Fresh off her Caldecott Honor win for Thank You, Omu, Oge Mora crafts a delightful ode to overcoming the bumps in life's road with the help of the ones you love.
Ava's mother works every day of the week except Saturday, which she always carves out as a special day to spend time with her daughter. However, this Saturday, their excursions don't go as planned: storytime is canceled, their hairdos are ruined and their quiet day at the park is interrupted by the loud bustle of other park goers. Every time their dreams are dashed, they pause, close their eyes and let out a deep breath. Ava's mother always reassures her little one, "Today will be special. Today will be splendid. Today is Saturday!" When mom forgets the puppet show tickets at home--"I'm sorry, Ava. We looked forward to this all week, and I've messed up everything.... I ruined Saturday."--the tables turn.
Kids and their grownups will delight in this energetic and humorous story. The warmth between mother and child is etched in every line and image while the repetitive, tender narrative invites reading aloud, but is also quiet enough that families would be just as satisfied enjoying as a one-on-one experience. Mora's cheery, jewel-tone collage illustrations are a feast of colors that pull in readers and invite them to touch the textured renderings. Saturday begs multiple readings, allowing kids to find something new hidden in the illustrations each time. Children and adults alike will appreciate and embrace this gorgeous picture book about enjoying the small moments we share with one another. --Shelley Diaz, supervising librarian, BookOps: New York Public Library & Brooklyn Public Library