You'll find animals taking a bath because it keeps them squeaky-clean, and a boy and his dog who are thankful for underwear because they love to wear it on their heads. The brightly colored illustrations show each of the characters and what they are most thankful for. A huge bunny chomping a carrot says, 'I am thankful for healthy food because it keeps me strong.' On the last two page spread, a long table seats a number of people who are smiling and are thankful for the holidays, because the family loves to gather and share a meal. As a way of involving the reader in the story, the author asks the reader to add to the list of things to be thankful for. Here's an excellent way to engage the child. Take some paper and write down what the youngster says, and let the child create his or her own illustrations to decorate the page(s). Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews