Thomas (Free to Be, You and Me
) and Cerf gather the work of more than 80 individuals who contribute words, music or art to this energetic, eclectic anthology, all royalties from which will be donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Recurrent themes in these pieces—which range in mood from jocular to contemplative—include being a good friend, reaching out to those less fortunate and appreciating one's family. Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith kick things off with an irreverent "not-often-told Grimm's Fairy Tale" starring a mouse, bird and sausage and ending with the moral, "give thanks for what you have and what your friends give to you." Maurice Sendak contributes a wordless vignette starring one of his Wild Things, called "Give and Take," and Ed Koren's art adds the frosting to the humorous "Aunt Delia's Holiday Manners Quiz" by Delia Ephron. Paul O. Zelinsky, Eric Carle, Walter Dean Myers, Jerry Pinkney and Kate DiCamillo number among the many other children's book luminaries. Contributors more often found in other spotlights include Kevin Bacon, who, together with his sibling, Michael, formed The Bacon Brothers, co-wrote a song paying tribute to brotherhood; Tiger Woods, who tells of sending his cherished coin collection to Ethiopia to aid starving children; and Whoopi Goldberg, who celebrates her mother's ability to create magical Christmases. The timelessness of the topics explored here and the fact that many writers reach into their own childhood to find their stories make this collection at once universal and personal.
Thematically and visually, this is an uplifting volume. All ages. (Nov.)
