Day by Day

by Susan Gal

Overview

Susan Gal offers a heartwarming tale of old-fashioned goodness. The industrious pigs of Day by Day build a home, plant a garden, help their neighbors, and then gather in a harvest grown with hard work and kindness. 

The language is sweet and simple: Day by day, the seasons turn. Shoulder to shoulder, pigs gather the harvest. Hand in hand, pigs give thanks, then cheek to cheek, they dance. The artwork is bright and full of the merry antics of a
happy family and a tight-knit community.  And these pigs are flat out adorable!
This delightful story celebrates family and community, caring and sharing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780375984334
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	07/10/2012
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	69 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

SUSAN GAL began her illustration career as a poster and calendar artist. She then worked as an "actor with a pencil" for Disney Animation before returning to her native California to create fun and whimsical illustrations. You can read more about Susan at GalGirlStudio.com.

Editorial Reviews

Mile by mile, pigs motor west/ Brick by brick, pigs build a house,/ and piece by piece, it becomes a home.” In a porcine version of a 1930s-era migration, a family of pigs in period clothing arrives in a rural community and settles in. Writing in rhythmic free verse that recalls the “inch by inch, row by row” children’s song, Gal (Into the Outdoors) creates gaily colored spreads using digital collage, then fills them with friendly, hard-working pigs. The pigs harvest their first crop, then celebrate in a distinctly piggy way: in the book’s best moment, plump, rosy pigs strip down to lacy underthings and tighty-whities and race to the gigantic mudhole (“Layer by layer, pigs shed their clothes... and one by one, pigs cannonball!”). A spread shows the whole clan floating and snorkeling; in a sly A.A. Milne reference, a small pig clutches a toy Piglet (other literary pig references are tucked into the story for eagle-eyed readers). Comforting and conflict-free, the book’s sense of predictability makes it promising bedtime material. Ages 5–9. Agent: Morgan Gaynin Inc. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Kirkus Reviews Best of Children's Books 2012

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 2012:
“Day by day, brick by brick, a community is built in this winning tribute to fellowship and family…. A luminous celebration of family, food and home.”

From the Publisher

PreS-Gr 2—A pig family is heading west to start a new life. They find a sweet spot, build a home, and settle into a warm, supportive community. They all work together to plant and tend a garden and gather to celebrate the harvest. Bright mixed-media illustrations are loaded with textures and humorous details; they show the pigs being welcomed by their neighbors and capture the essence of friendship. This is a cozy, homey, story that would be enjoyed by young children as a read-aloud, or would be a good confidence-builder for beginning readers.—Alison Donnelly, Collinsville Memorial Public Library, IL

School Library Journal

Day by day, brick by brick, a community is built in this winning tribute to fellowship and family. Across a golden prairie, a family of pigs heads west. Their small actions grow in significance as bricks become a house, beloved paraphernalia create a home, neighbors are welcomed and friendships begin. With each handsome spread, the author rephrases the proverb she was inspired by: "little by little, the bird builds its nest." Words flow on a curvature that matches the lyrical nature of both text and artwork. Sophisticated, digital illustrations done in a pastel color palette dazzle the senses, allowing readers to feel the vastness of sky, the heat of summer; to smell the scent of flowers and fields; and to hear the slow dance-floor melody as they safely drift to sleep. Gal skillfully employs the computer to create a handmade, collage aesthetic. Through her application of textures, she creates a world that's rich in pattern, color and, most of all, love. As pigs gather around a table, under a festive tree at twilight to enjoy the bounty they have grown, they give thanks. A luminous celebration of family, food and home. (Picture book. 4-9)

Kirkus Reviews