Being Edie Is Hard Today

Gr 1–3-Edie, a girl with long hair and green leaves stuck in her tresses like antenna, just can't face going to school today. There's no specific reason given, she just feels overwhelmed and antisocial. Her day does not improve by pushing through her feelings, and she imagines herself as a series of different animals whose characteristics might help. After being teased about her snack choice (sardines), she imagines herself to be a cheetah, and gets her revenge on a bullying antelope. "During her rather long trip to the principal's office, Edie tried to explain the slow-moving characteristics of a sloth, but Ms. Meany wasn't listening." Back home, a good cry and a talk with her mother lets her recharge and feel ready to face the next day as herself. From the beginning, the illustrations indicate Edie's world of fantasy—-circles of delicate watercolor behind finely detailed black and white pencil vignettes create literal bubbles for Edie to exist in and give the barest hint of her actual environment. For the first two thirds of the story, all the people are shown in profile with blank faces. Instead of facial features, one or more emoji float above their heads indicating their inner state of mind and adding a sophisticated layer of visual literacy to the presentation.