Upside-Down Friday
By (Author) Lana Spasevski
Illustrated by Nicky Johnston
Exisle Publishing
EK Books
7th April 2021
New Zealand
Children
Fiction
Picture storybooks
Childrens / Teenage fiction: Nature and animal stories
823.92
Hardback
32
Width 254mm, Height 241mm
400g
Hugo the monkey doesnt like Upside-Down Fridays. The day is the wrong way round; lunchtime is at morning teatime, and all his classmates smiles look like frowns. How will Hugo learn to tame the butterflies in his tummy and find the fun to be had in change
Upside-Down Friday tells the story of the day Hugo embraces the unexpected. Walking to school, anxious thoughts swirl in his head. When he arrives, the day and his routine are as upside-down as he had feared. However, Maddie the giraffe knows how to help, and reassures Hugo that things wont always be this scary. With this small gesture of friendship and understanding, Hugo begins to feel braver, reflecting how making new friendships, helping others, and accepting change can help reduce childhood anxiety and build resilience.
With its universal animal-kingdom setting, the story has likable characters who will resonate with all pre-schoolers and lower primary-aged school children who feel nervous about change. The emotive language and unique upside-down illustrations make Upside-Down Friday relatable, immersive and accessible; an excellent resource for opening the conversation about anxiety and teaching strategies to cope with it.
Young childrens lives are full of big, scary changes like going to school and making new friends. Help them to build emotional resilience, and find the fun in days that dont go to plan!
This is a clever book about how school timetables are all over the place on Fridays and how this can be hard for little ones who like routine.
-- OH Creative Day"This newcomer from EK Books is SO totally relatable; who among us hasn't felt a touch of anxiety or angst when we're knocked out of our rituals or routines"
-- Barbara Gruener, Corner on CharacterI enjoyed seeing different characters dealing in their own ways with Hugos various emotions. The bookis a good reflection of the ways people respond to worrying situations, and to those who are anxious.
Another beautifully produced hardback book by EK Books that doesnt disappoint .A good story and a great resource for anyone who has small, anxious people in their circles.
Lana Spasevskiis a childrens author who writes stories that tap into the curious world of children. Her debut picture book,Maxs Dinosaur Feet, was inspired by the beautiful chaos of life with a young family. Her work has been longlisted in several competitions. Nicky Johnstonis a childrens author, illustrator, educator and speaker. She visits schools and presents at workshops and conferences, sharing her journey, promoting emotional resilience and raising awareness of mental health issues.