Reviews

Every parent knows that getting their children out of bed in the morning can be a struggle, unless of course, it's one of those days. And every parent knows what is meant by 'one of those days'. It's when your child leaps out of bed, full of energy, eager to greet the day and go to school without the usual grumbles. These sorts of days are rare in most households and they should be embraced and encouraged. Told in first person, this book tracks Samantha's whole day, through leaping out of bed, bubbling with excitement, dancing to the bathroom, dashing off to school and joining in all the activities there. Her imagination runs riot. Sometimes the reader is with her in the reality of the moment and at other times off with her fantasy. By dinner time she is exhausted and is carried off to bed by her father. John Heffernan's story sets the mood. His humorous text rollicks along with boundless energy and a clever use of clichés to describe the action. The illustrations carry through the theme-sometimes realistic and sometimes pure fantasy. They are lively, quirky and fun, just right for the story. Margaret Hamilton is a former children's publisher. She now provides freelance publishing services and reviews