It is the waiting time of year. Waiting for the first snow. Waiting for the leaves to fall off that last tree in front of the house. (and hoping it happens before the first snow). Waiting for the holidays. This year, waiting for the governmental transition. For kids it is waiting for presents and candies and a break from school. And, for kids, it can seem like the time for all these things is never going to actually get here.

While we are all in that waiting mode, as the wind whistles outside and the skies get dark mid-afternoon, maybe it’s a good time to curl up with your little one and a good book about…waiting.

Waiting by Kevin Henkes

An owl, a pig, a bear, a puppy, and a rabbit sat on a windowsill. Each one was waiting for something different. With spare language and soft, muted blues and greens and pinks, Henkes gives readers the sense of the thickness of waiting. Pegged for Preschool-K.

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Kraus and Crockett Johnson

A little boy planted a carrot seed. No one thought it would grow. He took care of it anyway. And he waited. But nothing came up. Everyone told him it would not grow. But he continued to take care of it. And then…

This book is over 70 years old and is still in print. A testament to its timeless quiet approach to waiting.

Pegged for ages 4-8.

Share your favorite books about waiting.

As we prepare to give thanks, here is a beautiful book that reminds us of all that we have.

Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message by Chief Jake Swamp, illustrated by Erwin Printup

In a video reading of his book, Mohawk Chief Jake Swamp tells us this is “an ancient message of peace and appreciation of mother earth and all her inhabitants.” The quiet spare words of the Iroquois Thanksgiving Address are matched with the brilliant colors and flat lines of quiet spare paintings to put us in the mood of thanks. If you can’t get your hands on a copy, you might start your Thanksgiving quietly listening to Chief Swamp’s reading.

A book for all ages.

Along with the peace of giving thanks, there is the power of giving. Here is a book that shows how a small gift can go a long way.One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes

Kojo lives with his mother in a small village in Ghana. The people there do not have much money. But they have a big idea. Each gives a little money into a pot. Pooled together, the amount of money is not so small. It is big enough to help build a business. And when that business grows big enough, the money is paid back into the pot for another family to use. When it is Kojo’s mother’s turn, Kojo uses a few coins to buy a hen. And that is the beginning of a chain of events that leads him to school, then to build a big farm, and to help others by paying them to work on his farm. The author presents a clear and interesting introduction for kids on how this process called microlending works – from one hen to a thriving community. A small gift can go a long way.

Pegged for grades 3-7.

Share your favorite books about thanks and giving.