Today Is for You!

“Be who you are. And be that the most,” large purple letters proclaim toward the start of Lloyd-Jones’s exuberant declarative poem about living life to its fullest. Variants on a refrain loosely map the course of the day: “Hello! Good morning!/ (And how do you do?)/ Clap clap/ your hands/ today is for you!” as text urges the energetic appreciation of every moment (“Throw your arms open/ Stand up free and tall./ And love the world—/ Yes, love it all!”). Alongside giant graphical text, poster-like mixed-media artwork by Waldron depicts semi-silhouetted kids of varied abilities and skin tones approaching their nature-filled day with apparent enthusiasm, from morning until bedtime. One child plays guitar, a dozen cartwheel and climb a tree, and so on, lending the work an idyllic vibe reminiscent of “Free to Be... You and Me” and Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Ages 3–7. (Feb.)