A PERFECT DAY! A Perfect Picture Book-Meditation on Life

 My recent post featured a quiet book that explores the concept of beauty, HERE. 

Wm. B. Eerdmans BYR, 2021

Now let's consider and compare another picture book that presents a similarly simple concept, A PERFECT DAY. Written and illustrated by Jennifer Yerkes, this book fits perfectly into small hands and curious minds with an entirely different approach to text and illustration. 

The prior large format book effectively used sprawling art and color with occasional elements of white. A PERFECT DAY celebrates and expands white space on these much smaller pages, selectively positioning images created with a  blend of line and filled color pencil art and minimalist text. The colors are vibrant and pure in tone, capturing the essence of the various animals and scenes in tones that suggest pastels rather than jewels. 

The first page and closing pages offer lyrical language in direct and metaphorical sentences, but MOST of the pages move the story through  day outdoors with onomatopoetic expressions and even wordless pages. The result is a rhythmic, nearly musical impact. That sets the stage for the thematic flow and imagery of a perfect day in nature, one that begins in harmony, moves through a symbolic symphonic storm, with drum beats, waves of power, and satisfying, refreshing resolve. 

The natural world portrayed offers familiar scenes and mood, in sounds and critters, in weather and wings. I loved the portrayal of the storm as a natural and necessary part of that perfect day, revealed in line and pacing that suggests its necessity and value in nature. That can be appreciated in concrete terms by the youngest children but elevated to discussions with older readers to discuss that challenges and troubles in our lives play a healing, nourishing, strengthening role.

This delightful offering invites little audiences to chime in with animal sounds, to connect natural settings with the joys and insights of reading/books, and to absorb the subtle truth of the variety of experiences that comprise a perfect day. Kirkus Review (HERE) celebrated many of the same aspects of this treasure, ending with a one-word synopsis: EXQUISITE. I agree. 

Eerdmans provided a copy with no promise of review, but I'm excited to recommend this new picture book and advise those who search for it that there are others with the same title. Many of these ar ebooks i enjoy as well. It couldn't hurt to request them all from your library and celebrate the many ways that days can be perfect. just be sure to include this one in the mix, since it feels to me as worthy of extra attention.