One Day

by Joanna Ho, Faith Pray (Illustrator)

Overview

"An affirming and enchanting love letter from parent to child." — Kirkus (starred review)

"The heartfelt title will be welcomed by new parents as the narrator voices the universal dream of wishing the best in life for their newborn." —Booklist

"It’s cozy and hopeful in all the best ways."—Publishers Weekly 

A 4-star Common Sense Selection recipient for Books

From New York Times bestselling Joanna Ho, author of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners and Eyes that Speak to the Stars, comes a heartfelt picture book about the depths of a mother’s love. One Day is a mother’s ode to her baby boy—she shares her hopes and dreams for her son as she envisions him exploring the world.

Her son will be courageous and kind, powerful and curious, and blaze his own trail. He will know that it is okay to cry, or be scared, or uncertain. Above all, he will know that he is more than enough exactly as he is.

An extraordinary gift for Mother’s Day and loved ones everywhere.

One day,

your hair will tumble across your head

as you embark on adventures

Life will pull tears that

Roll like rivers over your cheeks

Let them roll, sweet boy

Softness is a sign of strength

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063056923
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/14/2023
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	570,325
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Joanna Ho is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners; Eyes That Speak to the Stars; Eyes That Weave the World's Wonders; Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma; One Day; Say My Name; and The Silence that Binds Us, which received the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, Young Adult Honor. She has been an English teacher, a dean, a vice principal, and a professional development mastermind. Her passion for equity in books and education is matched only by her love of homemade chocolate chip cookies, outdoor adventures, and dance parties with her kids. Visit her at joannahowrites.com.

Editorial Reviews

02/13/2023

Moving through a day—from morning wake-up to bedtime story—with an infant son, a narrating parent shares the dreams and hopes they carry for their child as he finds his way in the wider world. Ho’s evocative imagery (“Your feet feel like warm rolls/ wrapped in the palms of my hands”) and emotional, assured tone flow through lines that alternate between present and future scenes, depicting the bouncy baby of today and the growing child who will “embark on adventures,” develop courage, experience sadness, and join with others “in friendship// in love, in unity, in power.” Via kinetic images that blend pencil, ink, watercolor, and linoleum block prints, Pray maintains the rhythm of Ho’s envisioned journey in sweet portraits of the East Asian–cued duo twined with patterned domestic backgrounds and natural landscapes. It’s cozy and hopeful in all the best ways. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"An affirming and enchanting love letter from parent to child." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"The heartfelt title will be welcomed by new parents as the narrator voices the universal dream of wishing the best in life for their newborn." — Booklist

"It’s cozy and hopeful in all the best ways." — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

★ 2022-12-24
A mother marvels at her young son.

With dark flowing hair and deep complexion, the mother lovingly cradles her sleeping baby (both are Asian-presenting). Observing the infant’s hair, she notices it “feels like / dandelion fluff against my fingers.” She hopes that the same hair will “tumble across your head” while he embarks on adventures one day. We see the little one a few years older now, wearing a pair of wings and leading a boat through foam-crested waves. Next, readers again see the smiling infant as the mother observes how his tiny feet “feel like warm rolls / wrapped in the palms of my hands.” The next scene depicts the boy as a toddler tentatively testing the waters on a beach as the mother advises him to “Take your time, sweet boy. / Your courage will be born through fear.” In another scene, the mother tells the hiking boy to “break through vines that bind old growth” and to remember “Your heart is a compass.” Brimming with parental affection and whimsy, the narrative continues in the same vein. The mother’s gentle observations of the boy’s different traits are followed by her hopes and dreams for his future. Pray fills every inch with soft textures and colorful prints, creating stunning images that match the text’s warmth. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An affirming and enchanting love letter from parent to child. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews