REVIEW: Tricky’s Bad Day by Alison Lester

Published: 30th October 2018

Publisher: Affirm Press Kids

Pages: 32

Format: Hardcover picture book (borrowed from the library)

RRP: $ 19.99

5/5 Stars

Poor Tricky! Nothing is going right for him. Milk spills, pyjama buttons won’t work, his little sister wrecks their game, and when he tries to help out, everything gets worse. Tricky’s having a very bad day! Then Dad has an idea. Outside it’s wild, but there’s a lot to explore… From Australia’s favourite picture-book creator comes a warm and funny story about the very recognisable mess, muddle and love that is the life of a young family – and the freedom of an outside adventure.

Tricky’s Bad Day by Alison Lester is a sweet story about how a bad day can be instantly brightened with some one-on-one quality time with Dad.

Tricky is having the worst day. It started off with good intentions and small accidents (milk spills, helping his parents etc) and crescendoed into popped buttons, ruined favourite jumpers, and injuries from scooter accidents and dress up shoes. With Mum gone for the day, and Dad preoccupied with Tricky’s two younger siblings, Tricky’s day goes from bad to worse. But all is not lost, for once Mum returns home, Dad takes Tricky outside for some much needed one-on-one time. Together they go for a walk and climb their favourite trees as they watch the weather deteriorate and talk. Together, Tricky’s day is saved and it even turns out to be his best day ever.

Alison Lester has packed so much into this short and sweet picture book. The illustrations are perfectly positioned and accompany the text to bring true family heart and soul on the pages. On every page, you can feel the characters frustrations, anger and love for one another. The text is relatively simple, consisting of roughly four-plus lines per page.

All in all, Tricky’s Bad Day is a brilliant book about bad moods, well-intended-mishaps, family and the way out moods and mindsets can be changed for the better with a hug from a loved one. It’s a brilliant teaching tool for young children on how to cope when things don’t necessarily go their way and a story full of hope, love and family drama.

Tricky’s Bad Day won the CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood book of 2019.