Thursday
Thursday book cover

Thursday

Hardcover – Picture Book, June 1, 2022

Price
$9.89
Format
Hardcover
Pages
32
Publisher
Two Lions
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1542032896
Dimensions
8.5 x 1 x 11 inches
Weight
1.06 pounds

Description

Review “Told with great sensitivity and beauty by author/storyteller Ann Bonwill and charmingly illustrated by the artistry of Kayla Harren, Thursday is an impressively presented picture book of healing and hope for young children who are experiencing the trauma of divorce and an effective, entertaining, and thoroughly ‘kid friendly’ testament to the power of friendship in helping overcome life’s biggest problems.” ―Midwest Book Review “Divorce is a difficult process for the parties involved, but it can be especially tough on children. This picture book beautifully relates what that process can look like with respect and sensitivity.” ― Booklist “Brilliantly crafted and written, this is the BEST picture book about divorce I’ve ever read.” ― Imagination Soup About the Author Ann Bonwill grew up in Maryland surrounded by books. Before becoming an author, Ann worked as a clinical social worker, a Montessori teacher, and an autism therapist. She is now the author of multiple picture books and nonfiction books for children, including When Mermaids Sleep , illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher, and I Am Not a Copycat! , illustrated by Simon Rickerty. Ann has lived in many places, from Albuquerque, New Mexico; to Frankfurt, Germany. She currently lives in Virginia with her family. Learn more about the author at www.annbonwill.com. Kayla Harren is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York City with a BFA in illustration. She’s an award-winning illustrator of multiple picture books, including A Boy Like You , written by Frank Murphy, and The Boy Who Grew a Forest , written by Sophia Gholz, among other titles. Her work has been featured in the Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, Communication Arts , and 3x3 Magazine , and she won the Highlights for Children Pewter Plate Award. She lives in Minnesota with her family. Learn more about the illustrator at www.kaylaharren.com.

Features & Highlights

  • A true friend can help us through anything…
  • When a little girl learns about her parents’ divorce on a Thursday, it ruins her favorite day of the week. But her stuffed-unicorn friend steps in to help, taking her on adventures to cheer her up and staying by her side to comfort her when feelings are hard. Then, slowly, the little girl and her unicorn friend awaken to the natural world that surrounds them as life continues to shift and change…until the day that Thursday can become just Thursday again. Told with great sensitivity and beauty, this is a book of healing and hope for children experiencing divorce and a testament to the power of friendship in helping us to overcome life’s biggest obstacles.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
60%
(406)
★★★★
25%
(169)
★★★
15%
(101)
★★
7%
(47)
-7%
(-47)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

Calm, reassuring, realistic look at divorce

This lovely book shares a realistic picture of divorce or separation without overtly assigning emotion or value to it. It’s open enough to allow and invite conversation and can apply to a wide variety of coparenting situations. My children needed this book 10 years ago and when I showed it to them, said as much. Don’t hesitate - add it to your library.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

hearing that parents are divorcing

A girl is devastated hearing that her parents will divorce and that some of her things will be at Dad’s place and her other things will end up in Mom’s home. Her stuffed unicorn gives her solace. The title comes from the day of the week when she hears the horrible news. Thursdays become a day of sadness, but the process of healing can make it turn back into a regular day. This is a much-needed story that comes across as gentle, sweet, and sensitive.
1 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Should be read/discussed as a family

Thursday is a book that may be useful for families anticipating or going through divorce or for someone’s child who has a friend going through one.

Author Ann Bonwill tells the girl’s story through the eyes of her beloved stuffed unicorn. It’s a friendly way to tell the story, but it’s not clear the unicorn is the storyteller for the first five pages, so kids may need some help with that. Bonwill’s text is straightforward and warm, and it’s clear she wants readers to come away knowing it’s OK to be sad and that things will become better over time.

Illustrator Kayla Harren’s use of colored backgrounds — yellow for before the divorce, blue for time with mom, and purple for time with dad — offer visual cues for younger readers. As the book progresses, everything becomes brighter and the differentiation is more subtle (blue or purple shirts rather than the entire background). Harren’s illustrations are expressive and have an overall tone of sweetness. And her unicorn is charming.

Thursday is a book that should be read together as a family and discussed. Children, especially younger ones, could come away thinking that they’re supposed to feel bad on a certain day and remember that sadness each time that day comes around. I’m sure this is not the author’s intention, but it could easily be taken that way.