By Day, by Night

K-Gr 2—Simple but uplifting rhyming text recounts the commonalities shared in the lives of children around the world, from simple actions—wash, brush, dress, eat—to universal experiences—wish, dream, laugh, cry, look. "We've work to do and loads to bring,/and tales to tell and songs to sing." Watercolor illustrations are lovely, multicultural, and multifaceted, depicting not just positive notes of recreation and fun, but also quiet moments of comfort. Two different soccer games exemplify this, the first an informal one with a group of children joyfully playing in an empty lot next to a hilltop of houses, the second on a equipped field with just two uniformed boys needing and giving solace. Librarians will also appreciate how both the text ("We learn to read;/books open doors/to worlds/we've never known before) and the illustrations (a majority of the scenes features a child with a book) depict reading as an essential part of childhood.—Joanna K. Fabicon, Los Angeles Public Library