This outstanding book with richly detailed illustrations celebrates simple pleasures like slurping noodles and splashing in puddles. Perfect for sharing around the table or at bedtime, For Every Little Thing will awaken a sense of gratitude in readers of all ages.
Poems and Prayers to Celebrate the Day
Edited by June Cotner and Nancy Tupper Ling
Illustrated by Helen Cann
Ages 4-10
HARDCOVER
Available: 9/21/2021
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5519-0
⭐ Junior Library Guild Selection
How do you find joy in ordinary moments? How do you mark small wonders like the return of the fireflies or a friend’s helping hand?
Arranged from waking up to falling asleep, For Every Little Thing is an engaging collection of the day and its delights. This inspirational anthology gathers classic selections, modern prayers, and new poems from multiple cultures and faiths. From Emily Dickinson to Amma, from Ken Nesbitt to Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro, fifty-one voices encourage children to be present and thankful at all hours.
A NOTE ABOUT THIS BOOK
When a child expresses gratitude, the world feels like a better place. What a delight it is when children notice the sunlight falling upon their comforter or the sweet, sloppy kiss from their puppy. Surely, a child with a thankful heart makes us smile. Often this sense of appreciation comes from observation, and while it can be spontaneous and natural, it can also be a practice that we help instill in our children.
Our hope is that families will celebrate the wonders of the universe as they read together. For Every Little Thing will take a child from morning to night with easy-to-read, memorable selections that families will treasure. Each prayer, poem, and blessing offers an appreciation for the small and big gifts of the world. Here, children can discover thankful hearts for their daily blessings and a personal way to draw closer to God and one another.
These snippets of joy and wisdom are told through a variety of voices, many of them award-winning poets. Selections include verses by Christina Rossetti and Emily Dickinson and modern reflections from Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro and Arlene Gay Levine. The book can be read anytime during the day, but it will be especially appreciated as a bedtime book in which a parent and child can talk about the day through the lens of gratitude. We envision a child turning to their favorite section, whether it’s “Family and Friends” or “Dreams,” to find words of gratitude that become a familiar comfort to them. Perhaps we will all begin to stop in our tracks to admire a caterpillar or offer a new grace at mealtime. Truly our hope is that these words will help grown-ups and children celebrate their day in a whole new way.
With gratitude,
June and Nancy
THE WONDERER
The sun is up
and so am I
to wonder
at the morning sky.
The shifting clouds
the birds on wing
the cooling air
that fresh rains bring.
I feel the wind
I touch the earth
I celebrate
a new day’s birth.
I too am part
of all I see
for my dear God
gives life to me!
— Daniel Roselle
WHEREVER I AM
Wherever I am
God is . . .
On the sand by the sea,
in a forest by a tree.
In the quiet of the night,
through the darkness,
in the light . . .
In the rain—in the cold,
in the wind blowing bold!
Through the chill in the air,
in my joy, everywhere . . .
Wherever I am
God is . . . with me.
— Fanny M. Levin
