The Most Thankful Thing by Lisa McCourt, Cyd Moore (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

When a little girl asks her mom what her "most thankful thing ever" is, Mom turns the question into a fun trip down memory lane. Turning the pages of Mom's photo album, they discover many wonderful moments in Mom's life, from summer camp to winning a trophy in a soccer tournament, from singing onstage to her wedding day. But one event in Mom's whole life is the very best ever -- the birth of her precious little girl.

Publishers Weekly

Offering a somewhat saccharine twist on a well-worn theme, this picture book by the creators of the Stinky Face titles reaches an obvious conclusion when a girl, perusing her mother's old scrapbook, tries to guess just what Mama is most thankful for. The child flips the scrapbook pages, wondering aloud if Mama's "most thankful thing" might be her mother's experiences participating in a soccer team, playing guitar on stage, acting in a play in college or marrying the girl's father. Pictures and narrative art take a mildly fanciful flight as her mother replies that "even if" the experience had led to something extraordinary (e.g., if she had become a famous rock star or had won an Academy Award) it would not match having a child. Moore's cheerfully hued pictures offer an animated view of the present, past and hypothetical, to some extent combating the rigged quality of the story. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Beverley Fahey - Children's Literature

A little girl asks her mother what is the one thing she is most thankful for. Together they pore over the big scrapbook that records her mother's memoirs. At each turn of the page the girl attempts to guess what is the one event her mother holds dearest. Is it scoring a goal for the soccer team, playing guitar on stage, going to the prom with a special young man, acting in a college play, her first job, or marrying daddy? When the answer to all these questions is no, the child decides that whatever it is must be awesome and amazing. Her Mama tells her that her most thankful thing was "the first time I felt your soft, sweet breath on my skin and your tiny, warm body next to mine." This exceptional blend of text and illustration is a warm and wonderful story. The scrapbook layout adds to the cozy, homey atmosphere so carefully created. This celebration of motherhood should encourage mothers to share their precious memories with their children. 2004, Scholastic Inc, Ages 5 to 8.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 4-After a mother tells her daughter that she's remembering everything she has to be thankful for, the child pulls out Mama's scrapbook and asks, "-what are you the very most thankful for?" The ensuing story follows the two as they page through the woman's memories. The girl expects each entry to be Mama's most thankful thing-a camp experience, winning a soccer trophy, her first job, getting married-and Mama's refrained response is that it wasn't her most thankful thing. Ultimately, Mama describes holding her child for the first time, saying, "-forevermore you would be my most thankful thing." The comical captions on the cartoon-style "photographs" appear in handwritten lettering to fit the scrapbook layout. The warm words and pastel illustrations are playful representations of a child, teen, and young woman's memories. This is a wonderful, reassuring read-aloud for storytime and for individual sharing.-Deborah Rothaug, Pasadena Elementary School, Plainview, NY Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

A young girl explores her mother's scrap book searching for clues to discover the one thing for which her mother feels most grateful. From camping days to college graduation, each time the girl declares she's found the ultimate moment, her mom responds that it's not quite her "most thankful thing." McCourt's narrative, set in a dialogue format between mother and child, neatly segues from past to present as the mother reminisces about her accomplishments. While the course of the story contains no surprises for readers-the daughter holds the title's honored role-the novelty of exploring a mother's "pre-mom" days will hold great appeal for many youngsters. Moore's color-filled, joyous illustrations capture the essential magic inherent in so many wonderful memories. Her pictures neatly blend the present time with past moments by overlaying current images on the black background of the scrapbook pages filled with notes, mementos, and photos. Like the child in the tale, readers will enjoy spending a long time poring over the many fun details included in the illustrations. (Picture book. 4-8)

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