The Great Day - Hardcover

Taro Gomi has created more than 350 books for readers of all ages, including Bus Stops, My Friends, Spring Is Here, Scribbles, and Doodles. He lives in Tokyo, Japan.

Parents reading this to their youngsters will appreciate the subtext about good behavior, even as the little ones learn that falling down, crying, arguing with a friend, laughing, playing, and resolving an argument are all part of a normal, great day. Colorful minimalist illustrations depict the boy’s mishaps and adventures (getting dressed by himself, jumping over garbage cans, crying on the playground, etc.) in images that are at once quiet as a silent animated film and as rambunctious as a little boy’s temperament. This is well suited to repeat bedtime readings, which ought to lead drowsy children to recognize that their own great day has left them so tired there’s nothing left to do but sleep. Gomi’s message about appreciating the ordinariness of things will be familiar to readers who know his books My Friends (1990) and Everyone Poops (1993). Preschool-Kindergarten. --Amina Chaudhri