Best Day Ever

by Michael J. Armstrong, Églantine Ceulemans (Illustrator)

Overview

Summer’s just about over—and William wants to end it by having the BEST DAY EVER! But can a buttoned-up, Type-A kid let loose and embrace a day filled with free-range fun?
 
“Fun with a capital F.” —Kirkus 
 
It’s the last day of summer vacation and William—a little boy who loves order and schedules—has just one thing left to accomplish: have the most fun ever. He's even created a fun-o-meter to help him achieve his goals. But nothing he does seems special enough. Even worse, William's fanciful next-door neighbor, Anna, keeps interrupting his plans with increasingly outlandish suggestions—like trampoline bouncing to the moon to find dinosaur bones or riding talking seahorses to an underwater castle. Can these two seemingly different kids find a way to have the best day together . . . and maybe become friends, too? This charming picture book about a child who always follow the rules is a must-read for kids and parents in need of a funny, gentle reminder to get creative and let their imaginations run wild.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781454930976
Publisher:	Union Square Kids
Publication date:	06/02/2020
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	3 - 18 Years

About the Author

Michael J. Armstrong previously served as the Executive Director of The ALS Association, The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, and other nonprofit organizations. He is an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Best Day Ever is his first book. He lives in Cleveland, OH.
 
Églantine Ceulemans attended the Emile Cohl School of Art. Her work, including the bestselling Fun Family series by Isla Fisher and No Frogs in School, has been published in France and abroad. She lives in Paris, France.
 

Editorial Reviews

A visual treat for the observant. Studious, bespectacled, all-about-business William, who presents white, has achieved five of his six goals for summer: earn Math Camp MVP, read 50 books, learn Spanish, obtain a black belt in karate, and perform a perfect guitar recital. But the sixth is a stumper: “have most fun ever!” He must also constantly ward off distractions from his gregarious, rambunctious neighbor Anna, a young, brown-skinned girl who keeps interrupting his serious attempts at fun with her harebrained make-believe play. . . . Young readers will have a rollicking good time as they guess what the little girl next door will think up next. Sharp-eyed readers will also locate a curious host of entertaining animals that sobersides William fails to notice. Ceulemans’ delightfully inventive, fantastical crayon sketches divide Anna’s zany world from William’s matter-of -fact one, offering readers lots to notice and giggle about. By the conclusion, the animals and even William have been absorbed into Anna’s crayon-filled universe. Fun with a capital F, this tale goes out to all those workaholic kids who need some.” —Kirkus 

“Best Day Ever showcases William’s escapades as he tries to make the last day of summer fun and memorable. However, with the best-laid plans, lists, and his trusty self-created fun-o-meter, he still misses the mark. While Williams pursues math camp, learning Spanish, and mastering the scooter, his annoying neighbor Anna tries to ruin his fun with imaginative, messy play! In a poignant, sweet ending, William finally realizes who is REALLY having the most fun, and a new friendship begins. 
Debut author Armstrong sets up two disparate characters who are the perfect foil for each other. Readers will be rooting for William to venture out of his safe, predictable ways as he reaches for adventure beyond his comfort zone. Illustrator Ceulemans creates rollicking scenes that add to the fun. Librarians and teachers will appreciate this book for its light-hearted celebration of imagination, friendship, and appreciating others for their differences.” —Kathy Halsey, Children’s Writer, Educator, Blogger, Past President of the Ohio Educational Media Association
 
“Best Day Ever is infused with fun. Straight-laced William is such a well-developed character, and Anna's creative play ideas are laugh-out-loud funny. The illustrations are filled with eye-catching details, and the selective use of crayon is utterly brilliant. This book trips the fun-detector at high!” —Mike DeSantis, writer/illustrator

From the Publisher

2020-02-26
A visual treat for the observant.

Studious, bespectacled, all-about-business William, who presents white, has achieved five of his six goals for summer: earn Math Camp MVP, read 50 books, learn Spanish, obtain a black belt in karate, and perform a perfect guitar recital. But the sixth is a stumper: “have most fun ever!” He must also constantly ward off distractions from his gregarious, rambunctious neighbor Anna, a young, brown-skinned girl who keeps interrupting his serious attempts at fun with her harebrained make-believe play. Wearing wacky, hodgepodge outfits, she invites him on adventures, like jumping the Grand Canyon on their motorcycles “to escape from the GREEDY TOAD PIRATE who keeps trying to steal our TREASURE with his long, sticky tongue.” William’s homemade fun meter shows only the saddest face during his solo play while Anna’s activities make it grin broadly. Young readers will have a rollicking good time as they guess what the little girl next door will think up next. Sharp-eyed readers will also locate a curious host of entertaining animals that sobersides William fails to notice. Ceulemans’ delightfully inventive, fantastical crayon sketches divide Anna’s zany world from William’s matter-of-fact one, offering readers lots to notice and giggle about. By the conclusion, the animals and even William have been absorbed into Anna’s crayon-filled universe.

Fun with a capital F, this tale goes out to all those workaholic kids who need some. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews