My six-year-old son and I are in the midst of our own book reading challenge, working our way through 100 books by Christmas. When the folks at Tricycle Press (an imprint of Ten Speed Press) sent us a copy of Yesterday I Had the Blues, we were excited to add another book to our list and started reading it that night.
The GOOD: An easy read, Nicholas was able to read most of the words along with me, which both of us love. Big, bold, colorful pictures throughout, it was a fun story and Nicholas learned something new … what “the blues” are.
The BAD: Honestly? I didn’t care for the grammar in this book. With Nicholas in the first grade, speaking properly and having good grammar are important things to us, and this book goes a little south of that. “Sarah says she got the pinks.” “Mama says she got the reds.” I found myself correcting the grammar as I read it to him.
MONEY MATTERS: $7.99 from Amazon and nationwide bookstores.
The MOM VERDICT
Cate says: Poor grammar aside, the book has won numerous awards, including the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award and the Nick Jr. Family Magazine Best Book of the Year Award. It has also been featured on the PBS/WGBH show, “Between the Lions.” I probably wouldn’t have purchased this book on my own, but I’m glad we got a chance to read it. It was something different and a fun story for both of us to enjoy after a long day.
