"Perhaps you'd like to know a secret,/ one of the happiest ones of all./ You will surely find it for yourself one day./ You'll discover it all on your own,/ maybe when you least expect it," writes Douglas Wood, the author of Old Turtle, an international bestseller, as well as other children's books. The Secret of Saying Thanks is designed for kids 3–8 years of age, with illustrations by Greg Shed.

The secret is the spiritual practice of gratitude, or saying thanks. In a world where we take so much for granted, it is a wonderful thing to appreciate the delights of life — the coming of dawn and a chance to give thanks for the gift of a new day; a flower with the grace of its blossom and the sweetness of its breath; the teaching of a tree about how to grow; the moon as a night-sun to help us find our way in the dark; the blessings of food and table fellowship; and, of course, the companionship of our pets.

Wood concludes this beautiful book with a message that is similar to that of Brother David Steindl-Rast:

"We don't give thanks because we're happy.
We are happy because we give thanks."