"At recess, Edie sat in her favorite spot and ate her favorite snack (sardines)." Only squid eat sardines," one boy said. "Edie, the stinky squid!" they sang. "EE-dee-the-STINK--ee-SQUID!" And they circled her like sharks.
Oh, to be a squid."
Edie's day does not begin well. She explains to her mother that she is too tired to eat breakfast, or to sit up. Choosing to have her hair done in pigtails rather than a ponytail is not a good decision. She knows it as soon as she boards the school bus.
Readers will quickly realize why Edie was not excited about getting up and going on with this morning. One schoolmate is tugging at her pigtails while another whispers mean things at her. At school, Edie contemplates spending the day as a bat in her cubby where no one can bother her, and she will be alone. Her day does not get better. She cannot answer a teacher's question, she is teased for her snack at recess, and then gets herself in enough trouble that she is sent to the principal's office. Poor Edie!
Imagining herself with the characteristics of specific animals sees her through a miserable day, and the bus ride home. But, it doesn't really help make her feel better.
"For the ride home,
Edie considered a porcupine
or a hissing cockroach.
Eventually she decided to be an armadillo.
But inside, she felt like a naked mole rat."
After continuing with the animal fantasies at home, Edie finally shares with her mother why she is so sad and unwilling to return to school. Letting go of her pent-up emotions helps. In the morning, Edie is ready to face another day on the bus and at school ... as herself.
The pencil and watercolor images are done in soft tones, allowing young readers to experience the emotions felt. Front endpapers reveal Edie with wings and leaf antennae pulling a rope leash for a squid, sloth and armadillo through a desert setting, with accompanying emojis that hint at her feelings. The endpapers at the back are filled with peaceful abundance that shows the rest of the animals imagined throughout her day. In between, emojis placed above the heads of the story's characters make it clear to readers how each is feeling. Throughout, there is promise for better things to come. Diligent observers will know what that might be.
This is a lovely book to share with a small group of children. It offers a chance for those experiencing some of the same feelings Edie has to express themselves in a quiet setting. Hard days are not unusual; talking about them can bring acceptance of that fact.
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