PAJAMA DAY

Isn’t there one in every class? All of Mrs. Shepherd’s students show up on Pajama Day with pillows, plushies, and pj’s—except for aptly named Drew A. Blank. Happily, Drew does bring along a full measure of ingenuity, and so rather than being “odd man out” all day, he quickly concocts alternative sleepwear from found materials, substitutes a balloon for a pillow, finds ways to participate in all the day’s activities—and even becomes a local hero by waking his classmates from an inadvertently extended naptime before they miss their bus. But there’s something else he’s supposed to remember. . . . Wickstrom’s relaxed cartoon scenes of smiling, bean-nosed figures visually underscore the casually inclusive atmosphere in Mrs. Shepherd’s class; readers who have already met these lively children and their understanding teacher in School Picture Day (2002) and Teacher Appreciation Day (2003) will happily snuggle down for this new episode. (Picture book. 6-8)