Just So Stories

EK Books

August 2024

9781922539847

$24.99

So I’ll admit there are not many truly positive songs about Mondays: Imagine Dragons‘ offering [such a great band!] has terrific upbeat lyrics but the whole premise of their video clip is a tad unsettling, The Mamas and the Papas had a very dreary break-up song, then there’s Manic Monday sung by the Bangles but written by Prince and let’s not even go near Boomtown Rats, who had such a massive hit with I Don’t Like Mondays [but do you actually know the back story of that one?] and there’s a heap more but I guess the only one that has a really positive message for me is the late, great Jimmy Buffet’s Come Monday.

No wonder poor Monday is feeling so upset to be getting scads of letters all complaining about how much the writers hate Mondays. She tries hard to get the other days of the week to do a swap – but really, who would want to give up being Taco Tuesday? or Fun FriYay? and truly, no point even to ask the weekend days.

But then, Monday discovers some letters that are full of happy news – about getting a new puppy or having basketball practice or a birthday – and all these writers just LOVE Monday. I’ll be honest. Though I’ve never been particularly anti-Monday [exception being when I’ve been really tired] especially when in my libraries because each week came with its own special joys and events, I have to say I like them even more now I’m not working full time!

But honestly, all Monday needed was a little affirmation of positivity to give her self-belief the boost it needed. This is a fun and simple way to encourage children to think about their differences and what it is that makes each of them special and unique – as well, of course, as doing all that practice with names of the days and ordering.

Kelly Lee’s text is lots of fun and the illos, by Amy Calautti are adorable – I’d love to see what Smalls come up with to give each day some personality in their own art. There is a lot of scope for some meaningful activities with this one. The teaching notes have some useful ideas in case your brain has some Monday-itis. I’m giving it a 4 📅📅📅📅 rating.