THE BLUE RIBBON DAY
By
Katie Couric
Illustrations by Marjorie Priceman
Katie Couric, NBC-TV newswoman and New York Times #1 bestselling author, returns with another beautifully illustrated, utterly engaging rhyming tale that teaches children an important lesson about life. Ellie McSnelly and Carrie O’Toole, the winning pair of friends from The Brand New Kid, are back in a new adventure, THE BLUE RIBBON DAY, (Doubleday, October 19, 2004; Price: $15.95) which explores an aspect of childhood that will resonate with kids and parents alike.
A lively and colorful story-- with vibrant illustrations by Marjorie Priceman--
that is certain to entertain while it teaches, Couric’s THE BLUE RIBBON DAY offers a positive spin on an important life lesson. Ellie and Carrie decide to try out for the school team in their favorite sport, soccer. But when only one of the girls is selected, the inseparable pair faces a challenge. What do you say when your best friend is terribly disappointed? Although some disappointments can’t be avoided, Carrie learns (with some help from her mother and old friend Lazlo) that while everyone may not be good at everything, everyone is good at something, especially if you have the courage to try.
For every reader who has ever set his or her heart on joining a sports team, getting a part in the school play, or winning a class election, and been let down, Katie Couric’s reassuring and inspiring story offers a charming life lesson in confidence.
As a parent who frequently reads to her children, Couric also knows the children’s book market. Expanding on her experience as a parent and as a bestselling author, she has set out to write another children’s book that would be different from the somber, overly moralistic books she has seen. Instead, she wanted to create something that would be snappy and fun, while making its point. Couric’s playful language finds a perfect match in the brilliant illustrations by Marjorie Priceman. A Caldecott winner for Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin, and the successful illustrator of 16 books, Priceman’s illustrations here are full of color and life.
Couric also succeeds in moving beyond this lighter tone to examine more emotional terrain. At the book’s end, though, readers of all ages will remember that “it might take some time, and perhaps a some tears, to find one’s special gift…but with compassion and encouragement, we can all help a child discover the joy and pride of doing something well.”
Demonstrating the very same qualities for which Couric is so well known as a television host, anchor, and interviewer, THE BLUE RIBBON DAY is written with warmth, humor, and sincerity.
Available here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...efamilycorne02 
