Today Is a Me Day

A fair-skinned child wearing a breezy shift dress heeds the call of their own free spirit one day, foregoing the world to do whatever moves them: “Today I’m going to/ find my yellow hat,//lick the honey spoon,/ smudge the window pane.” Then it’s off to an idyllic swath of countryside where the child brews wildflower tea and picnics with a stuffed bear in a green meadow, feeds birds in a shady stand of trees, gathers smooth stones, and then rolls down a lush, grassy bank. Acts of creation (“Today there’s time to/ decorate my shoes”), care (“paint my Mama’s nails”), and play (“remake my race track”) follow. As the moon rises, the fulfilled child manages to “flop straight into bed,” ready to “dream of castles on the moon” and whatever a new day may bring. Starkey’s spare text has an effortless flow that fits well with the timeless, peaceful vibe of Haapalainen’s and Vähä-Aho’s bucolic backdrops. Ages 5–6. (Jan.)