From School Library Journal
Grade 3–5—Duck-billed Monday spends happy times with Lester Day and Tom Morrow in this semi-wordless, sensory-driven picture book. They have a great time together, and Monday wishes for those times again—so much so that he wastes time calling to friends who are no longer there. As the seasons pass and winter arrives, he disappears in the total whiteness of a snowstorm. His friends return but they cannot find him; he has become a faint memory, which is indicated by the embossed impressions of his outline in the thinner paper. After they have gone, Monday comes around again, looking a little different. The now-blue outline of his house, change of clothes, and heavier paper show that he has changed from the experience. Herbauts's deft illustrations subtly define the passage of time that brings the story full circle. As the seasons change and Monday disappears in the snow, the heavy bond paper gradually becomes thinner. Dents and dimples in it, combined with watercolor paintings, create the storm, and when Monday disappears, he can only be "seen" by feeling the impressions in the paper that indicate where he once stood. The unique visual and tactile techniques enrich the poetic text, combining to create a deeply profound story that contemplates the idea of pining away for yesterday and wishing for tomorrow. This thought-provoking book will have limited appeal to children, but when observed closely and talked about, it should find a small, appreciative audience.—Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY
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Review
Silver Medal Winner of the 3X3 Illustration Award
Voted a 2004 Best Picture Book of the Year by Lire Magazine
A 2005 IBBY Honor Book
“This playful and original picture book takes three friends through the days of the week as well as the seasons of the year.” – jellymom.com
“The collage and raised pictures along with the puns, word play and clever vocabulary make this a page turner and a very interesting book.” – Janet Brock Elementary School, Arlington, TX
“A picture book that makes mysterious poetry out of the days of the week and the seasons of the year. Most readers...may find the moody, beautifully composed illustrations mesmerizing.” – The New York Times Book Review
“The illustrations are brilliantly simple...Some unexpected surprises come with this book as well: textured snow, a welcoming die-cut cover, pages of varying thickness, and an oddly dimensioned house.” - curledupkids.com
Silver Medal Winner of the 3X3 Illustration Award
Voted a 2004 Best Picture Book of the Year by Lire Magazine
A 2005 IBBY Honor Book
This playful and original picture book takes three friends through the days of the week as well as the seasons of the year.” jellymom.com
The collage and raised pictures along with the puns, word play and clever vocabulary make this a page turner and a very interesting book.” Janet Brock Elementary School, Arlington, TX
A picture book that makes mysterious poetry out of the days of the week and the seasons of the year. Most readers...may find the moody, beautifully composed illustrations mesmerizing.” The New York Times Book Review
The illustrations are brilliantly simple...Some unexpected surprises come with this book as well: textured snow, a welcoming die-cut cover, pages of varying thickness, and an oddly dimensioned house.” - curledupkids.com
About the Author
Born in 1976 and a graduate of the Brussels Academy of Fine Arts, Anne expresses an original world in each of her books. Endlessly curious and rigorous in her work, Anne has written and illustrated over 20 children's books and has published a number of comic books for an older audience.
