It started out as a bad day for little yellow bird, little white dog, little orange fox, and little brown squirrel. Until...

A discovery, and love, and luck and persistence, and a different point of view changed all that. What can turn a bad day into a good day? You decide.

"Henkes's latest combines the thick black line of his Caldecott Medal — winning Kitten's First Full Moon with the vivid palette of his mouse books to showcase a soothing story about turning lemons into lemonade. Four animals — a sun-yellow bird, a white terrier, an orange fox and a brown squirrel — face small disappointments that threaten to ruin their moods. The bird loses a prized tail feather, the dog tangles his leash around the fence, the fox has lost sight of his mother, and a meaty acorn plummets out of squirrel's grasp. But before even a hint of gloom can settle over an otherwise sunny day, Henkes briskly reverses gears and reveals these momentary losses — of self, freedom, love and food — as gains. The skillful circularity of this simple tale is capped by a nameless barefoot girl who finds the bird's 'perfect yellow feather' and jauntily tucks it behind one ear. 'Mama! What a good day!' she cries, running into the house in a wide angle shot that shows each of the story's other creatures at home in her front yard. A perfectly pleasing parable for the lap-reading crowd, who will find reassurance in the way each animal conquers an obstacle and finds his or her reward. All ages." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"This sublimely simple book takes Judith Viorst's 1972 classic, 'Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,' distills its essence, then adds an upbeat ending for tetchy preschoolers. Four creatures are having Alexander moments: A little yellow bird has lost a tail feather, a little white dog got her leash entangled in a fence, a little orange fox can't find his mother, and a little... Washington Post Book Review (read the entire Washington Post review) brown squirrel has dropped her nut. But through luck, love, determination or just a change of attitude, each sees a bad day become good. The fat black outlines Henkes used to such striking effect in 'Kitten's First Full Moon' are reprised here in brown ink, then filled in with pretty-as-a-rainbow watercolors.

Elizabeth Ward can be reached at warde(at symbol)washpost.com

" Reviewed by Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieMarie AranaMichael DirdaHarold HolzerTyler KnoxMark SloukaJonathan YardleyRobert PinskyMatthew DallekRon CharlesJames MannElizabeth Ward, Washington Post Book World (Copyright 2006 Washington Post Book World Service/Washington Post Writers Group)
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"Award-winning Henkes reassures young kids that all is right with the world, using bright, expressive watercolors and a few well-chosen words." Child Magazine

"This gentle story affords an opportunity to introduce the very young to ways of dealing with life's small disappointments. A fine choice for the lap set." School Library Journal

"Henkes' fans will find his latest book a delightful combination of styles found in his previous works." Children's Literature

"Set on thick, creamy pages with a neat square shape, A Good Day is the rare example of near-perfection in a picture book." Horn Book Magazine

Kevin Henkes was awarded the 2005 Caldecott Medal for Kitten's First Full Moon. He is the creator of several picture books featuring his mouse characters, including Lilly's Big Day, the #1 New York Times Bestseller Wemberly Worried, the Caldecott Honor Book Owen, and the beloved Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. Mr. Henkes also writes for older children. His novels include the Newbery Honor Book Olive's Ocean, The Birthday Room, and Sun & Spoon. Kevin Henkes lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin.