It’s an internet coming of age story for the books: Woman funds successful children’s book Kickstarter, book gets delivered to delighted kids, kids adore it, real life version of its main character gets put in an oven. Oh, how cruel the world can be!
Terry the Thankful Turkey was the brainchild of Marcela Osello, whose crowdfunded project beat its $16,500 goal by $2 and saw books and toys being delivered to awaiting backers as early as last month. Her exuberant description of the book’s exercise in gratitude reads as follows:
The rhyming storybook depicts Terry the Turkey who loves being a kid and who loves the fall season. Terry travels along the forest naming everything he is thankful for. After reading the story, the reader and all eager participants are invited to embark on a daily “Journey of Thanks.” Every day, participants are encouraged to write down one thing they are thankful for on the Terry notepad, fold it up and stuff it into the Terry plush toy.
At the end of the Thanksgiving season, Terry will be stuffed! Families and classrooms can come together and read out loud what everyone is thankful for. The product is designed for younger children, but everyone can benefit from participating on this daily Journey of Thanks with their families or friends.
Some kids happened to pick up the book and fall in love with its tryptophan-filled hero and his wonderment toward the world. Boy, were they grateful Terry had entered their lives!
But little did they know that stuffing their beloved turkey wasn’t the final destination on Terry’s journey.
Correction 7:27am CT, Nov. 28: Marcela Osello was originally described as a mom in this article; she is not.
Editor’s note: The Imgur images originally embedded in this article were taken from a personal Facebook account without permission. They’ve since been removed.