Oh, I can feel the warmth of your gratitude as you sat down to write this and reflect on what is ahead, aside, and behind you. Also, there's something about that first image of the girl - drawn by Cotterill - on her stomach, legs up, writing and reading - that sparks a deep memory for me. So much time in that chosen repose of my younger days, where the movement of my legs and the grounding of my belly helped me read, write, cry, listen to music, laugh with friends, and just dream. The image reminds me of how grateful I am for illustrators. Those who take the marks on the page and make even deeper worlds. What a gift to translate that to paper - PAPER EXISTS! - and for me with seeing eyes - THE GIFT OF SIGHT! - and read - READING EXISTS! - and be made curious, satisfied, amused, and content.
Oh my gosh, thank you thank you for the PDF! When I'm looking up books I usually have a few tabs open for searching various places, this will be so useful.
You're welcome! I don't know why it took me 2.5 years to make them... but I polled my paid subscribers a few weeks ago, about whether or not I should do this, and the resounding answer was yes. I'm so glad it's helpful! I'll be including them with all special editions and Spotlight On issues from now on.
Gonna do the paper chains. It snowed here yesterday and my kids were begging to get out the Christmas decor. Read that little excerpt above and fell inspired to help them hold off a little longer on the Christmas decor with a gratitude paper chain.
I love that, Caitlin. We’re doing a “gratitude window,” covering the (window) doors to our deck with Post-Its we each fill out at breakfast and dinner. We’re all really enjoying it.
(I also know a TON of people who are already putting up Christmas decorations? I usually start the weekend before Thanksgiving, which always feels plenty early… right now is kind of intense.)
Thanks for the great list and for keeping us reading new-to-us books over the Thanksgiving break. My girls were particularly drawn to Thankful. Do you think they make a chain that is 365 pieces before the New Year and then look at once each day as a reminder? This might be the perfect project for winter break.
I'll admit that I couldn't get my kids to read more than a few pages of the National Geographic 1621 book, but Thanks a Million was lovely. I'm forever grateful to you for bringing more poetry into our lives.
Oh, my kids can't sit through 1621, either -- it's way too text-heavy, and since we've never really told (or read) them the mainstream Thanksgiving narrative, they don't know there's a whole other, real story. But I used it to further educate myself, and to share the photos with them, and to have it for when they're older.
A thankful chain -- yes! Despite my big dreams (a chain, a garland of 3x5 cards, whatever Pinterest dream I envisioned that has never once worked for us), I ended up putting a stack of Post-Its and a few fine-point Sharpies on our dining table, and at breakfast and dinner, we each filled one out with what we were thankful for and put them on the glass door between our eat-in kitchen and our porch. Now the door is covered in yellow and looking at it, I have to admit that I often let perfect be the enemy of good -- it's not fancy but it absolutely worked for us. I decided I'm going to save some of the notes, and we're definitely doing this exact thing again next year. All totally inspired by Thankful.
Thanks a Million *is* lovely, isn't it? I'm so glad you enjoyed it, and I can't tell you how happy it makes me to be even a small part of bringing more poetry into your lives 💛
That was lovely, thank you
Thank you, Aarika.
Great list, Sarah!
Thanks, Julie!
Oh, I can feel the warmth of your gratitude as you sat down to write this and reflect on what is ahead, aside, and behind you. Also, there's something about that first image of the girl - drawn by Cotterill - on her stomach, legs up, writing and reading - that sparks a deep memory for me. So much time in that chosen repose of my younger days, where the movement of my legs and the grounding of my belly helped me read, write, cry, listen to music, laugh with friends, and just dream. The image reminds me of how grateful I am for illustrators. Those who take the marks on the page and make even deeper worlds. What a gift to translate that to paper - PAPER EXISTS! - and for me with seeing eyes - THE GIFT OF SIGHT! - and read - READING EXISTS! - and be made curious, satisfied, amused, and content.
Amen, 1000 times over. Thank you for this.
Oh my gosh, thank you thank you for the PDF! When I'm looking up books I usually have a few tabs open for searching various places, this will be so useful.
You're welcome! I don't know why it took me 2.5 years to make them... but I polled my paid subscribers a few weeks ago, about whether or not I should do this, and the resounding answer was yes. I'm so glad it's helpful! I'll be including them with all special editions and Spotlight On issues from now on.
Gonna do the paper chains. It snowed here yesterday and my kids were begging to get out the Christmas decor. Read that little excerpt above and fell inspired to help them hold off a little longer on the Christmas decor with a gratitude paper chain.
I love that, Caitlin. We’re doing a “gratitude window,” covering the (window) doors to our deck with Post-Its we each fill out at breakfast and dinner. We’re all really enjoying it.
(I also know a TON of people who are already putting up Christmas decorations? I usually start the weekend before Thanksgiving, which always feels plenty early… right now is kind of intense.)
This read was alike a warm hug/ snuggling under a warm blanket when you are cold. Thankyou for sharing!
Aw, thank you, Anne 💛
This is such a beautiful post, Sarah! Thank you.
Thanks, Katie!
Thanks for the great list and for keeping us reading new-to-us books over the Thanksgiving break. My girls were particularly drawn to Thankful. Do you think they make a chain that is 365 pieces before the New Year and then look at once each day as a reminder? This might be the perfect project for winter break.
I'll admit that I couldn't get my kids to read more than a few pages of the National Geographic 1621 book, but Thanks a Million was lovely. I'm forever grateful to you for bringing more poetry into our lives.
Oh, my kids can't sit through 1621, either -- it's way too text-heavy, and since we've never really told (or read) them the mainstream Thanksgiving narrative, they don't know there's a whole other, real story. But I used it to further educate myself, and to share the photos with them, and to have it for when they're older.
A thankful chain -- yes! Despite my big dreams (a chain, a garland of 3x5 cards, whatever Pinterest dream I envisioned that has never once worked for us), I ended up putting a stack of Post-Its and a few fine-point Sharpies on our dining table, and at breakfast and dinner, we each filled one out with what we were thankful for and put them on the glass door between our eat-in kitchen and our porch. Now the door is covered in yellow and looking at it, I have to admit that I often let perfect be the enemy of good -- it's not fancy but it absolutely worked for us. I decided I'm going to save some of the notes, and we're definitely doing this exact thing again next year. All totally inspired by Thankful.
Thanks a Million *is* lovely, isn't it? I'm so glad you enjoyed it, and I can't tell you how happy it makes me to be even a small part of bringing more poetry into your lives 💛