A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Stead, P.C.  (2010).  A Sick Day for Amos McGee. New York; A Neal Porter Book by Roaring Brook Press.

The book is a Caldecott Winner from 2010.

Exposition:  The main characters are Amos McGee and the animals he cares for in the zoo.

Conflict:  Amos was the favorite worker of all those who helped care for the animals.  The problem arose when Amos didn’t come to work one day.

Rising Action:  Amos would go through the same routine every day, get up, get dressed, eat his breakfast,  get on the number 5 bus and visit with the animals at the zoo while he helped care for them.  He played chess with the elephant, ran races with the turtle, sat with the very shy penguin, helped the rhino with his runny nose and read to the owl.

Climax:  The routine never changed so when he did not show up for work one day, the animals decided to look for him.  They found him at home in his bed sick with a cold.

Falling Action:  The animals did for him what he had done for them every day.  The elephant set up the chess board, the turtle played hide and seek with him because he didn’t feel like running, the penguin sat on his feet to keep them warm, and the rhino was ready to offer a hanky when he needed one .

Resolution:  Amos began to feel better so he suggested tea and a good night’s sleep so they could catch the early bus back to the zoo the next morning.  Owl read them all a story before they went to sleep.

This book is illustrated really cute.  I am not acquainted with Erin Stead as an illustrator, but her drawings were excellent.  They fit the story perfectly.  My favorite was the way the elephant sat on the stool and the floor.  How did he ever get up?