diff --git a/sample_xblocks/filethumbs/filethumbs.py b/sample_xblocks/filethumbs/filethumbs.py
index 80bbef4a..dc686711 100644
--- a/sample_xblocks/filethumbs/filethumbs.py
+++ b/sample_xblocks/filethumbs/filethumbs.py
@@ -17,12 +17,10 @@
 
 """
 
-
-
 import json
 import logging
 
-import pkg_resources
+import importlib_resources
 import png
 from web_fragments.fragment import Fragment
 from xblock.core import XBlock
@@ -72,8 +70,7 @@ def student_view(self, context=None):  # pylint: disable=W0613
         """
 
         # Load the HTML fragment from within the package and fill in the template
-        html_str = pkg_resources.resource_string(__name__,
-                                                 "static/html/thumbs.html").decode('utf-8')
+        html_str = importlib_resources.files(__name__).joinpath("static/html/thumbs.html").read_text()
         frag = Fragment(str(html_str))
 
         if not self.fs.exists("thumbsvotes.json"):
@@ -86,12 +83,10 @@ def student_view(self, context=None):  # pylint: disable=W0613
         self.downvotes = votes['down']
 
         # Load the CSS and JavaScript fragments from within the package
-        css_str = pkg_resources.resource_string(__name__,
-                                                "static/css/thumbs.css").decode('utf-8')
+        css_str = importlib_resources.files(__name__).joinpath("static/css/thumbs.css").read_text()
         frag.add_css(str(css_str))
 
-        js_str = pkg_resources.resource_string(__name__,
-                                               "static/js/src/thumbs.js").decode('utf-8')
+        js_str = importlib_resources.files(__name__).joinpath("static/js/src/thumbs.js").read_text()
         frag.add_javascript(str(js_str))
 
         with self.fs.open('uparrow.png', 'wb') as file_output:
diff --git a/sample_xblocks/thumbs/thumbs.py b/sample_xblocks/thumbs/thumbs.py
index e6f9afca..14d93a88 100644
--- a/sample_xblocks/thumbs/thumbs.py
+++ b/sample_xblocks/thumbs/thumbs.py
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 """An XBlock providing thumbs-up/thumbs-down voting."""
 
-
-
 import logging
 
-import pkg_resources
+import importlib_resources
 from web_fragments.fragment import Fragment
 from xblock.core import XBlock, XBlockAside
 from xblock.fields import Boolean, Integer, Scope
@@ -36,17 +34,14 @@ def student_view(self, context=None):  # pylint: disable=W0613
         """
 
         # Load the HTML fragment from within the package and fill in the template
-        html_str = pkg_resources.resource_string(__name__,
-                                                 "static/html/thumbs.html").decode('utf-8')
+        html_str = importlib_resources.files(__name__).joinpath("static/html/thumbs.html").read_text()
         frag = Fragment(str(html_str).format(block=self))
 
         # Load the CSS and JavaScript fragments from within the package
-        css_str = pkg_resources.resource_string(__name__,
-                                                "static/css/thumbs.css").decode('utf-8')
+        css_str = importlib_resources.files(__name__).joinpath("static/css/thumbs.css").read_text()
         frag.add_css(str(css_str))
 
-        js_str = pkg_resources.resource_string(__name__,
-                                               "static/js/src/thumbs.js").decode('utf-8')
+        js_str = importlib_resources.files(__name__).joinpath("static/js/src/thumbs.js").read_text()
         frag.add_javascript(str(js_str))
 
         frag.initialize_js('ThumbsBlock')