A perfect wonderful day with friends by Philip Waechter, translated by Melody Shaw

While a picture book with anthropomorphic animals cannot really be taken as a guide to life, I still feel that this book represents a significant sign that American culture is just... messed up. I can't imagine having a day like this (admittedly I have recently worked several weekends in a row, which may be affecting my viewpoint) and I can't really see any of the kids I know experiencing it either. Still, we can at least experience it vicariously through this peaceful, comforting book.

Detailed line drawings introduce us to the home of Raccoon, wearing a plaid yellow shirt and green pants, who is bored. reading and exercising don't help, so he sets out to do a little baking. When he finds he's missing an ingredient, he leisurely strolls down to Fox's home, where he finds her doing some home repairs. Fox needs a ladder, so the two friends walk on together, thinking happily about their enjoyable walk. They reach Badger's house, a cluttered collection of things, and find him trying to solve a crossword puzzle. The three friends continue on to see Bear, who, with the help of Crow, and after a more strenuous walk with some climbing, they find fishing. Bear is enjoying a peaceful afternoon, but she happily connects with her friends and when Fox loses patience and strips off to jump into the river, the rest of her friends join her for a dip. After drying off, the friends wander back home, stopping at each place to finish up a project, until they arrive at Raccoon's home and bake apple cake together, with an extra for Bear since she has a "big appetite." The story ends with the friends eating apple cake on the porch in the evening sun, "What a perfect, wonderful day!"

It's just so peaceful. There's no stress or worry about undone tasks, no impatience over plans, no anxiety or worries over their different interests or appetites. Just a handful of different friends, spending an afternoon together and enjoying the peaceful flow of life. The gentle repetition should make this work as a storytime read-aloud, but it might be of most interest to harried, exhausted adults longing for a more relaxed existence.

Verdict: This is an obvious import, from the different cadence of the text to the slice-of-life plot. I loved the delicate illustrations, with lots of fine details to pore over as well. It may not appeal to every family, but I think it's worth purchasing for those who will appreciate it and I certainly want a copy for my personal library.

ISBN: 9781776574667; Published August 2022 by Gecko Press; Borrowed from another library in my consortium