SOME DAYS I'M THE WIND

A child discovers that there are multiple ways to act, feel, and be.

In defiance of static definitions, the book’s young narrator explores a wide range of emotions through a series of natural metaphors: “Some days I’m the wind, / a cyclone, a whirl, / dizzy, giddy, wild. // Some days I’m the wind, / a whisper, a breeze, / gentle, mellow, mild.” Sometimes the child feels like a tree or the rain—experiences that are similarly varied; all are enthusiastically celebrated. Parallelism and satisfying rhyme lend Gardyn Levington’s rich verse a gentle rhythm, echoed in the playful placement of the text on each page. Mirtalipova’s bright gouache illustrations connect the child’s inner world with reality and reflect the youngster’s vivid imagination. On one spread, a laundry basket transforms into a ship on calm waters as the protagonist quietly looks out to an island made up of piles of laundry. On another, a rug becomes an undulating river, with the child raucously sliding down it. The text resolves with a final loving affirmation to readers: “And just like the wind, / or the sun, / or the sea / on some days / I’m some ways, / but all days // I’m me.” The child is brown-skinned with long dark hair. Backmatter includes information on emotions, with discussion questions and activities written by a child development specialist.

A lushly illustrated, imaginative ode to a child’s rich emotional landscape.