The Blue Ribbon Day

Features

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Published by: Doubleday October 19, 2004
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0385512929
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0385512923
• Book Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.2 x 0.3 inches
• Weighs: 10.4 ounces

Product Review
Lively and inspirational, Katie Couric's sophomore picture book, reunites Ellie McSnelly and Carriet O'Toole, friends from her successful first book, The Brand New Kid. Once again, Couric's tale deals with the aches and pains of growing up, and in The Blue Ribbon Day, she encourages kids to deal positively with disappointment. Carrie doesn't make the soccer team with Ellie, but with some reassuring words from mom, "We're all good at something, you'll have your time to shine," she makes a new start, and ends up placing first in the school science fair.

Told in fun, jazzy rhymes that help mitigate Carrie's disappointment and foretell a happy ending, Couric's snappy, upbeat text is perfectly matched by Caldecott winner Marjorie Priceman's vibrant illustrations. Charming, engaging, and brimming with positivity, parents and kids alike will enjoy this reassuring tale. Daphne Durham

Amazon.com's The Significant Seven
Katie Couric answers the seven questions we ask every author.

Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?


A: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers.



Q: You are stranded on a desert island with only one book, one CD, and one DVD--what are they?


A: Encyclopedia Britannica
Any Motown compilation
To Kill a Mockingbird



Q: What is the worst lie you've ever told?


A: I told my mom that I didn't break one of the bedposts of her four-post bed during a pillow fight with my brother, but I eventually fessed up because the guilt was killing me!!!.



Q: Describe the perfect writing environment.


A: In the morning, on a patio with lots of flowers and birds chirping. A comfortable wicker chair. Sunshine, low humidity and a great cup of coffee.



Q: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?


A: "Perky no more."



Q: Who is the one human being living or dead that you would like to have dinner with?


A: Thomas Jefferson or Eleanor Roosevelt



Q: If you could have one superpower what would it be?


A: The power to cure serious illnesses.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2 - Couric and Priceman return to the scene of The Brand New Kid (Doubleday, 2000) for another look at a common school problem, this time learning to face disappointment. Light verse tells of soccer tryouts at Brookhaven School. Ellie McSnelly is magnificent, but Carrie O'Toole is not asked to join the team. She goes home feeling blue and cries to her mom, who hugs her and says, "Everybody's a star, a brilliant creation,/the trouble is finding the right constellation!" The warm, energetic watercolor illustrations of kids at work and at play complement the story well and help to move it along. If the ending is a little pat - Carrie and Lazlo (the new kid of the earlier title) find their talent - the book's good humor carries the day. - Kathleen Whalin, York Public Library, ME
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Reader Reviews
This review is from: The Blue Ribbon Day (Hardcover) With a granddaughter in primary school, I am always on the lookout for books that will encourage a love of reading and spark her curiosity about the wonderful adventures that await in the world of books. To this end, I have found that rhyming stories add more fun to early reading. Couric uses this technique to tell of the latest adventures of Ellie McSnelly and Carrie O'Toole, as the two friends try out for soccer together. Unfortunately, only one of the girls excels in the sport and is chosen for the team. Not to worry; Couric has plans for Carrie and an important life lesson as well. With a little help from her friend Lazlo and her mother, Carrie learns to appreciate her own special talents, in this case a successful effort at an academic school competition. There is much to be learned in this lighthearted romp through the joys of girlhood; mostly, that each child is blessed with her own special gifts. The girls share in each other's endeavors and realize that different talents make life more interesting for both. The illustrations are bright and full of energy, the perfect complement to the optimistic rhymes that propel the story. Little girls are constantly beset with choices while making a place in the society of young girls. This enthusiastic approach to problem solving is a delightful read, with subtle lessons of acceptance for differences. Ellie McSnelly and Carrie O'Toole are perfect role models who take on the world hand in hand. Luan Gaines/2004. Comment | | (Report this)