Reviewed by Kellie Nissen
Amanda Caomhanach – aka Amanda Commander because
no-one can say her last name – and her friends Mai and Lu are back at it again
in the fourth Amanda Commander book, The Blues Day Tuesday. Once again,
they’re noticing when things aren’t quite right at school, and then working to do
something about it.
This time, Amanda notices one of her classmates,
Rosie, seems very left out after she returns to school following a few days
away, sick. Not only does Rosie have to do her volcano poster by herself
because everyone else is already paired up, but her usual group of friends seem
to have forgotten she exists.
After a little bit of planning, Amanda, Mai and Lu
– the Dolphin Squad – swing into action, making sure Rosie feels included
again. Then more students start getting sick and needing days off, which keeps
the squad busy until, suddenly, Amanda finds herself at home with a cold.
Surely, when Amanda returns to school, she won’t be
left out – or will she? And what will have when Eve Kelly – Miss Popular – has
a few days off?
If Amanda Commander: The Blues Day Tuesday had
been around when I was in primary school, I know it would have really resonated
with me because I was always super uncomfortable going back to school after a
few days off … but I’d always thought it was a ‘me thing’. Turns out, it
wasn’t. And still isn’t. As I read, I found myself wishing there had been an
Amanda Commander and a Dolphin Squad at my school!
Coral Vass has crafted an immediately relatable story
that is supplemented by Heidi Cooper Smith’s often poignant illustrations to
bring forward a very real problem faced by most children at some point – being
left out or feeling like they’re on the outer.
The Blues Day Tuesday is the perfect book
for beginning readers, who are ready to move on to ‘chapter books’ and read
independently. With its themes of kindness, friendship and inclusivity, it’s
also an ideal ‘shared read’ for children aged 4–7 years with their parent or
teacher as it is sure to inspire deeper conversations, reflections,
problem-solving and personal connections.
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