Today Is For You

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Author(s)

Sally Lloyd-Jones

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Kevin Waldron

Publisher

Candlewick

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

February 13, 2024

ISBN

978-1536225068

Buy This Book

Sheer exuberance fills the pages of this picture book celebration of the promise every day brings.

Where will you go on those traveling feet?
Who will you love? Who will you meet?
Be a little seed. Get carried away!
Go WILD into the brand-new day.

From the bustle of the morning to the quiet of bedtime, every new day is filled with possibility. Follow a group of children as they find fun at every turn—dancing, playing games, picnicking, reading a book, climbing a mountain, or just shouting out their enthusiasm to the world. Sally Lloyd-Jones’s upbeat text integrates with Kevin Waldron’s high-energy mixed-media illustrations for a story that exudes unabashed joy.

Editor reviews

2 reviews

Inspirational

May 24, 2024

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

N/A

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

TODAY IS FOR YOU! Is the type of high energy we all need in a picture book. With bold large print firmly stating positive affirmations and colorful illustrations full of joyful images it is just right for a pick-me-up. I can see this working particularly well in a Daycare-Early Elementary read-aloud setting to set the tone for the day or to read before a brain break activity to get the kids full of positive thoughts and aspirations. The uplifting messages can chase the gloom away and make you want to seize the day to play and dream. I can see this being a great book when a child is anxiously awaiting a future event to help them see that each day is an opportunity to live and do exciting things not just waiting for the future to be happy. Overall, this book works well to inspire each reader to be the best they can be each day.

Connie Reid, Site Manager Top 10 Reviewer 577 reviews

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Exuberant Motivation

May 12, 2024

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

Every new day is a new opportunity to have a fabulous experience, and Today is For You! celebrates this with upbeat, boisterous proclamations of this. On every page, there's a new pronouncement of how things will be glorious. There are lots of questions about what the reader will do, whom they will meet, and the different experiences they will have, followed by the recommendation to celebrate all of these things. The refrain "When is today? Exactly now" is repeated frequently, often in all capital letters. As the day progresses, the excitement is put on simmer, as everyone quiets down and climbs into bed to rest up before celebrating another frenetic day tomorrow.

Good Points

This has more energy than any picture book I've seen lately. The text bounds across the pages and is woven into the backgrounds and color coordinated with them. This reminded me of the Geronimo Stilton books a bit, with the use of different colors for different letters, and a huge variety of sizes and types of fonts.

The verse is uneven at parts, and the word "coz" (for because) is used several times, but that just adds to the general pell mell feeling of urgency that the book embraces.

If you're looking to motivate a young reader to grasp the day with both hands and give it a good shake, this is the book. It's been compared to Seuss' Oh, The Places You'll Go because of the general air of optimism and adventure, and definitely has the same feel as Martin's The Wonderful Things You Will Be, Gutierrez and Noakes' Dare to Dream Big, Evans and Purnomo's And Off You Go to Change the World, and Tillman's You're Here For a Reason.