Book Review: Chu’s Day
Today’s book review will be a bit different from the usual books I review. This is for a book targeted toward a much younger demographic than what I write. But it was so good, I had to give my insights.
Chu’s Day is a picture book by Neil Gaiman. Now, you might have heard of Neil Gaiman from his books for older readers. American Gods. Stardust. Good Omens. You might have heard of him from the awesome advice he gives writers.
But did you know that he also has dabbled in the picture book world?
Chu’s Day is a delightful tale of a sneezing panda. Per the amazon page, “Chu is a little panda with a big sneeze. When Chu sneezes, bad things happen. But as Chu and his parents visit the library, the diner, and the circus, will anyone hear Chu when he starts to feel a familiar tickle in his nose?
Chu’s Day is a story that shows how even the smallest child can make big things happen.”
A good picture book has specific needs. One is that the pictures have to be spot on. The illustrations in Chu’s Day are delightful. Colorful. Entertaining. Every time I read it, I find something new. And trust me, I’ve read this book more than a handful of times.
The words need to be snappy. Picture books are meant to be read aloud. They need to roll off the tongue like poetry. Chu’s Day does.
Lastly, picture books need to be to the point. If you think hooking your reader in the first five pages is hard, try hooking a reader with a twenty second attention span. No toddler is going to sit through a block of texts. Keep it short. Keep it simple. Have fun sound effects. Extra bonus if there are sneezes (according to my son).
Chu’s Day is without doubt my son’s favorite book. We checked it out from the library on a whim. I wanted to see how Gaiman did in the picture book world. The first two weeks we checked it out, we had to read it every night before bed. And a couple of times during the day. We renewed it for two more weeks and it was the same. So I bought it and all the sequels. It’s been months and it’s still one of his favorite books. He has a stuffed panda named Chu now that he loves to cuddle.
We’ve probably read Chu’s Day at least fifty times. It doesn’t get old. It doesn’t get boring. It’s a delight.
Another 5 out of 5 stars.
What’s your favorite picture book?
