book cover

Thank You

by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Sam Usher

Interest age: 3 to 6
Reading age: 6+

Published by Frances Lincoln, 2020

  • Picture books

About this book

Tatenda says thank you many times a day. He thanks his Mum and Dad for making breakfast, thanks the post lady for delivering his comic and his teacher for marking his work.

But lately, no-one seems to hear his thank yous as they are preoccupied with worries and uncertainties. So Tatenda does the only thing he can think of, he makes his thank you so huge and so colourful that everyone will have to notice it! And all their smiles and the twinkles in their eyes will make the thank you grow even bigger and brighter until it can be felt in every corner of town.

This touching and joyful picture book is a celebration of all the unsung heroes of our lives; the people from bin men to doctors and delivery drivers to bus drivers who keep our world running smoothly, often with little recognition.

Inspired by the outpouring of thanks to keyworkers during the coronavirus pandemic, Tatenda embodies the appreciation and sense of community that emerge during times of crisis. The book’s simple message is strikingly depicted through the stark contrasting of stunning rainbow colours with the dull greys of a world without gratitude.

About the author

Joseph Coelho is an award-winning children's author, performance poet and playwright based in London. He is also the Waterstones Children's Laureate for 2022-2024. His debut poetry collection, Werewolf Club Rules, was the 2015 winner of the CLPE CLiPPA Poetry Award. His second book, Overheard in a Tower Block, was shortlisted for the 2018 CLPE CLiPPA Poetry Award and is longlisted for the 2019 UKLA Book Awards. Joseph features in the BBC Teach 'Understanding Poetry' online series.

His work has poetry and performance at its heart, drawing on over 16 years' experience running dynamic creative literacy sessions in schools. He aims to inspire young people through stories and characters they can recognise.

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