All in a Day

A very thoughtful book with gorgeous illustrations.

This is a charming book with a nostalgic feel. The poetic text is lovely and the illustrations, which are cut from one piece of paper with color added later, are fantastic. Nikki McClure's pictures on each page opening can be studied over and over as you read Cynthia Rylant's magical words.

A little boy crouches down to tie his shoes while his pet chicken leans to pull one lace and help him out. A squirrel off to their right starts his day by cracking open a nut. After he climbs a birch tree to glance at the sun, it is time to tend to the work of the day. The garden needs hoeing and watering and the chicken is right there to help rid the garden of those little insect pests. His parents are busy hanging the wash on the line. There is even a tiny bee busy pollinating the pole beans. There's a lot to be done each and every day. "A day brings hope and kindness, too . . . A day is all its own." Oh, no . . . a dreadful thing has happened. The boy had dropped and broken the chicken's egg. She looks down at it as he covers his eyes in sadness. "You can make a wish, and start again, you can find your way back home." The boy cuddles up with his father on the hammock. Later they take a walk in the woods to listen to the birds and look for the animals in the forest. They snack on the apples they have in their basket. It's time to go home. There's more work to be done to finish the day. This is a lovely book that imparts the message that every day is special and everyone counts. Some things that seem disastrous at the time can actually bring positive things in the future. The rhyming sequence is soft and has a nice lilt to it. The block print art work with assorted pastel backgrounds is very appealing. This would be a nice read and discuss book in any homeschool or classroom setting. "All in a Day" will be one of those memorable classics you'll want to add to your shelves.

I have purchased 2 of these for birthday gifts I found it to be a great message for all ages !!!All in a Day

This is a lovely book. We are huge fans of Nikki McClure's artwork and this book is no exception. The "story" is simple, but sweet. Beautiful and an excellent buy. Highly recommended for ages 2-4, but older kids might also enjoy.

What a lovely message for people of all ages. As I read this book with my friend's daughter, it struck me how it applied to my own life. The message seems simple, but it's so important - to make each day count. Every day brings hope and a fresh start if we choose to take it. The illustrations are amazing -- so beautiful yet clever and humorous. I chuckled out loud a few times as I read and looked. I closed the book with a smile on my face. Then five minutes later I opened it again. Every time I look at it, I see something I missed before. I'm a big fan of the chicken who even helps with the laundry! I recommend this book for people between the ages of 2 and 102.