The Day You Begin Book Review
Since the beautiful book cover release, The Day You Begin/ El Día en qué Descubres Quien Eres has probably been on the top of your list for 2018. Award winning team Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael Lopez have created this new picture book and it is even more perfect than we anticipated.
Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are my own.
The Day You Begin/ El Día en qué Descubres Quien Eres
First and most importantly, this book is a moving letter of encouragement kids who feel alone. The book opens with a somber reflection that many of us can relate to:
There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you.
There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you. Share on X
From there, we follow a series of students who feel like they stand out and don’t fit in with their classmates. There will be times when the world feels like a place that you’re standing all the way outside of… and all that stands beside you is your own brave self — steady as steel and ready even though you don’t know what you’re ready for.
Brave Not Perfect
As founder of Girls Who Code Reshma Saujani says, teach girls to be brave, not perfect. Young girls and women need to hear that it is okay be comfortable with imperfection, especially when beginning a new school.
(Tune in to the Brave Not Perfect podcast on iTunes.)
Jacqueline Woodson’s lyrical text and Rafael López’s dazzling art reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes. Furthermore, it reminds us that sometimes a changemakers come in all shapes and sizes.
Finally, it reminds us that sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories about going through hard times, others will be happy to meet us halfway.
On a personal note, this book is incredible and one of our favorites of all time already. We move countries, continents, and schools every 1-2 years, so this book perfectly resonates for our family. As a multiracial family, we have different struggles than most expatriates. Books with gentle words like these propel us forward even when it is very difficult.
Purchase the book in English or Spanish on Amazon | Shop your local indie bookstore.
Book released Tuesday, August 28th, 2018. Recommended for ages 5-9.
About the Author
She is the 2014 National Book Award winner for her New York Times bestselling memoir Brown Girl Dreaming, which was also a recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award, a Newbery Honor, the NAACP Image Award and a Sibert Honor.
She receive the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award and is a four-time Newbery Honor winner, a three-time National Book Award finalist, and a two-time Coretta Scott King Award winner.
Her books include The Other Side, Each Kindness, Coming On Home Soon, Feathers, Show Way, After Tupac and D Foster, and Miracle’s Boys. She received the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement for her contributions to young adult literature.
Follow Jacqueline Woodson on Twitter @jackiewoodson.
Biracial Bookworms
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