A sick day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead

Ill. by Erin E Stead. Allen and Unwin, 2011.
(Ages 5+) Recommended. Picture book. Each day Amos McGee gets up early, doffs his pajamas and dons his suit ready for work. He takes the bus and gets to his workplace, the City Zoo. Here he communes with many animals, but notably the elephant, tortoise,
rhinocerus, penguin and owl. With each animal he spends time doing something that they cannot do, and the line for each gives a hint as to another story about each animal.
But one day Amos McGee is sick in bed and cannot come to work. The animals are bereft without their friend and together they make up their minds that they will visit him, leaving the zoo, boarding a bus and cramming into his small home.
An endearing story of friendship, the illustrations are a treat, offering another layer of story within the text. Images are given to reinforce what Amos McGee does for the animals, and little jokes can be found by the diligent reader. A warm inviting story, this book is a Caldecott Medal Winner, amongst its many other awards and prizes.
Fran Knight