National Network for Equitable Library Service

Elbert Hubbard once said, "The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before." True for teachers and students, and true, in a way, for Thomas Kinkade, the well-known painter-communicator who cultivated two ideas—his evocative paintings and the wisdom of teaching—until they grew into a single successful tribute to teachers of all kinds. A Teacher's Gift does an outstanding job of recognizing the value that teachers bring to us all. Whether they work in a formal educational setting, befriend a relative or mentor a coworker, teachers make a lasting impact on the world. Thomas Kinkade—perhaps with a nod toward his own teachers—uses his paintings to illustrate this collection of thoughts and inspirations from great writers, thinkers and philosophers, including Benjamin Franklin, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Doris Lessing, Plato, Einstein and many others. The artist even passes on some teaching wisdom of his own along the way. The combination of these great quotations and Thomas Kinkade's calm and reflective scenes naturally puts the reader in a quiet and serene mood, perfect for recalling teachers of their own and the difference they've made.