Sad Days, Glad Days: A Story about Depression
Ages 5^-8. A foreword by a medical professional introduces this sensitive bibliotherapeutic picture book about a child whose mother suffers from depression. There isn't much plot: Amanda Martha explains about the sad days, glad days, and in-between days at her house, which are determined by how her mother feels. The story's ending is upbeat--Amanda Martha is allowed to keep the cat she has so longed for--but Hamilton offers no false promises to kids whose parents suffer from the illness. Instead, she offers a strong depiction of an honest, loving mother-and-child relationship that's constantly being tested, and a picture of a child who learns that she's neither the cause of nor the solution to her mother's problem. Owens' double-page-spread illustrations, in mostly cool colors, noticeably darken on sad days; on happy days, the pictures glow with bright hues.Stephanie Zvirin