The Way to Start a Day
Written by Byrd Baylor
Illustrated by Peter Parnall
This glorious book received a Caldecott Honor in 1979. Peter Parnall's illustrations are wonderful depictions of the cultures represented in this beautifully written book of free verse prose.
The focus of this artwork is the morning tradition of greeting the sun across many cultures. Readers are taken to visit many places such as Peru, Mexico, the Congo, China, and Egypt. The importance of welcoming a new day is illustrated and described. It helps readers recognize the commonality of all humans on our glorious Earth.
This masterpiece is particularly meaningful for today's children who are often caught up in the hustle and bustle of busy urban lives. Like most of us, children are slaves to their alarm clocks and tight busy schedules. Byrd Baylor opens their eyes to the prospect of slowing down to appreciate the beauty of the rising sun and taking time to consider all the possibilities the day holds. This flies directly in the face of the American dream of "Keeping up with the Joneses" and opens students' eyes to an alternate way of looking at life.
