One Day by esteemed, award winning creators Shirley Marr and Michael Speechley, published by Walker Books, is a stunning, multilayered picture book. From the moment you open the front cover this book is an experience with its inventive design; uplifting, wise, exquisite prose about embracing opportunities and possibilities and rich visual storytelling with such clever, mesmerising details in the illustrations.
This outstanding story begins on May 18, the birthday of the Mayfly. This is anything but an ordinary day for the Mayfly who has a twenty-four-hour life cycle and June, a young girl in a yellow raincoat.
The Mayfly, complete with a party hat, is spotted by June who takes great delight in discovering this insect and is captivated as Mayfly takes flight. June’s grandparents wave goodbye to her as she follows Mayfly as she lives her one day.
Mayfly seizes every opportunity, is not deterred by negativity or intimidated by her unfamiliar and imposing surroundings. Instead, Mayfly is full of optimism and steadfast in her attitude and actions to make her one day count and embrace all the possibilities this day has to offer. This mindset sees Mayfly experience adventure, beauty, friendship, joy and the goodness that life has to offer.
The playful illustrations are superb, all glorious double page spreads, capturing the fullness and grandness that one day has to offer. The text and illustrations demand to be revisited as there are so many captivating details to enjoy. For example, the names of the buildings that Mayfly and June pass, all reflect different stages of life and often include the word day or daily in them relating to the lifecycle theme, (A1 Day care, Day Light Primary, Day Street High School, Juan Dei University all on one street).The placement of the buildings all side by side, reflect the linear stages in a person’s early life and then June comes to a dead end, signifying the end of the early life cycle. At this dead end June is now confronted with several buildings, all places of employment, a dead end where the path is no longer clear, she sees The Daily Grind to the left, Day Job Corporation straight ahead and Dream Job Ltd, interestingly the smallest of the buildings, to the right (and I do appreciate the addition of the Ltd). There is one page that says: “Life is a moment in time … a blink of an eye” and the use of the church in the illustration poignantly and evocatively captures life at different stages. I have poured over the illustrations and each page has joy to offer. Take note of the leaf shape the two Mayflies meet each other on, it is utterly perfect.
This book needs to be turned on its side to read and the opening endpaper sets the stage for this as it resembles a twelve-month calendar with the big boxes that you write in to record and plan life’s events. The final endpaper perfectly concludes this full circle story.
This is a must have picture book for every library collection.