Thankful by Eileen Spinelli

Hi guys and gals!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're breezing through a title that fits the season perfectly and the upcoming holiday to a "T".  It comes to us courtesy of Zonderkidz and is from a well established author in children's writing arena, so it should be no surprise that it shared its sentiments well.  Without further ado, ladies and gents, kids of all ages, let's get a great big reminder of the season's blessings with today's book of choice...

Thankful

by

Eileen Spinneli

Illustrated by

Archie Preston

9780310000884

Zonderkidz

At its heart, it's a reminder that everyone has something they are thankful for and that the most important one of all is...YOU.  Now whether that "you" is yourself, a friend, new acquaintance, or family matter, is entirely up to your own personal circumstances, but the fact remains that everyone has someone special in their lives whether past, present or future, and THAT ALONE is a reason to be thankful. 

The words do their duty and get the message through but the illustrations really help carry it home.  Little ones will enjoy the lively pictures of everyone from her royal highness to a news reporter, a waitress to a tailor, and so on, as well as the gentle color palette that represents autumn well.  Little bit older ones will laugh and chuckle when they discover that every role depicted is played by a member of the family at the center of the story.  To further enforce the wonder, you'll be bombarded by the cuteness and fun that abounds as you discover "the Queen" is actually a little girl, catch the father rolling his eyes at tea time, and the waitress creating the news of the day for the reporter on break.


In the end, it's a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving reading lists no matter what your literal age may be.  Everyone can use a reminder of the simple things in life that we take for granted but should be thankful for nonetheless...including the PEOPLE that we may not say the words to as much as we should.  So remember fair readers, today and everyday is another chance to show our appreciation for the good things in our lives.  Don't let your chance pass you by!

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Special thanks to Lianne at Zonderkidz for the copy for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now for your reading pleasure via Zonderkidz, an imprint of Harper Collins Christian Publishing, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...happy reading!



Sharing the Bread by Pat Zietlow Miller

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

November is moving right along and with it bringing that cherished family get together known as the Thanksgiving that much closer.  What's that?  Don't remind you?  Oh, come on!  You're either on the eating or preparing end of it, so you're bound to need that reminder here sooner or later, but enough of the pending potential stress involved, today is all about the CELEBRATION and to get it back on the right track, I've got an extra special title you'll want to add to your holiday reading list.  Today's book of choice is...

Sharing the Bread

by

Pat Zietlow Miller

Illustrated by

Jill McElmurry

Schwartz & Wade Books

9780307981820

As I said, it's all about the sharing of the feast, the togetherness the holiday brings, and how everyone plays their part in making the day a success.  From the prepping to the cooking, the table setting to the family entertaining, all members have role in the festivities and when played right, the whole family can indulge in the rewards.

I love how all members of the family are depicted here.  From Mom and Dad to Auntie and the baby, every person is represented and given a task they are responsible for completing to contribute to the feast.  One bastes the turkey while another makes the potatoes, someone cooks the cranberries as another makes the pilgrim hats to be worn to honor the first Thanksgiving.  Each and every person from the tall to the small gets to add their special touch of magic to the day and when everything is said and done, partake of the fruits of their labor.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the artwork in the story seeing as this is a picture book.  The textures used, the earthiness of the palette, and the delicious looking feast prepared all go into giving the reader a visual display perfect for the season.  It will remind you both of Thanksgivings past as well as your own a mere three weeks away and leave you delighted just the same.

To conclude, a great addition for your seasonal reads at home, school, or Story Time.  The imagery combined with simple rhymes allows readers young and young at heart to partake in the festivities without even raising an oven mitt.

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About the author...

PAT ZIETLOW MILLER received an Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor for Sophie’s Squash, her picture-book debut, which was published to four starred reviews and named a Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book. Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin. Visit the author at patzietlowmiller.com.

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About the illustrator...

JILL McELMURRY illustrated the bestselling picture book Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle and The Tree Lady by H. Joseph Hopkins, among others. She is the author and illustrator of Mario Makes a Move, which Publishers Weekly, in a starred review, said “captures the exuberance of the creative spirit alongside the quirks of a character accepting his limitations.” Visit her at jillmcelmurry.com.

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Special thanks to Cassie at Random House Children's Books for the copy for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the illustrator, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title hit store shelves this September, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailor of your choosing.

Until next time...happy reading!



Giving thanks today and every day...

So today is the day.

Thanksgiving.

A time to reflect on the year that has passed, the family and friends gathered round us in person and in spirit...and for readers like us, the great books we've read and shared.

Guess what?

Authors are thankful too...and this is why today I choose to share a letter of thanks from one author to all of you.  The readers, the thinkers, the browsers, and chatters; anyone and everyone that shares in the joy of reading and claims the world as their own.  This one's for you.

Please welcome author Germaine Shames....

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Author Germaine Shames

Dear Reader,

I may not know you personally, but chances are we have met through our shared love of books. You know me in a way few friends ever will: through my stories and my characters, the themes with which I grapple book after book, and my running “lover’s quarrel” with language and the prose that somehow flows from it. You are the reason I write, the invisible presence that keeps me company as I face the blank computer screen.    I catch glimpses of you in libraries, bookstores and trains. I read over your shoulder.

You accompany me on journeys beyond the page, into the hearts and minds of people we may never meet face-to-face but whose hopes and fears mirror our own. This takes empathy. You suspend judgment long enough to allow me to spin my tale. This takes generosity. You absorb tens of thousands of words to follow a story to its resolution. This takes time and effort that is seldom acknowledged.

Reading is not passive. You fill in what I leave out; you probe, interpret, challenge, feel and forgive. Occasionally, you leave a comment or review so insightful it reminds me why I chose to become a writer, and why I persist despite all.

Thank you for every moment you devote to books. Thank you for your concentration, discernment and selfless tenacity. Thank you for reading.

Love,
Germaine

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Special thanks to Pale Fire Press for sharing this beautiful note with me and in turn allowing it to be shared with all of you.  For more information on their current title listing, feel free to click over to their site.  To discover more of the worlds explored by author Germaine Shames, be sure to visit her official website...and watch for my review of You, Fascinating You right here, early 2013!

Until next time....wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving....and of course, happy reading.

A Message of Thanks...

It's here, it's here!

Everybody shout and cheer!

That wonderful day of giving and sharing is finally upon us.

So from me to you, I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.

May your gatherings be merry and time pass you slowly as you celebrate this special time of year.  It is often a custom to count ones blessings on this thank filled day...among them I would list my family, my friends (yep, that includes YOU out there), and life in general.  It may not be perfect, but it's mine and so I'm thankful to have the chance to live it the best way I know how.

As for a book choice for today, I received a little something in the mail last week that was a perfect fit...in my mind at least.  It was received as a thank you from a publisher for a review or two I did on their titles a few months ago; rather unexpected, and quite a nice gesture.  Today's featured title is...

Giving Thanks:

A Native American Good Morning Message

by

Chief Jake Swamp

illustrated by

Erwin Printup, Jr.

This short but well intentioned book is based on actual messages of thanks used by the Haudenosaunee (also known as the Iroquois).  Combined with simple yet beautiful artwork to stir the soul and open the mind, the messages of gratitude for the sun, the earth, the wind, the rain and everything in between pour forth on an endless stream of poetry.  No matter your beliefs, the sentiments portrayed here can be appreciated.  Interesting point...there is a Mohawk version of the story at book's end, literally in their native tongue, adding to the educational and historical value of the book. 

A great way to remember a few of the basic things we have to be thankful for today and every day, this title couldn't have arrived at a better time.  On a sad note, the man behind the book, author Chief Jake Swamp, passed away last month...but his memory will live on in the words he imparted to readers young and old in this thanks filled tale as well as with the work of the Tree of Peace Society of which he was the founder.  Recommended reading more so for the little ones just getting their minds around the ideas associated to the holiday but would certainly work as an extension of anyone's thanks giving celebrations.

Special thanks to LEE and Low Books for the gift copy...it is much appreciated.  For more information on this title and a glimpse at their full catalog, check out their website or follow along on Twitter.

Until next time...have a Happy Thanksgiving...and happy reading!