Benji, the Bad Day, and Me
by Sally J Pla (Author) Ken Min (Illustrator)
Nothing seems to be going right for Sammy today. At school, he got in trouble for kicking a fence, then the cafeteria ran out of pizza for lunch. After he walks home in the pouring rain, he finds his autistic little brother Benji is having a bad day too. On days like this, Benji has a special play-box where he goes to feel cozy and safe. Sammy doesn't have a special place, and he's convinced no one cares how he feels or even notices him. But somebody is noticing, and may just have an idea on how to help Sammy feel better.
In this tender story about siblings, author Sally J. Pla shares her experience of raising sons with different personality traits and needs. Benji, the Bad Day, and Me embraces the philosophy that we are all part of a wide spectrum of neurodiversity. And on those really bad, rotten days, you can always count on family to be there for you.
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Publishers Weekly
Sammy, a boy with floppy black hair, had a bad day at school, and back home, he feels overlooked. Sammy's mother tells him to be quiet--his brother, Benji, is playing in his small, house-shaped "box," a sign that he, too, is having a rough day. "When I've had a bad day, no one tiptoes or speaks softly," Sammy laments. But when Benji sees that his brother is sad, he comforts him in the best way he knows. In Min's acrylic and colored pencil art, figures and forms resembling cut paper are set against calm brushed backgrounds. Pla doesn't overtly state that Benji is autistic (an author's note explores the topic further) but emphasizes his behaviors and qualities. With a light touch, Pla offers a thoughtful reminder that all siblings need extra love and attention sometimes. Ages 4-7. (Sept.)
Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.JUV051000 - Juvenile Fiction | Imagination & Play
JUV039150 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Special Needs
JUV013070 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Siblings
Family life
Brothers
Autism
Mood (Psychology)
