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The Children’s Book Review
From an Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award nominee comes a touching story of family, security, and loss.
Grief and loss feel and look different to everyone; however, any child or adult separated from a loved one knows that some days are better than others as feelings and thoughts are processed. In this thought-provoking picture book Some Days, written and illustrated by María Wernicke, the mundane chore of hanging laundry becomes a bonding moment for a mother and daughter who seek to connect with memories and happy thoughts of a beloved lost one. Clean, crisp, and clear artwork with plenty of white space and minimal colors—grey, red, and orange—allow the reader the freedom to interpret the story and make it feel like their own. The illustrations are rendered in acrylic on paper and include sponge painting elements that bring texture, depth, and soul. Translated by Lawrence Schimel, Some Days feels like a warm hug for a broken heart. It’s beautiful!
Some Days
Written and Illustrated by María Wenicke
Translated by Lawrence Schimel
Publisher’s Synopsis: A young girl tells her mother about a passageway in their yard. Down this passageway, it is not cold, there is no danger, and nothing bad can ever happen—and the person she longs for is with her again. The only problem is that, on some days, the passageway is not there. But maybe, together, mother and daughter can find a way to carry that feeling with them always.
First published in Argentina, this lovely picture book will tug on the heartstrings of anyone who knows what it means to miss a loved one.
Ages 6-8 | Publisher: Amazon Crossing Kids | 978-1542022514
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About the Author-Illustrator
María Wernicke is an award-winning Argentinian author and illustrator of children’s books. She is a 2020 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award nominee. Her illustrations have been part of multiple international exhibits, including at the Bratislava Biennial exhibition and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, among others.
Learn more about the author at mariawernicke.blogspot.com and on Instagram: @wernicke_maria.
About the Translator
Lawrence Schimel is a bilingual author and translator, with more than one hundred books to his credit. His children’s books have won a Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and have been selected for lists of outstanding titles by the International Board on Books for Young People. His translated books include Wanda Gàg’s Millions of Cats and George Takei’s graphic novel They Called Us Enemy, among many others. He lives in Madrid, Spain.
21 Comments
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Hi Vickie—
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Very imaginative! Enjoy expanding my horizons with great literary finds!
I finaly got it to open,thank you
You’re very welcome!
You had me at ….”will tug on the heartstrings of anyone who knows what it means to miss a loved one.”
This sounds like a book that is a bit of heartbreak but also the sun comes up
I would like to win this so I could read it to my kiddos in my classroom!
digicats {at} sbcglobal {dot} net
The loss of a loved one is one adults find hard to overcome. This sounds like a story of dealing with that loss together. Maybe making it a little easier for the child and Mother.
Definitely for my grandchildren to learn from and a treasure. Thanks.
This is a great book for my grandkids as we lost my grandmother who was 100 and so energentic she watched all of the kids from the time their parents had to go back to work till they were able to go to pre-school (excl 2 of them who were born just after) and they all loved her from the inside out just like i did. I grew up in a foster home and at the age of 14 they closed the home one day and after a 1 hr ride on the bus we found we had no where to live. I called her from the pool shed and she was there within 30 min. She left her head of housekeeping job and got myself and my foster sister. That is who she was quiet and so giving just wonderful. All of the grandkids who got to spend time with her are going thru loss and I feel so bad for them as I know how I feel. She was walking to McDonalds with her husband and she fell backwards in a school yard that she had walked 100’s of times in the 16 years she lived in the senior complex. One thing she never taught any of us was cooking as she hated to cook which was so funny as she grew up in Minn with a mom that loved to cook and had 8 kids.
I would like to win so I can gift it to my nieces
Great topic for a book! Definitely would love to read this.
This would be a terrific book for my grandchildren to learn from and enjoy.
I think this would be a great book for the older grandchildren to read and then we discuss afterward,,open up communation
christmas gift
My kids lost their grandfather.
I would give this to my son, a teacher, for his classroom. A book I think would help with loss.
I would like to read this book to my sons.
Sounds like a wonderful story!
This would be a good book to discuss a delicate subject.