An Ordinary Day
by Elana K. Arnold
illustrated by Elizabet Vuković
Date: 2020
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library
An ordinary day in an ordinary neighborhood turns out to be quite extraordinary in this story about the circle of life.
It’s an average day in the neighborhood—children play, roses are watered, and a crow watches over it all. But then two visitors arrive at two houses, one to help a family say hello to a new baby and one to help a family say goodbye to a beloved pet.
(synopsis from Goodreads)
This is a different sort of premise. On an ordinary day on a quiet street, two visitors arrive at two different houses. One is a vet, there to euthanize a dog. The other is a midwife, there to help a woman give birth.
The interest comes from the idea of seeing the parallels of what is going on behind closed doors. While one family is saying goodbye, another is saying hello. The sparse colour palette and simple illustrations let the story and its themes shine through.
I'm not a fan of the euphemism used when the dog was put down (the syringe is not filled with "medicine"). Other than that, though, this is a unique look at an ordinary day and the extraordinary things that might happen within one.
Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5
Enjoyment: 2/5
Overall: 2.83 out of 5
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