Hello, friends! Today, we’re reviewing This Beautiful Day, written by Richard Jackson and illustrated by Suzy Lee, a celebration of the often-underestimated potential for loveliness in rainy days.

Told in flowing syncopated rhyme, the story opens on three children, watching the dark skies outside their window. Nothing to do because of the rain? No way – just put on a little music so you can dance and spin, all in time to the rain’s pitter-pat. And when the rain lets up a bit, grab your umbrella, because misty weather is perfect for a puddle parade with friends. And when the sky lightens and the sun comes out again, you’ll know that a good day has nothing to do with the weather, and everything to do with a positive attitude and being with good friends.

This was a sweet and fun book with a simple message, some great art, and a good deal of charm. I loved Lee’s use of watercolors to represent water and clouds, and gradual shift from grayscale to full color as the weather became brighter and clear. The message is a great one as well, showing that having a good attitude can make any day a beautiful one. The unusual rhyme scheme tripped me up a few times on first reading, but not so much that it diminished our enjoyment of the book. The length was good, and JJ enjoyed it, so we can definitely recommend this wonderful rainy day read. Baby Bookworm approved!