The Windy Day by Tony Sandoval

Title: The Windy Day
Author & Illustrator: Tony Sandoval
Genre: Children's Book, Picture Book
Publisher: Lion Forge
Date: May 14, 2009
Length: 33 pages

Review copy from NetGalley
A young girl sets out on her own to fly her kite and encounters a pirate cloud full of goblins looking to cause trouble. She is rescued by a big black wolf who scare the goblins away and stays to help her fly her kite as high as possible.
Their friendship teaches her courage (which is what she names the wolf). An adorable, simple children's story by three-time Eisner nominee Tony Sandoval.

Description from NetGalley

I might not work in an elementary library anymore, but I'm always on the lookout for picture books. I enjoy them and the kids are constantly looking for ways to postpone bedtime. I liked the art style on the cover and I was immediately sold by "a pirate cloud full of goblins". My daughter loves spooky imagery and I love pirates, so hopefully this would be great fit for us.

What I liked

Illustrations: I love Sandoval's pen and ink illustrations and it's obvious why he's been nominated for an Eisner Award multiple times. His work can be bright or moody and mysterious. The fun and spooky details are an excellent way to reflect the girl's imagined fears. They gave The Windy Day a Labyrinth feel and the kids and I enjoyed it. Even my video game obsessed 9 year old enjoyed exploring the pictures with his sister.

The Windy Day by Tony Sandoval

The Windy Day by Tony Sandoval

Concept: A girl wants to fly her kite but gets side tracked by her fears and over active imagination. Finding your courage and facing your fears is something everyone can relate to. Whether it's being afraid of the dark, thunderstorms, or chickens, kids love being able to connect to a story and share their own experiences.

The Girl is afraid of chickens: Totally random, but I just loved that bit. My mom hated chickens and I grew up with a serious dislike of them. When The Girl says, "But I was afraid to go alone, because the chickens were loose." I was like, "Same, Girl. Chickens are the worst."

What I'm on the fence about

Wording was odd: The story seemed to get tripped up by repetitive or peculiar wording. There isn't a lot of text so the awkward sentences really stood out. Sometimes I thought the author was trying to create a rhythm or maybe had a lyrical style of writing, but it wasn't consistent. It was just odd little things, like referring to the sky as a landscape, "nicknaming" your wolf-dog instead of naming him, and using "tears" or "me" in consecutive sentences on the same page. (This is probably a "me" problem. It is Extended Essay time and I spend a lot of time discussing word choice and specificity with students.) Kid 2 didn't even notice, and I'm sure most other kids wouldn't if you were reading it to them. Sandoval is a Mexican artist and author, so I'm assuming The Windy Day was originally written in Spanish. I could be wrong, but a direct translation might explain some of the clunky sentences.

Rating: 3

Fantastic illustrations and a great idea are slowed down by the author's (or the translator's) word choice. Chances are high that the target audience won't even notice this, so definitely pick it up from your library.

What was your weirdest fear as a kid? I thought that Darth Vader lived in our laundry room and I was terrified to walk (or run) past it. I knew he would jump out and snatch me. I clearly remember the stress and anxiety this caused. I never did outgrow the fear that something would eat my foot or hand if it hung off the bed. Please tell me I'm not alone on this one.