Thank You, Sky

Thank You, World #5

by Dan McCauley, Jo Loring-Fisher (Illustrator)

The ever-changing sky surrounds us like a gentle hug, reminding us to savor each passing momentThank You, Sky follows a young boy and his Nana on a poetic journey of gratitude for the peaceful rhythms of nature. After a day of rushing to keep pace with the busy world, the boy embarks on a leisurely outing with his grandmother to connect with the unhurried pace of nature. They notice how the sky’s colors and clouds shift and fade, unhurried. As cooling rain begins to pour down, they resist the urge to run indoors, savoring the moment of joyful togetherness. Finally, night comes, and the sky darkens. Nana and grandson wander slowly home, grateful for the calming embrace of the ever-present sky.Thank You, Sky:Celebrates the sky and encourages readers to embrace the present moment.Reminds little ones to keep life’s busy moments in perspectiveHelps children practice optimism, mindfulness, gratitude, and connectionIncludes continued conversation questions on the story’s themes and suggestions for practicing mindfulness and gratitude
Thank You, Sky shows how to slow down, look around, and resist the urge to rush through our busy lives.Thank You, Sky is part of the Thank You, World series featuring lyrical stories about appreciating nature, connecting with our senses, and being present in the moment. These soothing books help young readers let go of stress, observe without judgment, and remain optimistic.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 23, 2027

Reviews

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Thank You, Sky
Author: Dan McCayley
Illustration by Jo Loring-Fisher
Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing
Genre: Children’s Fiction
Pub Date: February 23, 2027
Rating: 5 Stars

There are two Dedications- One from the author and the other from the Illustrator. I loved both.

Story starts when a young boy is finishing his day at school. He makes the comment that although his feet are moving, he still rushes to keep up.
When he gets home and his grandmother hugs him- he thinks Nana never rushes. He spends the day with her, and she teaches him to appreciate the present how to resist rushing around.

I don’t want to give away too much as it is a story that needs to be read. In fact, you will want this book on your bookshelf.

There is a thoughtful message from Dan McCayley, the author as well as from Jo Loring-Fisher who did the great illustrating.
In fact, the comment she made reminded me of when I was a young child. My best friend and I always loved to lie in a nearby field and watch the clouds and guess what shape they made. Actually, it is still something I love to do.

There is also a section entitled “Questions to Think about and talk about”.

Thank You, Sky is part of the Thank You, World series. Others in the series are: Thank You, Snow, Thank You, Rain, Thank You, Night, and Thank You, Sun.
Each story is about appreciating nature, connecting with our senses,
slow down, look around, and resist the urge to rush through our busy lives
present in the moment. These soothing books help young readers let go of stress, observe without judgment, and remain optimistic.

An enjoyable children's book about finding joy in simple things.

As a Grandma I always loved to read to my grandchildren just as I enjoyed doing so with my daughters.
This story has a message for all ages.

I want to thank NetGalley and Free Spirit Publishing for granting me this great illustrated eGalley .
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 23, 2027.

[Mariana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me happy, and it also made me think. Sometimes (or always, honestly) our minds are in overdrive, and we forget to slow down and notice what’s around us: the sky, the plants, all the little things we walk past every day without looking. Thank You, Sky reminds us to give ourselves a break and not take any of it for granted, because like they say, sometimes we only appreciate things once they’re gone.

The illustrations are beautiful. The colors are vibrant and bright, and they have so much texture that they really feel hand-drawn. And the night pages, WOW!! My favorite is the one where Nana and the boy look up at the ship in the night sky. All the different colors, the stars… it looks so real, and it made me feel so calm. I could stare at that page forever.

The text is just as calming as the art, the message feels natural, and Nana gives her grandson some really good advice. I wouldn’t change a thing.

I’d say it’s perfect for kids around 4 to 8, and it’s best as a book to read together: kids can get lost in the colors while an adult helps them understand the message. Honestly, we adults need this reminder too.

(Thank you to Free Spirit Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.)

[Ellie P · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beautiful, textured, watercolor style illustrations are very pleasing to look at and add a nostalgic feel to the book. The story, which is about a grandmother teaching her grandson how to be mindful and appreciate the wondrous things we may take for granted, in this case being the grand sky above us, is written nicely, almost poetically.

It's a really nice, calming story with a wonderful message for both children and adults alike, especially when the world feels super fast-paced. The discussion questions included at the end are a nice touch to get children to think a bit deeper about the story they just heard/read.

[Reading Adventures · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVE this book and the beautiful way it shares such an important message with my little ones. Thank You, Sky is such a gentle reminder to slow down, look around, and appreciate the little moments happening right in front of us. I especially love how naturally the story introduces mindfulness and gratitude without making it feel like a lesson. It opens the door for sweet conversations with my kids about noticing the world around them and being thankful for the simple things. This is the kind of book that feels peaceful to read together and leaves behind a message I truly want my children to carry with them.

[Julianne Harkleroad · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about a Nana teaching her grandson that life is best enjoyed slowly, appreciating your existence within the beauty around us. Instead of rushing and feeling stressed, Nana shows her grandson how to stop, breath, and notice the natural world around him. Too often we hurry though our own lives, reaching Nana’s age- if we’re lucky!- wondering where all our time on Earth went? Thank You, Sky aims to save its readers that heartache 💖

Thank you to Free Spirit Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC!

[Bookmeaway]

I loved the depiction of nature, plants and leaves against the day skies and the night skies. The love of a very wise grandma, that gives good advice and teaches beautiful values.

"Light scatters softly across the sky as shades of dark blue and violet fade, unhurried."

It really does read like pretty poetry.

[Theresa · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Thank You, Sky
by Dan McCauley with Jo Loring-Fisher (Illustrator)
This color drenched story shows the nature of watching nature to find meaning in our lives. this book shows how we can find positive reminders in nature for the difficult part of days.

[Heather · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This is a really simple but beautiful story. We really loved the descriptive writing and the gorgeous illustrations to match! This would be one I would love to have a physical copy of.
“Be where your feet are”
“There are so many dreams in the sky.”

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story with gorgeous illustrations that reminds us all to slow down and appreciate the world around us. Even when things feel like they are moving too fast. With gentle reminders throughout to take a deep breath and be thankful for the ability to do so as well.