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1st & 2nd Grade Books > Thank You Omu

Thank You Omu

Text and Illustrations: Oge Mora Translation to Arabic: Tamara Naser

In this story of sharing and community, everyone in the neighborhood dreams of a taste of Omu’s delicious stew. One by one, they follow their noses to the scrumptious scent. And one by one, Omu offers a portion of her meal. Soon the pot is empty. Has she been so generous that she has nothing left for herself?

Family Activities

Omu prepares a delicious stew for dinner, and its scent draws passersby on the street. One after the other, they knock on her door to taste the stew until there is no more left; But Omu’s generosity isn’t wasted, as her neighbors bring her food to show their gratitude.  

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Dear Parents,

This story, which has an African background, calls our attention to the values ​​present in many different societies, including our Arab culture, such as sharing and generosity. Our child may sometimes find it difficult to share things he loves with others, whether they are toys, sweets, or personal items. However, Omu tells them that there is great joy in giving and sharing, and that what we give, will come back to us.

 

There are other important values ​​in this story, such as gratitude, and the appreciation of charitable deeds. These values ​​may seem self-evident, but they are not. Children develop these ideals if they are instilled at home and in school, and if we, as parents, set ourselves as examples for our kids.

 

Family Activities

  • We can talk about occasions when we share food with others, such as a group picnic, a wedding, or just exchanging meals with our neighbors. Why do we do these things?
  • Our grandma’s house always smells delicious. We can try to remember meals we love at grandma’s house, and our child may want to prepare a book “Recipes from my Grandma’s Kitchen.”
  • This book takes us to our Arab kitchen with our child to learn about the types of stews we have, and to smell the scents of the different spices we use. We may want to prepare some soup and invite our friends/neighbors to eat with us.
  • It is nice to encourage our child to donate things like: clothes, toys, and books to other children who need them. We can initiate voluntary work in the neighborhood by going with our child to clean the sidewalk, or plant some plants, etc.
  • Who deserves our thanks? Our child will enjoy preparing “thank you” cards to give to the one they love.
  • The book’s drawings are styled as a collection/collage. On a large canvas, our child can make a drawing of a pot from newspaper and magazine clippings that we can call “The Pot of Thanks.” It is nice for family members to fill the pot with words that denote things they are grateful for, such as love, food, attention, etc.
  • Enjoy your reading!

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