Hello Day: A Child’s-Eye View of the World

Saturated colors, bold lines, and spreads that zoom in close give jolts of visual energy to this zinger of a tale by Mylie (We Might See). Having greeted the day, a toddler with yellow hair and a dotted red shirt runs a toy thoughtfully down a bespectacled caregiver’s arm as the adult asks, “How about we go to story time?” From then on, as occasional word balloons from the grown-up reveal the book’s narrative arc, the child heartily greets everything they encounter, including an apple (“Hello apple,/ hello shelf./ I can reach you/ all by myself”), green boots (“I’m getting big./ you’re getting tight”), and a praying mantis. Bright blue pigment collides with lime green and magenta as more greetings ensue en route to the library, including for a storm drain into which the child drops pebbles (“plink/ plunk/ plip/ plop”). Consigned to a park bench with the apple when the library doesn’t allow food or drink, child and caregiver make a small but exciting final discovery in this effervescent here-and-now story that smartly centers a child’s noticing. Characters are portrayed with various fanciful skin tones. Ages 3–5. Agent: Hannah Mann, Writers House. (Apr.)