An Ordinary Day

Lightheartedly opening on an ordinary day on a neighborhood street, two children play, one woman cares for her garden, and a crow noisily disapproves of all their actions. Then two cars pull up to the two quiet houses across the street, and doctors step out to knock on the respective doorsteps. As they enter into the two different homes, one doctor cares for a sick golden retriever (the pet of a non-traditional family with two women as the parents) and the other doctor cares for and provides a home delivery for a pregnant woman (traditional family with a father who has a cochlear implant). The text and illustrations for each house’s story are set side by side throughout the book, comparing the differences and similarities in each experience. All the while the neighborhood children and woman in her garden are oblivious to what’s going on behind closed doors, leaving the reminder that other people are going through extraordinary things while others unknowingly going about their ordinary days. The stunning illustrations composed through a mix of techniques create a soft, lovely feel are a base of grayscale juxtaposed with muted additions of color, further displaying the effect of opposites the story and title present. Though on topic of the circle of life, this book isn’t necessarily helpful for coping with death, and the storyline itself isn’t of general interest.