Visiting Day

Illustrated by James E. Ransome
Look inside
$8.99 US
Penguin Young Readers | Nancy Paulsen Books
70 per carton
On sale Aug 11, 2015 | 978-0-14-751608-4
Age 5-7 years
Reading Level: Lexile AD520L
Sales rights: US/CAN (No Open Mkt)
In this moving picture book from multi-award winning author Jacqueline Woodson, a young girl and her grandmother prepare for a very special day--the one day a month they get to visit the girl's father in prison. "Only on visiting day is there chicken frying in the kitchen at 6 a.m, and Grandma in her Sunday dress, humming soft and low." As the little girl and her grandmother get ready, her father, who adores her, is getting ready, too, and readers get to join the community of families who make the trip together, as well as the triumphant reunion between father and child, all told in Woodson's trademark lyrical style, and beautifully illusrtrated by James Ransome.
Only on Visiting Day
is there chicken frying
in the kitchen at 6 a.m.
and Grandma
humming soft and low,
smiling her secret
just-for-Daddy-and-me smile,
and me lying me bed,
smiling my just-for-Grandma-and-Daddy smile.
And maybe Daddy is
already up,
brushing his teeth,
combing his hair back, saying,
"Yeah, that pretty little girl of mine is coming today,"
with all the men around him
looking on jealous-like
'cause they wish they had
a little girl of their own coming.
"This poignant picture book chronicles a joyfil girl narrator's hard-to-bear anticipation and special preparations for a journey with her grandmother to see her father.. . A shared feeling of hope and tenderness pervades each spread."--Publishers Weekly

"Woodson stays firmly planted in the perspective of a sentient young child who is comforted by the familiarity of her world."--Children's Literature

"The text is spare, gentle, and reassuring."--School Library Journal

About

In this moving picture book from multi-award winning author Jacqueline Woodson, a young girl and her grandmother prepare for a very special day--the one day a month they get to visit the girl's father in prison. "Only on visiting day is there chicken frying in the kitchen at 6 a.m, and Grandma in her Sunday dress, humming soft and low." As the little girl and her grandmother get ready, her father, who adores her, is getting ready, too, and readers get to join the community of families who make the trip together, as well as the triumphant reunion between father and child, all told in Woodson's trademark lyrical style, and beautifully illusrtrated by James Ransome.

Excerpt

Only on Visiting Day
is there chicken frying
in the kitchen at 6 a.m.
and Grandma
humming soft and low,
smiling her secret
just-for-Daddy-and-me smile,
and me lying me bed,
smiling my just-for-Grandma-and-Daddy smile.
And maybe Daddy is
already up,
brushing his teeth,
combing his hair back, saying,
"Yeah, that pretty little girl of mine is coming today,"
with all the men around him
looking on jealous-like
'cause they wish they had
a little girl of their own coming.

Praise

"This poignant picture book chronicles a joyfil girl narrator's hard-to-bear anticipation and special preparations for a journey with her grandmother to see her father.. . A shared feeling of hope and tenderness pervades each spread."--Publishers Weekly

"Woodson stays firmly planted in the perspective of a sentient young child who is comforted by the familiarity of her world."--Children's Literature

"The text is spare, gentle, and reassuring."--School Library Journal