Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
A perfect day for it
Picture Book and audio CD
for ages 3 to 6
Egmont Books and BBC UK, 2004 ISBN: 184440546X
It is a perfectly clear crisp snowy winter morning and Bear decides that it is the "perfect day for it" so he sets off up the mountain. As he walks he meets Badger and he tells Badger that it is "the perfect day". Badger thinks he knows what Bear is talking about and follows him, eager not to be left out of things. Next Fox sees Bear and Badger climbing the mountain. Fox thinks he knows what Bear and Badger are doing and in turn, he decides to follow the other two animals.
It isn't long before Bear has a whole line of animals following him up the mountain; there is Badger, Fox, Squirrel, and Mole. When they get to the top each of the followers wants to know what Bear is up to and each of them is annoyed because Bear is not in fact doing what they expected. They are not disappointed for long though because Bear has the most wonderful idea and it turns out that it is indeed "a perfect day, a wonderful day, a truly magnificent day" after all.
This magical little story captures the simple joys that can be found on a lovely snowy winter's day on a mountain. We anticipate with Bear as he climbs the mountain and celebrate with him and his friends as they come down it, giggling, laughing, and having a wonderfully silly time. Atmospheric ink and watercolour artwork perfectly portrays the beauty of the landscape and the characters of the animals.
The BBC has managed to turn a wonderful picture book story into a tale complete with sound effects which young children will want to listen to over and over again both with and without the picture book in front of them.
