The Story
Exploring themes of community and gratitude, Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park captures the diverse voices of a lively classroom discussion in a thought-provoking story told through linked poems: Love that Dog meets Seedfolks!
The assignment: If you could give someone special in your life a present--just one gift--who would you choose, and what would it be? Discuss. Certain students know their answers right away. A few find their answers more slowly. And while some responses spark lively conversation, others are revealed only in the privacy of journal pages. But all of the choices are as heartfelt as they are unexpected.
In accessible verse that highlights transformative moments of connection, Linda Sue Park celebrates the ways--big and small, obvious and unanticipated--our lives are enriched by the people we encounter. Robert Sae-Heng contributes black-and-white art to this eloquent stand-alone read that is also a welcomed companion to the popular The One Thing You'd Save.
Author: Linda Sue Park
Publisher: Clarion Books
Published: 04/07/2026
Pages: 80
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.45lbs
Size: 8.12h x 5.99w x 0.56d
ISBN: 9780063324633
Audience: Ages 9-12
Review Citation(s):
Booklist 04/01/2026
Publishers Weekly 02/02/2026
School Library Journal 03/01/2026 pg. 67
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 04/01/2026
Kirkus Reviews 03/15/2026
About the Author
Park, Linda Sue: -
Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medal winner for A Single Shard and #1 New York Times bestseller for A Long Walk to Water, is the renowned author of picture books and novels for young readers. She lives in Western New York. Learn more at lindasuepark.com.
Sae-Heng, Robert: -Robert Sae-Heng is an artist who loves to travel and explore. His favorite things to draw are quaint chairs and seals, and he lives and works in London, England. The first children's book he illustrated was The One Thing You'd Save, by Linda Sue Park.
Description
Exploring themes of community and gratitude, Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park captures the diverse voices of a lively classroom discussion in a thought-provoking story told through linked poems: Love that Dog meets Seedfolks!
The assignment: If you could give someone special in your life a present--just one gift--who would you choose, and what would it be? Discuss. Certain students know their answers right away. A few find their answers more slowly. And while some responses spark lively conversation, others are revealed only in the privacy of journal pages. But all of the choices are as heartfelt as they are unexpected.
In accessible verse that highlights transformative moments of connection, Linda Sue Park celebrates the ways--big and small, obvious and unanticipated--our lives are enriched by the people we encounter. Robert Sae-Heng contributes black-and-white art to this eloquent stand-alone read that is also a welcomed companion to the popular The One Thing You'd Save.
Author: Linda Sue Park
Publisher: Clarion Books
Published: 04/07/2026
Pages: 80
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.45lbs
Size: 8.12h x 5.99w x 0.56d
ISBN: 9780063324633
Audience: Ages 9-12
Review Citation(s):
Booklist 04/01/2026
Publishers Weekly 02/02/2026
School Library Journal 03/01/2026 pg. 67
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 04/01/2026
Kirkus Reviews 03/15/2026
About the Author
Park, Linda Sue: -
Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medal winner for A Single Shard and #1 New York Times bestseller for A Long Walk to Water, is the renowned author of picture books and novels for young readers. She lives in Western New York. Learn more at lindasuepark.com.
Sae-Heng, Robert: -Robert Sae-Heng is an artist who loves to travel and explore. His favorite things to draw are quaint chairs and seals, and he lives and works in London, England. The first children's book he illustrated was The One Thing You'd Save, by Linda Sue Park.
