This Caldecott winning book is truly an instant classic.  A Sick Day for Amos McGee is one of the best children’s stories in modern literature. Amos McGee is a humble and adorable man who works as a zookeeper at the city zoo. Every morning Amos wakes up, stretches his legs, puts on his uniform and takes the bus to the zoo. He makes sure to visit his friends every day. Amos plays chess with elephant, runs races with the tortoise, visits with the penguin, and even reads a book aloud to the owl before bedtime (who is afraid of the dark).   The illustrations are so touching that the reader immediately befriends each of the zoo characters.  One day, Amos is not feeling well so he climbs back into bed. His friends at the zoo are worried about his absence so they board the bus to visit Amos at his house. There, the animals entertain Amos and care for him by serving him tea, reading a book, and tucking him in.  Next all the animals cuddle up with Amos for their evening slumber and head back to the zoo the next day.   The intricate details in the illustrations are fascinating and add so much depth to a heart-warming story.

written by Phillip C. Stead and illustrated by Erin Stead

Ages 2 and up

Reviewed by Jessica Henson of Kidz Tales Children’s Books

www.kidztales.com