Ode to a Bad Day - by Chelsea Lin Wallace (Hardcover)

About the Book

Told in rhyming text, a little girl is having a day where absolutely nothing goes right, a day filled with frustration and annoyances, but even bad days end eventually.

Book Synopsis

A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honoree

OH BAD DAY! A hilariously dramatic series of odes to the little bumps in our days, perfect for any kid dealing with a not-so-good day.

Oh Too Much Milk in My Cereal!
Soggy, squishy! Boggy, mushy!
You turned my crispy into gushy!

Sometimes the small disappointments and inconveniences in kids' days can feel much bigger than they are. And when they start multiplying . . . oh, what a bad day it can become! Told in a series of dramatic odes to a day's annoyances, Ode to a Bad Day lets children and caregivers alike find the humor and compassion in the days that could have gone better--and encourages readers to look forward to a better day . . . tomorrow.

TIMELESS TOPIC: Classic in sensibility but with fresh, sharp wit, this book touches on a truly universal topic with an authentic voice young readers will recognize and identify with. The struggles of the main character immediately capture the drama of childhood without making the world seem totally hopeless and antagonistic.

READ ALOUD: This picture book is riddled with rhyme and chock-full of humor in every stanza--perfect for read-aloud occasions, bedtime, or any moment a kid needs cheering up on a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

SELF-RELIANCE: In celebrating frustration, tedium, and boredom, this book also emphasizes the value of remaining positive facing life's various difficulties. You can be upset and still be a regular person; you can have a bad day and still rhyme about it.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL REASSURANCE: Perfect for kids who are nervous about starting school or struggling with any less-than-ideal moments in life.

EDUCATIONAL INFO INCLUDED: After reading through the fun, rhyming narrative, kids can read on to learn more about what an ode is, how to make one, and even have the opportunity to create their own.

Perfect for:

• Great read-aloud option for parents, teachers, and librarians looking for funny kids' books
• Starting-school or back-to-school book for young readers
• Reassuring book for kids who experience anxiety or struggle to get through bad days
• Fans of humor, children's poetry, and books that celebrate big feelings
• Readers of popular children's books like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten, Cranky Bear, and The Seven Silly Eaters

Review Quotes

"With loads of age-appropriate melodrama, a young girl laments all the bad things that happen on a bad day... Wallace's cleverly written ode is well complemented by Yum's familiar colored-pencil art." -- The Horn Book

"Ode to a Bad Day is wholly relatable and highly engaging, with lively, rolling poetry and rich, charming illustrations. No matter what kind of day it has been, don't be surprised if young readers want to read this book over and over." -- Book Page

"Engaging" -- Booklist

"This is one bad day readers won't mind reliving again and again." -- Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Chelsea Lin Wallace is a children's author, poet, and former elementary school teacher with a master's in education. When she isn't busy writing for kids, she can be found cheering them on--coaching volleyball, directing musical theater, and encouraging her students through their ups and downs. While Chelsea has had her own share of bad days, this is her first ode to one. She is represented by Jen Rofé at Andrea Brown Literary Agency and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, her daughter Charlee, and her dog, Lucky. Learn more at www.chelsealinwallace.com.

Hyewon Yum is an author and illustrator of many children's books, including Last Night, which received a Fiction Honorable Mention for the BolognaRagazzi Award and the Golden Kite Award; There Are No Scary Wolves, winner of the Society of Illustrators' Founder's Award; The Twins' Blanket, a Junior Library Guild selection; and Mom, It's My First Day of Kindergarten!, recipient of the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award and a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York.