Book Description
for Benji, the Bad Day, and Me by Sally J. Pla and Ken Min
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Sammy’s had a hard day at school. His little brother, Benji, has had a hard day at preschool. “When Benji’s had a bad day, we tiptoe and speak softly. When I’ve had a bad day, no one tiptoes or speaks softly.” Sometimes it seems everything is about Benji. Sammy can’t take karate lessons because the classes are on the same day Benji has therapy with “Super-Happy-Lady.” But on this day when nothing is going right, Sammy gets comfort from Benji, who comes out from the cardboard fort where he likes to take refuge and burrito-wraps Sammy in his fuzzy blue blanket, just like Mama does for Benji because it comforts him when he’s upset. The author shares that she has one child with autism and one without. It also stresses that no two kids with autism are alike, and that everyone, whether or not they are autistic, has bad days. (Ages 5–8)
CCBC Choices 2019. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2019. Used with permission.