Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

Starred Review This book of gratitude opens with an interracial family awakening against the beams of a rising sun. As they proceed through their day, they have much to be thankful for, and each two-page spread begins with the words "Thank you, God." Family, friends, shared meals, and shared stories are just a few of the everyday familiars with which readers will identify. But some of the spreads artistically recreate the natural world, and these pictures, rendered in digital paints and photographic textures, make an especially strong impression and capture the wonder of the universe. The thoughtful text is both poetic and child-friendly: "Thank you, God, / for the rain ips, plops, and drops splashing the ground and pooling puddles / watering the land, turning dirt into gardens." The final spread of a red-haired girl and her elderly African American grandfather making their way toward each other as the sun sets is a fitting conclusion that encapsulates the joyful themes of the book.

Horn Book (Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)

Thank you, God, / for the sun smiling on our earth / to wake up the day...

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

In this prayer primer, simple first-person messages of thanks accompany illustrations of multiethnic family gatherings-a beach stroll, dinner, campfire-along with majestic depictions of sun, moon, stars, and the natural world. A judicious use of rhythm and sound characterize Wigger-s (Together We Pray) poetry: -Thank you, God, for the rain-drips, plops, and drops-splashing the ground and pooling in puddles.- Jago-s (Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing) digital paintings, in hues of gold, sea green, and burnt orange, often convey joyful movement (children climbing trees or running in rain), but also quietly observation. One illustration shows a bird in a birdhouse, watched from below by two children; the prayer: -Thank you, God, for home-the floor under my feet and ceiling over my head- seems to come from both bird and child. In another, a spry, pale-skinned girl and an old, cane-bearing man with darker skin walk toward each other against a backdrop of a rising sun, each seeming to pray: -Bless you, God, for this day, for life.- An inspiring and accessible introduction to the practice of prayer. Ages 3-8. (Aug.)

School Library Journal (Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

PreS-Gr 2 Created with digital paints and photographic textures, this religious picture book is elegant and enjoyable. An extended family gives thanks to God for their many blessings, including family and friends, food, shelter, the beauty of nature, and love. Told in the form of a prayer, the narrative is comforting and melodic, soothing and uplifting. Each page contains beautiful, full-page, detailed illustrations in muted colors. The font is large and clear, making for easy reading. The diversity is refreshing and reflective of many families, a pleasure to see in children's books. This book would be a great tool for devotions in the home, classroom, or church. Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE