A Day So Gray

K-Gr 2--A bleak winter day becomes warm and cozy when a child learns to look carefully at the world around her. "This day is so gray," remarks a young girl as she prepares to go outside. "No, it isn't!" her companion answers as she points out the "shining blue" and other colors around them. Unimpressed, the first girl considers a brown field "blah" until her friend mentions the "dots of orange" and "sticks of licorice red" there as well. She helps her chum see, not just "boring white" snow, but also the "gems of twinkling silver" within. Their black cat isn't just the bearer of bad luck. She's warm with "soft pads of pink." When they eventually move inside, the once-negative child comes to appreciate the flashes of color in the crackling fire, the different colors in their blanket and warm cocoa, and finally, the lovely "purple and tangerine sunset." The cartoon illustrations depict two youngsters whose facial expressions and body language announce their inner dispositions. One stands, head tilted, hands on hips, foot tapping as she expresses her disappointment with the day. The other stands, arms raised, foot off the ground as she surveys the wonders in their environment. A charming close-up shows the two girls, their heads and backs to readers, cat between them, as all three view the brilliant sunset. VERDICT A good choice for storytimes on cold winter days that will encourage youngsters to see "so much more than gray."--Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA