SISTER DAY
by Jyoti Rajan Gopal ; illustrated by Fanny Liem
Two sisters embark on a backyard adventure.
A young girl wakes up her sister by grabbing her quilt off the bed. A chase ensues, and the two girls turn the quilt into a swing. Later, while they play hide-and-seek, one of them finds a fairy doll in the closet. The siblings head to the backyard, where they start constructing a fairy glen out of sticks and flowers. One of the girls accidentally knocks over a bucket of water, destroying their hard work. A heated argument follows: “Anger bursts / words slice / tears build / NOT NICE!” After a good cry, they both apologize and turn their attention to the muddy slush, turning it into a mushroom home for their doll. They run, jump, and play for the rest of the day before finally falling asleep, content. While the children’s argument is resolved a bit too quickly, the mercurial dynamics of the sibling bond and the girls’ personalities shine through in the staccato text. The colorful, cheery illustrations are full of playful moments that show the children using their imaginations. The girls and their mother are depicted in warm shades of brown, and the textiles and aesthetics of their home cue them as South Asian.
An ode to sisterly love and creative play.
(Picture book. 4-8)