Every Friday

by Dan Yaccarino, Dan Yaccarino (Illustrator)

Overview

No day is better than Friday!

Friday is my favorite day.

All week long, a boy and his father look forward to their Friday ritual—breakfast at their favorite diner. The leisurely walk through the neighborhood is just as good as the pancakes at the end.

Dan Yaccarino's bright, distinctive art style and sweet, simple story about father-son bonding make Every Friday an all-around crowd-pleaser. The weekly tradition will appeal to children who have similar routines with their parents, and kids who don't have such a tradition will be asking their dads to start one! It's a perfect gift book, too—just in time for Father's Day.

Every Friday is a 2007 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year and a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250004734
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	05/08/2012
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	455,587
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 9.80(h) x 0.20(d)
Lexile:	AD450L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Dan Yaccarino is the author and illustrator of Unlovable and The Birthday Fish. He has illustrated many books for children, including Zoom! Zoom! Zoom! I'm Off to the Moon! and is the creator and producer of the animated series Oswald.

Editorial Reviews

This is an excellent book for a parent and child to share, and perhaps some families will begin weekly traditions of their own.” —School Library Journal

“It's the closeness between father and son, though, that will speak most to kids, and Yaccarino's clean lines, saturated colors, and very simple words distill the story's emotions into clear, understated sweetness that's not too sugary.” —Booklist, Starred Review

From the Publisher

Young children who share a dependable ritual with someone special can recognize themselves in this account of a father and son's weekly breakfast out. The elementary school–age son describes their routine, which begins before school or work (implied by the boy's book and the father's briefcase). Yaccarino's (The Birthday Fish) gouaches present an orderly city of brownstones and highrises, in all kinds of weather. On the sidewalk, the boy and his dad tip their hats to a street sweeper and a uniformed doorman. The father coaxes the boy not to linger at a toy store window, and the boy returns the favor when his dad gapes at a sports shop. They arrive at a bustling diner, where a friendly waitress predicts their order and later calls, "See you next Friday!" Yaccarino favors late-1950s visuals. Nary a wheeled sneaker, video game or headphone detracts from parent-child closeness. The dad's gray fedora and checked blue tweed suit, and the boy's prim zip-up jacket and dress shoes, imply the era of Leave It to Beaver, while urging 21st-century readers to carve out space for togetherness. "Everyone is rushing, but we're taking our time," the narrator says as a full bus rolls past. In an author's note, Yaccarino explains that he and his young son set aside time each Friday, "our favorite day of the week," and prompts readers to "start a little tradition like ours." This amiable chronicle shows a cozy plan tailored to urban life, yet suggests the rewards are transferable anywhere. Ages 3-7. (May)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Publishers Weekly

PreS-Gr 1
A young boy and his father have a weekly date for breakfast at a nearby diner, and the walk there is half the fun. As they pass through their urban neighborhood, they count dogs, wave to the man in the newspaper stall, and watch the slow construction of a new building. Upon their arrival at the restaurant, they greet their favorite waitress by name, and she knows to bring out pancakes right away. The story is simple but sweet, and the child's excitement about the time spent with his dad is obvious throughout. Painted in gouache, the illustrations of the cars and characters' clothing and hairstyles give the book a '50s look, as do small touches such as milk bottles in front of the door. Yaccarino uses a warm palette to create rudimentary buildings and simple, friendly faces. This is an excellent book for a parent and child to share, and perhaps some families will begin weekly traditions of their own.
—Daisy PorterCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

It doesn't take expensive gifts and grand gestures to create memorable moments-just a little time. This sweet tribute to the unparalleled connection between parent and child could possibly herald the birth of important traditions in families far and wide. "Friday is my favorite day," smiles a boy as he and his father begin their weekly journey. Whatever the weather, every Friday they walk through the city. They see shops open and construction advancing. They see friendly faces, greet passersby and count dogs. The city bustles along as they approach their final destination. At last they enter the diner where, over breakfast, they talk about all sorts of things. It would add depth to read what some of these talks are about, but the text is spare, leaving plenty of opportunity for readers to invent their own topics of conversation on their special times. The splendid retro art depicts a stylized city inhabited by all manner of folks. The colors are invented hues of original colors in a city so friendly as to be nostalgic. (Picture book. 2-6)

Kirkus Reviews