Total Pageviews

Saturday, January 4, 2020

A Day So Gray, written by Marie Lamba and illustrated by Alea Marley. Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Raincoast, 2019. $23.99 ages 3 and up

"This field is blah brown. 

No, it isn't! ...

It's dots of orange,
and vines of black ...
with sticks of licorice red,
and poofs of tan.

Well, this snow is boring 
white."

It's funny how even little ones can see the world from different perspectives. In this book about just that, two friends take themselves outside on a snowy day meant for exploring. One thinks the day 'is so gray.' The other will not be discouraged by her friend's complaint.

Once they are outside, she encourages her rather grumpy friend to look beyond the clouds to the many splashes of color that are there, if only one looks. She says there are 'soft brown', and 'shining blue'. Even 'silver splashes on bright yellow'. What could be better than that?

As they journey onward, each gloomy remark is matched by resounding affirmation of what is really there to be seen. The conversation continues as they wander through the snowy environs. Once inside, the persnickety child cannot even find joy in the warmth of the fireplace. She doesn't like orange. She is reminded there is much more than orange in the colors that emanate from the roaring fire. Finally, she agrees that it is cozy. Aha! Cozy can be found in some of  the most amazing, colorful things that surround us.

Where can we find color in bleak, overcast days? What happens when we slow down and take note of all that is around us? When we share our optimism, the bleak world can be changed for others.

No comments:

Post a Comment