• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Baby + Toddler (0-2)
  • Pre-K (3-5)
  • Beginning Readers (6-7)
  • Growing Readers (7-9)
  • Tweens (10-12)
Happily Ever Elephants
Happily Ever Elephants

Happily Ever Elephants

The Best Kids Books Found Here!

  • Home
  • Book Lists
  • Kids Book Clubs
  • Winter Books
  • About
  • Home
  • Baby + Toddler (0-2)
  • Pre-K (3-5)
  • Beginning Readers (6-7)
  • Growing Readers (7-9)
  • Tweens (10-12)
Books by Theme » Life Skills » THANK YOU, OMU!, Acts of Generosity, and a Collage Activity!

THANK YOU, OMU!, Acts of Generosity, and a Collage Activity!

By Lauren Bercuson ·  Published: Nov 20, 2018 ·  Modified: Sep 9, 2022 ·  This post may contain affiliate links

Inside: I love kids books about kindness that simultaneously show children how acts of generosity can impact a person so profoundly. Thank You, Omu! Is a new favorite children’s book that handles this topic exquisitely. Check it out!

*This post contains affiliate links.


THANK YOU, OMU! Activity
Table of Contents:
  1. A Kids Book About Kindness AND Acts of Generosity – There’s Nothing Better!
  2. Extend Thank You, Omu! with this Fabulous Activity!

A Kids Book About Kindness AND Acts of Generosity – There’s Nothing Better!

Beautiful sentiment? Check. Gorgeous illustrations? Check. Diversity? Check. A message we hope every child will embrace and embody? Check, check, check. In other words, Thank You, Omu!, the stunning debut by Nigerian author Oge Mora, embodies everything I love in a picture book — and it blew me away from the very first read. If you are looking for a stunning kids book about kindness that also showcases acts of generosity, this is the book for you!

Right off the bat, we learn that “Omu” is the Igbo word for “Queen.” Thank You, Omu! begins with Omu cooking a delicious red stew to eat for dinner, and its delectable scent travels all throughout the neighborhood. As one neighbor after another visits Omu to find the source of the yummy aroma, each asks for a bowl of stew, and Omu generously shares with all.


Thank You, Omu! Activity

But when Omu is ready to make dinner for herself, she comes to a sad realization: the pot is empty, and there is no stew left for her! Whatever will she do? The end of the story will delight young readers, reminding us that kindness and generosity are truly infectious.

It is often hard for children to part with things they love- be it toys, markers, or delicious snacks. Yet Thank You, Omu! so beautifully imparts that tremendous joy can be found in sharing the things we love with others.


Thank You, Omu! Activity

Even better? The story conveys that when we perform good deeds, without any expectation of receiving something in return, we add kindness to the world, and that kindness is paid forward in miraculous ways. Add to this tender story the diverse landscape and cast of characters, as well as the sprinkling of Nigerian culture, and Thank You, Omu! becomes a perfect addition to our #booksforbetter collection. Gratitude and selflessness are values woven into the fabric of people and cultures around the world, and these values are beautifully portrayed through Mora’s stunning collages illustrations and perfect prose. Can you tell how much we love it? Two trunks up for this fabulous story about kindness!!

Extend Thank You, Omu! with this Fabulous Activity!

One of the things I love most about Thank You, Omu!,, in addition to the beautiful story, is the vibrant, collaged artwork. If you are looking for a way to extend this book with an activity for home or your classrooms, one way to do this is to teach children about collages by making their own Gratitude Pots!

The idea is simple – your children will make a collaged gratitude poster. Give your kids or students a piece of poster board, crayons and markers, together with a bunch of magazines, catalogues, newspapers, photographs and the like. On the poster board, have children draw a big pot. They can also take different scraps of paper found in the magazines to make the pot vibrant and colorful, just like the illustrations in Thank You, Omu!.

Coming out of the pot? The kids will create a collage of all the things they are grateful for! Whether its animals, foods, books, toys or even photos of their own families, kids can use the magazines or their own photographs to create a collage of the things that they value most, all of which are pouring into the love-filled pot. When the activity is finished? They will have a gorgeous Gratitude Pot of those things that mean the most to them, and they can proudly display it at home as a beautiful reminder of all the things in their lives for which they are thankful. Happy reading and happy creating!

RELATED: For more fantastic children’s books about food, click here!

RELATED: We’ve got all the best children’s books for you on Happily Ever Elephants, so be sure to check them out!

Thank you, Omu! Activity
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

3-4

« Previous PostThose Shoes, by Maribeth Boelts and Illustrated by Noah Z. Jones
Next Post »Your Must-Have Books for the Holiday Season - Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa!

OTHER POSTS YOU MAY LIKE:

  • 3-4

    THANK YOU!
  • 3-4

    STEM Activity Books Your Budding Inventors Need Now!

Never Miss a Happily Ever Elephants Newsletter!

Join our community and discover 28 Unforgettable Books to Make Storytime Magical and Meaningful.

Thank you for subscribing!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Happily Ever Elephants!

Lauren

Hi! I’m Lauren. I’m a boy mom, former attorney, current elementary school librarian, and moderator of book clubs for kids around the country. My goal is to make storytime with your children both magical and meaningful. Welcome! LEARN MORE 

AS FEATURED IN

Good Housekeeping

Winter Books

We Love These Valentine’s Day Books for Kids!

Children’s Books About Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Cutest Children’s Books About Penguins

The Best Lunar New Year Read-Aloud Books!

SEE ALL WINTER BOOKS

Popular Posts

kindergarten-read-alouds

These Kindergarten Read Alouds Will Wow Kids!

The covers of 9 of the best books for 10 year olds.

The Best Books for 10-Year-Olds To Excite Your Kids!

The cover of Gossie with some rubber ducks, a great book for 2 year olds.

The Best Books for 2-Year-Olds Your Reader Will Love!

beginning-reader-books

The Ultimate List of the Best Books for Beginning Readers!

JOIN OUR BOOK CLUB

Browse by Age

BABY + TODDLER (0-2)
PRE-K (3-5)
BEGINNING READER (6-7)
GROWING READER (7-9)
TWEENS (10-12)
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Footer

Don’t miss a single book.

Join our community and discover 28 Unforgettable Books to Make Storytime Magical and Meaningful.

Thank you for subscribing!

Buy the Books

The best virtual book clubs for kids. Why read alone when we can read together?

JOIN NOW!

Copyright © 2023 ·  Happily Ever Elephants LLC ·  Review Policies & Disclosures ·  Accessibility ·  Website by Anchored Design

74 shares