A Sick Day for Amos McGee
We picked this one up at the library because it was in the “classics” section and won the Caldecott medal. I honestly didn’t like it the first time I read it. I didn’t like the style of the illustrations. It’s a different style than any books for little ones that we’ve encountered so far. The illustrations feel very realistic but only half done. I don’t know art, but they feel like half done pencil drawings, potentially because partial coloring is used to focus the reader on certain parts of the pictures. I do recognize it is well written, with a symmetry to the story that I appreciate, but I was put off by the drawings before I started reading.
I expected my little one to not enjoy the book either, but I was wrong. This is a new favorite. After seeing her reaction, I reread it. That time around I saw what my little one loves about the book. There are animals, and my little one loves animals. But it’s more than that. The animals all have different, kind personalities. They are real friends to Amos, as Amos is to them. There’s a comfort in the friendships and how they care for each other in the story that you can feel as you read it. There’s a warmth and kindness here that are hard to create in a book.
Cautions: None!
