Grandpa Tell Me a Story – The Thankful One is my second children’s book. It is based on the true story found in the Bible in Luke 17:11-19, where Jesus heals ten men who have been banished from society because of an incurable disease they all have called leprosy. Despite the dire circumstances of their illness and the fact that their healing completely changed the trajectory of their lives, only one of the ten men went back to Jesus to express his gratitude. This was especially important in their culture because anyone with leprosy was banned entirely from entering the town or even coming within close proximity of anyone else. Being healed meant they didn’t have to shout “unclean” whenever a person came in the vicinity of their presence. They could return to living with their families, attend the synagogue where the townspeople met regularly, and work to make their living.
As an elementary school teacher, I always look for books and other materials to teach lessons. I use this story to teach about being thankful and recognizing our blessings every Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, I have never found a children’s book that covers this amazing story. I finally decided to write a little skit that my class could perform for the school Chapel. The kids memorized their lines and most of the story, which I wrote in rhyming stanzas to make it easier to remember and follow along. When choosing a second book to publish, it just made sense to use this script.
I wanted to add a side story about how this narrative can impact our lives today, particularly for kids. That is when I chose to have Grandpa (my dad) tell the story to his grandsons (two of my kids). I thought of times when a child might be so excited and engrossed in their own world and circumstances that they might not recognize what others are doing for them. It made sense that Grandpa would notice and try to help them remember always to say “thank you”.
The result was this fun and engaging book. I hope parents, grandparents, teachers, and others will use it as a tool for growth while learning a fun and often forgotten story from the Bible. Happy reading!
