Hello, friends! Our book today is Be Thankful For What You Have, written by Miranda Mittleman and illustrated by iNDOS Studios, the third installment of the adorable Paws And Think! series.

Weaver the Dog is back with a new lesson in self-reflection for little readers. Weaver lives in a city with his family, and they love going on walks and trips together. One of Weaver’s favorite places to visit is the pet store, where the owner always gives him a treat, he can look at all the toys and bones, and even pick out a brand new plaything to take home with him. But as Weaver is leaving, he notices something new in the store: a crate with a rescue dog inside. Reflecting on all that he has when the rescue dog has nothing, Weaver decides to share his toy with the pup and offer words of encouragement, he being a rescue dog as well. Later at home, Weaver takes stock of all that he has to be thankful for – his home, his toys, and especially his family – and reminds himself that he doesn’t need new things to be happy when he already has so much.

Lovely. So far, the Paws & Think series has been one of our favorite independent series, and once again Weaver’s winning look and voice make him instantly likable. The story could have used slightly more stakes – perhaps Weaver could have been too greedy at the store – to draw focus to the lesson, but it still stands on its own, reminding kids of the importance of appreciating what they have and being generous to others who have less. The art is still some of the best we’ve seen in self-publishing, with adorable character design and a great sense of color and scale. I especially loved the detail of the dog in the pet store being a rescue – always, ALWAYS adopt, don’t shop! The length was great and JJ loved it. Another fine chapter to Weaver’s story, and we recommend it. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the author in exchange for an honest review.)