A Perfect Day

December 5, 2016
Smith (There Is a Tribe of Kids) takes readers to a house in the countryside in a neatly constructed story that reveals how simple pleasures create a “perfect day” for several animals. Cat couldn’t be happier sitting in a bed of daffodils, Dog rests in a cool wading pool, and a boy named Bert ensures that Chickadee and Squirrel have something to eat. Smith’s artwork is a riot of color and texture—forceful brushstrokes evoke animal fur, and gestural flowers create blasts of color in the landscape. Then a hulking bear shows up, and Smith uses repetition to cleverly recast the calm declarations of the first half of the book (“It was a perfect day for Cat”) as Bear steals Squirrel’s corncob, devours Chickadee’s birdseed, dumps Dog’s pool over himself, and makes giddy flower angels in the daffodils (“It was a perfect day for Cat”). Bear is more galoot than menace, though Smith does conclude with Bert and the other animals bidding a hasty retreat. Perfect, readers will understand, is very much in the eye of the beholder. Ages 4–8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

Starred review from January 1, 2017
Just what is the definition of a perfect day? Wellit depends on your perspective. All the animals in Bert's backyard are having the best day. Cat enjoys being in the flowerbed in the sunshine. "It was a perfect day for Cat." Dog loves sitting in the wading pool. "It was a perfect day for Dog." Bert fills Chickadee's feeder and drops a few corncobs on the ground for Squirrel: perfect days for them as well. But then Bear arrives--whose idea of a perfect day flies directly in the faces of all the others. Bear bursts in from the left side, interrupting the quiet reverie. At first we see less than half a bear, but soon the enormous mammal fills the entire double-page spread. "It was a perfect day for Dog. It was a perfect day for Cat." With the text using so few words (though, admirably, much repetition), Smith tells the story mostly through his textured mixed-media illustrations, which reflect each animal's joy-filled frolic. In the end, it's hard to blame Bear for breaking up the party--its glee is contagious as it rolls on the ground, gorging on chickadee food, playing in the wading pool, and making bear-angels in the flowerbed. robin smith

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

October 15, 2016
Preschool-G Two-time Caldecott Honor Book awardee Smith tackles the animal world with gusto and joy as he describes the perfect day in the outdoors. A ginger cat snuggles among the daffodils in the sun, and a dog sits in the cool water of a wading pool. Chickadee enjoys the birdseed in the birdfeeder, while squirrel is content with a dropped corncob. But whoa! A large brown bear arrives to confiscate the corncob with a toothy yellow smile. The bear goes on to swallow all the seeds in the birdfeeder, slurp down all the water in the pool, and scare the cat out of the daffodils. So who got the perfect day? Only the contented bear, asleep in the flower bed. Smith's innovative textured artwork and pen drawings give a visceral feel to the sunny day, and his muted palette complements the variety of surfaces and patterns. The humorous surprise ending will make children squeal as they ponder the concept of perfect. Moral: What is perfect for one may not be for another!(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

Starred review from January 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 1-An enjoyable afternoon is upended by an unexpected visitor in this charming book by the beloved children's writer and illustrator. It was the perfect day for young Bert, his cat basking in the sunshine, his dog frolicking in a plastic pool, a chickadee enjoying the birdseed-even a squirrel was relishing a corncob. Then a bear lumbers onto the scene and-well, it WAS a perfect day. The simple tale combines the elements of repetition and surprise for a satisfying read that will appeal to young audiences and beginning readers. The gestural illustrations, which have the appearance of paint loosely brushed over a textured surface, expressively capture the mood of each animal. In one image that sums up a spoiled moment, viewers see Bear flailing snow angel-style in the flower bed vacated by Cat-the proverbial uninvited guest who ruined the party. The tale was inspired by a black bear that is a frequent visitor to the artist's studio; a photo of the mischievous creature helping itself to the contents of a bird feeder appears with the author's blurb. VERDICT This gently humorous book is sure to circulate well in any picture book collection. A perfect way to introduce the concept of point of view.-Suzanne LaPierre, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 15, 2016
Bear unwittingly upends the backyard animals' perfect day in pursuit of its own in this playful tale. A yellow sun emanates heat and cheer as Cat enjoys the daffodils. It's a perfect day for the feline and for Dog, who loves his wading pool. In fact, all the animals in Bert's care are having a perfect day. Close-ups reinforce their contentment, as they happily eat, rest, and play, while wider views offer a visual map of both backyard and story. Enter Bear into this idyllic scene, a hulking mass tromping across the page, blissfully ignorant of his disruption. Smith, with his signature humor, masterfully fills the spreads with Bear's immense scale and endearing antics, capturing each comedic beat with text repetition and expressive illustrations. In the end, it's Bear who has the best day, as the ursine obliviously naps in the sunny flower bed, cool from pool water, full of the others' food--as they cautiously watch from the window. Smith's mixed-media artwork masterfully explores texture and scale, and readers will equally enjoy the picture of the real bear plopped outside his studio examining a bird feeder, much like his protagonist, on the jacket flap. Perfectly funny while offering a chance to discuss perspective. (Picture book. 3-8)

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