THE SUNDAY BLUES

If ever there was a case to argue for “living in the moment”—this is it. You can almost hear Fats Domino singing in the background as, inexplicably, Steve has a pretty passable Sunday while preoccupied with loathing Monday morning. In fact, Steve’s parents provide him with all the opportunities for great outdoor fun, transportation, and Sunday dinner with French fries and ice cream. But even on a visit to his favorite Auntie Vera, Steve comes back to reminding himself that blue Monday is just an overnight away. Ironically, in the end, when being dropped off at school, Steve remembers all his happy friends and their shared interests, and he is left in the moment of excitement starting a new week at school. More interesting than the humorous storytelling perhaps are the graphic techniques employed, incorporating crayon, collage, and lots of computer-generated backgrounds and scans that are the real sources of fun and hilarity here. Layton’s bright, eclectic illustration style should be reprised soon, while he is developing better storytelling ideas. (Picture book. 5-8)