A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Stead, P. (2010). A sick day for amos mcgee. New York, NY: Roaring Book Press.

Caldecott Medal Winner, 2011

In A Sick Day for Amos McGee, Philip Stead tells the dear story of Amos, an elderly zoo worker, who rises early and does the same thing every day.  He reads, plays, and races with the animals in the zoo.  But one day, he wakes up sick and does not go to work.  The animals miss him so they decide to return the favor and get on a bus to go find him.  Once at his house, they have tea, read a story, and eventually go to bed. 

Erin Stead’s illustrations are gorgeous; there is not a lot of color, but what color she uses is striking.  The animals are cute, and Amos is depicted as a lovable, precious, little old man, so the reader cannot help but fall in love with him and this story.