This Beautiful Day

American author and children's book editor Richard Jackson and Korean illustrator Suzy Lee join forces in This Beautiful Day, a lovely picture-book celebration of rain storms, and the fun they can provide to young people. As the poetic text lays out some of the wonderful activities possible on a rainy day, the artwork depicts a group of children having a fabulous time...

Although I did enjoy Jackson's text here, it was the artwork by Lee that gave This Beautiful Day its wonderfully joyous quality, and really made the reading experience for me. There is such a sense of exuberant motion in the illustrations, such a sense of humor and whimsy. I loved the scenes with the umbrellas, especially the two-page spread on which the umbrellas float show more through the air on their own. Recommended to all young rain lovers (I was certainly one myself, as a girl!), and to fans of Suzy Lee's marvelous artwork. show less

When the day starts out dark and gloomy, some children find ways to celebrate the beautiful day indoors and outdoors, adding friends and family to the fun -- especially as the sun comes out to play too!

This book is light on plot, but it captures childhood joy beautifully between the text and the illustrations, which really steal the show. Drawings in blacks and grays with splashes of color here and there, the illustrations have a sense of whimsy and je ne sais quoi that lend an upbeat quality to the book. Reading this book will make you want to get out and move, no matter what the weather!

I don't like rainy days. This book didn't help me appreciate them more. One reason is that the rain ended halfway through. Another is that kids were jumping out of the tree using their umbrellas as parachutes! I sure hope your kids know that's a terrible idea! Oh, but I did love the exuberant and joyful dancing & prancing children!

The beautiful day in question starts out rainy, with bored kids trapped inside...until one of them turns on some music, which leads to dancing, which leads to a parade outdoors with rain boots and umbrellas. Eventually the sun comes out and it truly is a beautiful day. Illustrations in black and white with splashes and touches of a delicate turquoise-blue suit the story perfectly.

*

Re-read May 2019

This Beautiful Day describes a beautiful, fun day when it is raining outside. Later when the sun comes out it is still a beautiful fun day. The book is written in rhymes. The illustrations were the most intriguing and interesting part. The pictures were drawn in black and white, but the fun things the children were doing was drawn in bright blue. As the rain stopped and the sun merged more color began to be seen on the pages.
This is one of my favorite picture books I have read this semester.

pictures and words romp through the pages of this happy go-lucky picture book!!