Thanks a Ton!

PreS-K–In this cheerful story, an adorable elephant wants to write thank you letters to his friends but finds that words aren’t always enough. So, he expresses his gratitude with unusual gifts, such as a tub of chimpanzees and a bunch of bananas. On each page, the elephant names the reason why he is thanking his friend, and then tells in rhyme what he is giving. “You hugged me when my day was hard, so you deserve this Saint Bernard.” Among the elephant’s other interesting presents are a baboon; a hippo; a trophy; some new underwear; and finally, at the end, a kitchen sink. Thanks a Ton! was created by the sister team behind Go Get Em’ Tiger and Potty Power. The illustrations are bright and colorful, featuring smiling animals with humorous expressions including a small, green snail who appears on many pages. This title will work best as a read aloud since some of the words in the text—terrapin, gestures, and difference, among them—may be difficult for some children to read on their own. This story doesn’t always make sense, but it is delightful to look at and provides great examples of when it’s time to say thank you.