ZIGGY’S BLUE-RIBBON DAY

Poor Ziggy: Track-and-Field Day at school is a pox on his life; he isn’t good at running or throwing balls or jumping. On the other hand, he likes to draw; if they only gave a blue ribbon for drawing pictures, he sighs. Ziggy’s both right and wrong: He tanks at the sporting events, true, but he garners a whole fistful of ribbons from the other kids when they ask him to decorate the envelopes, into which they’re putting their ribbons. Mills draws a neat, unaffected line under being recognized for what you do best and the unlikely venues that can serve to display your particular talent. Alley’s illustrations convey a genuine sense of Ziggy’s frustrations on the field, but also the focus and bliss that drawing brings into his life. (Picture book. 4-7)