EVERY DAY'S A HOLIDAY

A family makes the most of every day of the year through big and small celebrations.

Several days after turning 5, Winnie can’t wait until her next birthday, but there are 362 days until then. So her mother comes up with a way to encourage Winnie to appreciate the days in between birthdays. “Happy National Popcorn Day!” Winnie’s mom declares on Jan. 19. The pair share the same high energy throughout the yearlong celebration of holidays. The ambitious project is lovingly designed to stretch from Winnie’s fifth to sixth birthdays, which could be inspiring to some caregivers or enough to make some feel like underperformers at large. Though the tone is upbeat, the selection of holidays seems random. Silly, sweet festivities like Send a Card to a Friend Day (Feb. 7) and Kick Butt Day (the second Monday in October) dominate, though Patriot’s Day, Veterans Day, and Independence Day are also part of the mix, along with Lunar New Year and Passover, celebrated with, respectively, Winnie’s classmates and her neighbors. Mexican, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and Indian cuisines are shared during various food appreciation days, though Black culture and celebrations aren’t acknowledged. The busy art, in a warm, bright color scheme, is effective, with a blend of vignettes and full-page images. Winnie and her family are brown-skinned; her community is a diverse one. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A cheery though scattered invitation to appreciate the calendar year.