A SICK DAY FOR AMOS MCGEE by Phillip C. Stead, Ill. by Erin E. Stead

Bibliography
Stead, Philip C. 2010. A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Ill. by Erin E. Stead. New York: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 9781596434028

Plot Summary
A Sick Day for Amos McGee is about an elderly zookeeper who visits his animal friends at the zoo daily. One day, Amos wakes up with a cold and takes a sick day from work. His animal friends miss him that day and decide to visit Amos at home to see how he is. Amos is delighted to see his friends who nurture him for the rest of the day.

Critical Analysis
The plot is simple and believable. Amos gets sick and has to miss work to recover. The resolution is unique in that it is Amos’ animal friends who help him recover. It is the human personalities that each of the animal characters embodies that appeals to young children. The only human character, Amos, loves his job and the animals that are a part of it. Amos could have been anyone. It is only through the illustrations that the reader sees that he is a kind-hearted senior citizen.

The passage of time is key to the development of the story. Words and illustrations convey this clearly. There are depictions of the bored animal friends trying to wait patiently for Amos at the zoo. The story describes how the animals prepare for their daily meetings with Amos. When he does not show, there are wordless images of the animals waiting at the bus stop and then taking the bus to Amos’ house. It is at this moment that one realizes how well illustrations and words complement each other. The illustrations are also filled with little details about the characters that the text has no need to describe. For example, Amos sleeps with a teddy bear, and the penguin loves red balloons.

I read this story to my three year old for the first time, and we both loved it. He was able to relate to the characters, such as the penguin at the end that was still awake while everyone else was asleep. I thought the characters lovable and was thrilled to witness my young one understanding the overall message of friendship without it having to be clearly spelled out in the story. I myself was able to relate to the cozy feeling of being taken care of by loved ones.

Awards and Review Excerpts

Charlotte Zolotow Award, 2011 - Honor Book

Cybil Award, 2010 – Finalist

New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books, 2010

Randolph Caldecott Medal, 2011

Kirkus: "This gentle, ultimately warm story acknowledges the care and reciprocity behind all good friendships..."

Library Media Connection: "This is a sweet, but simple story about the value of friendship, loyalty, dedication, and duty."

Connections

The main theme of the story is friendship and coming through for friends when they need you the most. Share real life stories of helping others in need.

Read another book about friendship by Philip C. Stead: Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat. ISBN 9781596435629

The illustrations in A Sick Day for Amos McGee are full of little details and surprises that are not told in the written story. Can you find any?