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Publisher's Weekly
Children preparing for an author visit at school will welcome this volume. Bunting and Bloom (previously teamed for Girls: A-Z) proffer a title that actually has three meanings. "My special day" refers to the narrator, a boy whose class has invited Miss Amanda Drake, a famous children's book author, for a visit; to Miss Drake herself, who has a wonderful time with the class; and, finally, to the book that Miss Drake writes based on her Third Street experience ("We love the dedication:/ To all the kids at Third Street School/ with love and admiration"). The story opens with everyone "in a state/ of great anticipation!": "We make a list of questions/ that we'll ask Amanda Drake./ Our teacher says 'Don't ask her,/ 'How much money do you make?' " Miss Drake quickly has the class eating out of her hand. She regales them with an insider's look at the creative process ("It doesn't seem like work/ if you are loving what you do"), cheerfully holds the class snake and proves she's way cool by stating that she owns a pet rat. Bloom stumbles somewhat in composing her watercolors-in aiming for classroom bustle, she fails to provide a focal point for many of the pictures. But the enthusiastic verse smooths over the visual rough spots, and Miss Drake emerges as a most approachable literary diva-a genial bohemian with electric white-and-pink hair, a kind gaze and a repertoire of dramatic gestures. Ages 5-up. (Mar.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature - Mindy Hardwick
An author is coming to visit! The class is making preparations. They read her books. They decorate the classroom. They make food and come up with a list of questions. Then, Miss Amanda Drake arrives. She sails in the door with her purple skirt, hat, and scarf. She even wears red shoes! Miss Drake gives advice on how she writes. She tells the students that it does not seem like work if you love what you do. Then, a student suggests the author writes a book about the visit to their school. Once Miss Drake leaves, the students write and write. And soon, Miss Drake publishes a book about the visit to the Third Street School! The picture book is a perfect choice for any classroom teacher or librarian who is preparing for an author visit! Students who have experienced author visits will love to read the story too! 2004, Boyds Mills Press, Ages 4 to 8.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 4-Bright, splashy watercolors grace the pages of this rhyming story about an author's visit to a school. The students' preparations, such as decorating the room and thinking of questions to ask, are described and depicted as they get ready to welcome Amanda Drake. The faces of the diverse children are individualistic and expressive, exhibiting a variety of moods and thoughts. The spreads pull readers through the action and reflect the movement and excitement of the characters. As the story ends, youngsters learn that Amanda Drake has taken a student's idea and written this very book about a school visit. Bunting presents a wonderful display of the kinds of things that can happen when good educators, interested students, and talented writers connect. Bloom uses bright colors to create a realistic and inviting setting, paying great attention to details including the teacher's desk and science projects displayed throughout the room. Just as Amanda Drake inspires the children to use their imaginations and write stories, this delightful book will encourage readers to explore their own creativity.-Erlene Bishop Killeen, Fox Prairie Elementary School, Stoughton, WI Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
In this fictionalized, but doubtless reality-based encounter, an author addresses a class of middle-graders, and it's all that a school visit should be. Before children's author Amanda Drake arrives, the children have read her books, decorated the school, and with their teacher's help ("Don't ask her, / How much money do you make?"), prepared questions to ask. Drake in turn, pink streaks in her flyaway white hair, sweeps in, cutting a larger-than-life figure as she cuddles the class pets, talks enthusiastically about writing-"There's something that I'd like to share / because it's truly true. / It doesn't seem like work / if you are loving what you do"-and leaves the children itching to write stories of their own. Though Bunting amply demonstrates here that writing in verse is not her forte, along with Daniel Pinkwater's hilariously flip-side Author's Day (1993), this exuberant alternative to Louise Borden's low-key The Day Eddie Met The Author (2001) should be required reading in all schools planning author visits. (Picture book. 7-10)
Genre: Children's Fiction
Children preparing for an author visit at school will welcome this volume. Bunting and Bloom (previously teamed for Girls: A-Z) proffer a title that actually has three meanings. "My special day" refers to the narrator, a boy whose class has invited Miss Amanda Drake, a famous children's book author, for a visit; to Miss Drake herself, who has a wonderful time with the class; and, finally, to the book that Miss Drake writes based on her Third Street experience ("We love the dedication:/ To all the kids at Third Street School/ with love and admiration"). The story opens with everyone "in a state/ of great anticipation!": "We make a list of questions/ that we'll ask Amanda Drake./ Our teacher says 'Don't ask her,/ 'How much money do you make?' " Miss Drake quickly has the class eating out of her hand. She regales them with an insider's look at the creative process ("It doesn't seem like work/ if you are loving what you do"), cheerfully holds the class snake and proves she's way cool by stating that she owns a pet rat. Bloom stumbles somewhat in composing her watercolors-in aiming for classroom bustle, she fails to provide a focal point for many of the pictures. But the enthusiastic verse smooths over the visual rough spots, and Miss Drake emerges as a most approachable literary diva-a genial bohemian with electric white-and-pink hair, a kind gaze and a repertoire of dramatic gestures. Ages 5-up. (Mar.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature - Mindy Hardwick
An author is coming to visit! The class is making preparations. They read her books. They decorate the classroom. They make food and come up with a list of questions. Then, Miss Amanda Drake arrives. She sails in the door with her purple skirt, hat, and scarf. She even wears red shoes! Miss Drake gives advice on how she writes. She tells the students that it does not seem like work if you love what you do. Then, a student suggests the author writes a book about the visit to their school. Once Miss Drake leaves, the students write and write. And soon, Miss Drake publishes a book about the visit to the Third Street School! The picture book is a perfect choice for any classroom teacher or librarian who is preparing for an author visit! Students who have experienced author visits will love to read the story too! 2004, Boyds Mills Press, Ages 4 to 8.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 4-Bright, splashy watercolors grace the pages of this rhyming story about an author's visit to a school. The students' preparations, such as decorating the room and thinking of questions to ask, are described and depicted as they get ready to welcome Amanda Drake. The faces of the diverse children are individualistic and expressive, exhibiting a variety of moods and thoughts. The spreads pull readers through the action and reflect the movement and excitement of the characters. As the story ends, youngsters learn that Amanda Drake has taken a student's idea and written this very book about a school visit. Bunting presents a wonderful display of the kinds of things that can happen when good educators, interested students, and talented writers connect. Bloom uses bright colors to create a realistic and inviting setting, paying great attention to details including the teacher's desk and science projects displayed throughout the room. Just as Amanda Drake inspires the children to use their imaginations and write stories, this delightful book will encourage readers to explore their own creativity.-Erlene Bishop Killeen, Fox Prairie Elementary School, Stoughton, WI Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
In this fictionalized, but doubtless reality-based encounter, an author addresses a class of middle-graders, and it's all that a school visit should be. Before children's author Amanda Drake arrives, the children have read her books, decorated the school, and with their teacher's help ("Don't ask her, / How much money do you make?"), prepared questions to ask. Drake in turn, pink streaks in her flyaway white hair, sweeps in, cutting a larger-than-life figure as she cuddles the class pets, talks enthusiastically about writing-"There's something that I'd like to share / because it's truly true. / It doesn't seem like work / if you are loving what you do"-and leaves the children itching to write stories of their own. Though Bunting amply demonstrates here that writing in verse is not her forte, along with Daniel Pinkwater's hilariously flip-side Author's Day (1993), this exuberant alternative to Louise Borden's low-key The Day Eddie Met The Author (2001) should be required reading in all schools planning author visits. (Picture book. 7-10)
Genre: Children's Fiction
Used availability for Eve Bunting's My Special Day at Third Street School