A Perfect Day

by Lane Smith, Lane Smith (Illustrator)

Overview

Today is a perfect day for Cat, Dog, Chickadee, and Squirrel.

Cat is lounging among the daffodils. Dog is sitting in the wading pool, deep in the cool water. Chickadee is eating fresh seed from the birdfeeder. Squirrel is munching on his very own corncob. Today is a perfect day in Bert's backyard.

Until Bear comes along, that is. Bear crushes the daffodils, drinks the pool water, and happily gobbles up the birdseed and corncob.

Today was a perfect day for Cat, Dog, Chickadee, and Squirrel. Now, it's just a perfect day for Bear.

Lane Smith uses perfect pacing and vibrant illustrations to emphasize the power of perspective in this hilarious picture book about the goings-on in Bert's backyard.

This book has Common Core connections.

An NPR Best Book of 2017
A 2018 ALSC Notable Children's Book

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626725362
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	02/14/2017
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	299,503
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD260L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Lane Smith is the award-winning author of 2012 Caldecott Honor book Grandpa Green, as well as It's a Book, and the middle-grade novel Return to Augie Hobble, among others. In 2012, the Eric Carle Museum named him a Carle Artist for "lifelong innovation in the field of children's picture books," and in 2014, he was awarded the lifetime achievement award from the Society of Illustrators. In 2017, he was awared the Kate Greenaway Medal for There is a Tribe of Kids. He lives in an old house in Connecticut with the designer Molly Leach, pondering the goings-on in his own backyard.

Editorial Reviews

12/05/2016
Smith (There Is a Tribe of Kids) takes readers to a house in the countryside in a neatly constructed story that reveals how simple pleasures create a “perfect day” for several animals. Cat couldn’t be happier sitting in a bed of daffodils, Dog rests in a cool wading pool, and a boy named Bert ensures that Chickadee and Squirrel have something to eat. Smith’s artwork is a riot of color and texture—forceful brushstrokes evoke animal fur, and gestural flowers create blasts of color in the landscape. Then a hulking bear shows up, and Smith uses repetition to cleverly recast the calm declarations of the first half of the book (“It was a perfect day for Cat”) as Bear steals Squirrel’s corncob, devours Chickadee’s birdseed, dumps Dog’s pool over himself, and makes giddy flower angels in the daffodils (“It was a perfect day for Cat”). Bear is more galoot than menace, though Smith does conclude with Bert and the other animals bidding a hasty retreat. Perfect, readers will understand, is very much in the eye of the beholder. Ages 4–8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

A Spring 2017 Kids' Indie Next List Pick

"Like reaching the bottom of a candy dish and unexpectedly biting into a Sour Skittle, the clever A Perfect Day provides a delightful jolt." —NPR

"This gently humorous book is sure to circulate well in any picture book collection. A perfect way to introduce the concept of point of view."—School Library Journal, starred review

"With the text using so few words (though, admirably, much repetition), Smith tells the story mostly through his textured mixed-media illustrations, which reflect each animal’s joy-filled frolic."—Horn Book, starred review

"Smith's mixed-media artwork masterfully explores texture and scale... Perfectly funny while offering a chance to discuss perspective."—Kirkus, starred review

"The humorous surprise ending will make children squeal as they ponder the concept of perfect... this true-to-form picture book will draw plenty of readers." —Booklist

"An easily accessible tale that has both humor and relatability."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

From the Publisher

★ 01/01/2017
PreS-Gr 1—An enjoyable afternoon is upended by an unexpected visitor in this charming book by the beloved children's writer and illustrator. It was the perfect day for young Bert, his cat basking in the sunshine, his dog frolicking in a plastic pool, a chickadee enjoying the birdseed—even a squirrel was relishing a corncob. Then a bear lumbers onto the scene and—well, it WAS a perfect day. The simple tale combines the elements of repetition and surprise for a satisfying read that will appeal to young audiences and beginning readers. The gestural illustrations, which have the appearance of paint loosely brushed over a textured surface, expressively capture the mood of each animal. In one image that sums up a spoiled moment, viewers see Bear flailing snow angel—style in the flower bed vacated by Cat—the proverbial uninvited guest who ruined the party. The tale was inspired by a black bear that is a frequent visitor to the artist's studio; a photo of the mischievous creature helping itself to the contents of a bird feeder appears with the author's blurb. VERDICT This gently humorous book is sure to circulate well in any picture book collection. A perfect way to introduce the concept of point of view.—Suzanne LaPierre, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

School Library Journal

★ 2016-12-06
Bear unwittingly upends the backyard animals' perfect day in pursuit of its own in this playful tale. A yellow sun emanates heat and cheer as Cat enjoys the daffodils. It's a perfect day for the feline and for Dog, who loves his wading pool. In fact, all the animals in Bert's care are having a perfect day. Close-ups reinforce their contentment, as they happily eat, rest, and play, while wider views offer a visual map of both backyard and story. Enter Bear into this idyllic scene, a hulking mass tromping across the page, blissfully ignorant of his disruption. Smith, with his signature humor, masterfully fills the spreads with Bear's immense scale and endearing antics, capturing each comedic beat with text repetition and expressive illustrations. In the end, it's Bear who has the best day, as the ursine obliviously naps in the sunny flower bed, cool from pool water, full of the others' food—as they cautiously watch from the window. Smith's mixed-media artwork masterfully explores texture and scale, and readers will equally enjoy the picture of the real bear plopped outside his studio examining a bird feeder, much like his protagonist, on the jacket flap. Perfectly funny while offering a chance to discuss perspective. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews