Day by Day

Gal, Susan. 2012. DAY BY DAY. New York: Random House. ISBN 9780375869594 [Suggested Grade Levels pK- 2]

REVIEW

Page by page, readers will delight in patterned text and colorful illustrations which convey the joy of community. Word by word and picture by picture, Gal tells a story of a pig family who moves west and then must work hard to make their new house a home, convert their new neighbors to friends, transform their fallow fields into a bountiful harvest, adapt from hope to thanksgiving, and refashion hard work into jubilant celebration. Hand in hand, adults and children will appreciate the opportunity this book presents to reflect on and take pleasure in community building.

CONNECTIONS

This book abounds with the literary technique gradation (e.g. day by day, inch by inch). Identify the gradations throughout the text and brainstorm any additional ones. Ask each child to illustrate one or more of the gradations as literally as possible. For example, inch by inch could be depicted as an individual walking beside a measuring tape. Compile all of the pages into a book.

RELATED BOOKS

Other books for young children about communities:

Brown, Marcia. STONE SOUP. ISBN 9780689711039

DiSalvo, DyAnne. CITY GREEN. ISBN 9780688127862

Hutchins, Pat. THE DOORBELL RANG. ISBN 9780688052515

Yolen, Jane. RAISING YODER’S BARN. ISBN 9780316968874

By Maria Cahill