{"id":36720,"date":"2020-03-26T22:23:02","date_gmt":"2020-03-27T02:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=36720"},"modified":"2020-03-26T22:23:02","modified_gmt":"2020-03-27T02:23:02","slug":"review-of-thank-you-omu-by-oge-mora","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=36720","title":{"rendered":"Review of Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Thank You, Omu!<\/em><\/p>\n

by Oge Mora<\/p>\n

Little, Brown and Company, 2018. 36 pages.
\nStarred Review
\nReview written October 3, 2018, from a library book
\n2018 Sonderbooks Stand-out<\/a>: #3 Picture Books – Silly Fun
\n2019 Caldecott Honor Book<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a contemporary story with a folk tale feel about a friendly elderly lady who makes a delicious big fat pot of thick red stew and shares with everyone who asks. A note at the front tells us that \u201cOmu\u201d is the Igbo term for \u201cqueen.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the thick red stew simmered on the stove, its scrumptious scent wafted out the window and out the door, down the hall, toward the street, and around the block, until \u2013<\/p>\n

KNOCK!<\/p>\n

Someone was at the door.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here\u2019s the first encounter, with a little boy:<\/p>\n

\u201cLittle boy!\u201d Omu exclaimed. \u201cWhat brings you to my home?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was playing with my race car down the hall when I smelled the most delicious<\/em> smell,\u201d the little boy replied. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThick red stew.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMMMMM, STEW!\u201d He sighed. \u201cThat sure sounds yummy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Omu thought for a moment. She was saving her stew for dinner, but she had<\/em> made quite a bit. It would not hurt to share. \u201cWould you like some?\u201d<\/p>\n

The little boy nodded.<\/p>\n

And so Omu spooned out some thick red stew from the big fat pot for her nice evening meal.<\/p>\n

\u201cTHANK YOU, OMU!\u201d the little boy said, and went on his way.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A progression of people show up at Omu\u2019s door, smelling the delicious stew. She gives to all \u2013 and then when she\u2019s ready for her delicious dinner, there is nothing left!<\/p>\n

But that is not the end of the story. Everyone who received from Omu that day comes back in the evening with something in return \u2013 and there\u2019s a happy celebration.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m going to try to use this one in storytime and get the kids to call out \u201cThank you, Omu!\u201d every time a character says that. This is a happy story about the joy of sharing.<\/p>\n

ogemora.com<\/a>
\nlbyr.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/thank_you_omu.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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