A gentle summary of a flawless day points the way to bed. Charlip’s utterly winning outing begins and ends with a verse about waking and sleeping. In between, father and son, who sport the same honey-colored ringlets, spend the day together doing the most important things in the world: watching clouds, having friends over for a picnic lunch, taking a nap, painting pictures for the kitchen wall, reading and thinking, dinner and bed. The words are simple—“cuddle up upon my lap. / Close your eyes and take a nap”—and the art is breathtaking. Using watercolor on thick Arches paper, Charlip produces color that glistens and glows with depth, from the azure blue of the cereal bowls and the father’s mug, to the jewel-green grass and the summer rose softness of the picnic blanket. A few nice touches will elicit smiles. The gathered children each look like their assembled parents, and the picture books laid out for reading all belong to Charlip. A perfect day in a perfect volume. (Picture book. 3-6)
