Thanks & Giving : All Year Long

Rating:
Summary: A nice collections of bedtime storries
Review: "Thanks and Giving" contains a nice collection of stories, poems, and songs. The songs all need a piano, so we've not tried them. The stories & poems range from 1 to 3 pages and appropriate for a 2nd grade reading level or above. Some of the stories are nice, some are funny, some hit you over the head with the authors message, some are re-writes of very old stories that may or may not appeal, and "Teeny Meany" makes the villian sound too appealing. Overall, this is a nice bed-time book for children old enough to look at one picture for a few minutes while Mom (or child) reads 200 to 400 words. Most stories have a message that can be discussed. Unfortunately, the title & cover do not appeal to children. In my opinion, this book is "Good" quality but not "Excellent".

Rating:
Summary: This book is a joy for all ages!
Review: I loved THANKS & GIVING: ALL YEAR LONG, edited by Marlo Thomas and Christopher Cerf . . . and you will too, particularly if you have a young child or grandchild who never tires of a bedtime
story.

Yet that said, I should add that this book is also a joy for adults--if for just the magnificent illustrations from a variety of artists . . . the range of contributors is likewise impressive:
from Shel Silverstein to Donald Trump and including Deepak Chopra, Paul Newman, and Whoopi Goldberg among others.

You can read THANKS & GIVING straight through or do as I did; i.e., skip around . . . I guarantee that it will put a smile on your face, as well as anybody else you might choose to share it with--and I do encourage you to share it for maximum enjoyment.

There were several memorable passages; among them:
(from "Aunt Delia's Holiday Manners Quiz by Delia Ephron) It's time to go home. What's the best way to show everyone how much you love them?

Give them each a big hug and a kiss and thank Aunt Delia for the delicious dinner. Say, "Some Thanksgiving. The only thing I liked was the white meat turkey." Say, "So long, Aunt Delia, Uncle Jerry, Grandma, Grandpa, Matt, Michelle, and Baldie. See you at Christmas. Bring big presents."

(from "Thank you, Mrs. Abruzzi" by Ray Romano) When I was a kid, my father told me over and over again how important it was for me to get a good education. "Knowledge is power!" he would
bellow. Whenever we talked about school or college, he'd scream it:
"Knowledge is power!"

Then he found out how much a college education costs. "On the other hand," he decided, "what you don't know won't hurt you!"

(from "Presents I Have Known" by Frankie Muniz) STUPIDEST PRESENT I EVER GOT: One birthday all I wanted was a red wagon, just like any other three-year-old. Only problem:
I was fourteen at the time. I thought it would be cool to put stuff in it and pull it around behind my bike. Wrong. You shoulda heard by friends. "Yo, dude, what's up with the red wagon?" Talk
about embarrassing.

Marlo Thomas and Friends--her contributors--have contributed all royalties from the book to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, founded by her father, Danny Thomas, in 1962.


Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, and Good Cause
Review: Marlo Thomas has used her celebrity to organize a group of accomplished writers, artists, and actors to write stories about giving and being thankful. The 96 page picture book is ideal for elementary school readers, and is also suitable for reading to younger non-readers. Some of the featured writers include Avi, who has written numerous young adult novels worth checking out. Maurice Sendak is also featured, he's the artist/writer who created Where the Wild Things Are. According to the book description, Ms. Thomas has pledged to give the proceeds from this book to the St. Jude's Children Hospital. I believe this is in Memphis, and was founded by her father.

Rating:
Summary: So much fun...and great messages
Review: This book was a wonderful read -- I can't wait to share it with my son as he grows older. The messages contained within these stories are great, and I laud Marlo Thomas for putting her name to such good use! I highly recommend this book!