ODE TO A BAD DAY
By: Chelsea Lin Wallace
Illustrated by: Hyewon Yum
Published: April 18, 2023
Publisher: Chronicle Kids
Fiction
I’m always looking for excellent read-alouds that can be played up with voices and extra dramatic reactions. This book has all the best qualities for an exciting storytime book including rhythmic, poetic verses, a child in high drama mode, and silly over-the-top reactions to things that kids can relate to.
From soggy milk to getting the hiccups to missing a pudding cup in her lunch and a spoiled art project at school, this girl is not having a very good day. After school, the day doesn’t get much better when she has to go to the store with her mom, eat slimy food for dinner, and has a cricket chirping in her room. As she lies in bed, all she can think about is what would make tomorrow a much better day.
I think kids…and even parents…will be able to relate to having a bad day. Reading this book after a tough day at school can make your child feel better knowing there are better days ahead. This story is an ode, and most kids might not know what an ode is. But, maybe they will want to try writing their own ode to something like their favorite stuffed animal. The crayon-colored illustrations and reactions on the faces will make kids giggle. Maybe, we can all offer a little more compassion and a bit of kindness to those who are just having a bad day. We can always hope that tomorrow will be a better day.
Click HERE for various resources including a Reader’s Theatre and How to Write an Ode.
Chelsea Lin Wallace is a children’s author, poet, and former elementary school teacher with a master’s in education. When she isn’t busy writing for kids she can be found cheering them on — coaching volleyball, directing musical theater, and encouraging her students through their ups and downs. While Chelsea has had her own share of bad days, this is her first ode to one. She is represented by Jen Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, her daughter Charlee, and her dog, Lucky. Learn more at www.chelsealinwallace.com.
Hyewon Yum is an author and illustrator of many children’s books, including Last Night, which received a Fiction Honorable Mention for the BolognaRagazzi Award and the Golden Kite Award; There Are No Scary Wolves, winner of the Society of Illustrators’ Founder’s Award; The Twins’ Blanket, a Junior Library Guild selection; and Mom, It’s My First Day of Kindergarten!, recipient of the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award and a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year. She lives with her family in Brooklyn.
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Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to make a purchase through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.
Posted Under Book Review, Chelsea Lin Wallace, Children's books, fiction, Hyewon Yum, school