About the Author

Nancy Raines Day made a wish on pennies in a wishing well to become a writer and ten years later her first picture book came out. She and her husband live on an island, where she thinks up ideas while walking on the beach and swimming in the ocean. She has written several books for children, including Baby's Firsts and Hoorade Day!

Rebecca Evans was a longtime artist and designer before returning to her first love- children's books. She has illustrated several picture books, including Is 2 a Lot- An Adventure With Numbers and Finding the Speed of Light- The 1676 Discovery that Dazzled the World. www.rebeccaevans.net

Reviews

A day in the life of a toddler is experienced through an exploration of the opposites that exist in the tot’s world.
Early morning, awake in the crib, this child is eager to start the day while parents sleep. “Asleep. Awake. Daybreak!” Morning routines—getting dressed, eating breakfast, and sibling play—precede the day’s outing: “Off. On. Here. Gone. / Laugh. Cry. Hi! Bye.” The day’s contrasting descriptions continue with these one-word sentences arranged in rhymes as this interracial (Asian/White) family of four and their dog leave their city row house to take a walk to the park. They meet friends, play, buy ice cream, walk home, prepare dinner, take baths, read stories, and finally go to sleep. It is a very full day expressed as differing observations and feelings. “Short. Tall” describes first the children and next the family they meet, while “Hungry. Full” sums up the before- and after-dinner experiences. The lovely watercolor-and-ink illustrations extend and expand the minimal text into a complete view of a toddler’s average day with its satisfactions and disappointments. Trying to keep up with their older sib, this determined toddler is bound to try to do more than they might be ready for, as they topple off at the bottom of the slide. “Up. Down. Smile! Frown.” Toddlers will easily recognize and relate to this readable snapshot of a typical day’s activities.
A sure winner for multiple readings day after day.
—Kirkus Reviews