The first thing that struck me about this children’s book was that Kay was obviously suffering from some kind of disability, although it was never directly mentioned what her disability was. Through Kay’s actions of needing to put her headphones on to buffer the loud noises, getting frustrated while waiting in line to touch the sharks with Ben, and then experiencing a shark splashing her, the story definitely hinted to Kay dealing with something like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). I thought it was wonderful how Ms. DePaola described Kay’s actions and showed how Ben was such a good friend that he helped Kay deal with the issues she was experiencing. This shows children that instead of singling out someone who is having issues with something because of an illness or disorder they have, offer assistance in helping them get through whatever their issue is at the moment. By offering them aid, it shows how understanding you are to that person’s needs and feelings. I thought this was exemplary behavior of Ben toward Kay.

I really enjoyed that DePaola decided to write her book wrapped around Kay going to the aquarium for the first time. I think because of the fun illustrations of being in the aquarium, it will draw children in who love going to the aquarium or for those who haven’t had the pleasure yet of visiting one. It made it a fun backdrop to the story, one you don’t see very often in children’s books. I think once a child reads Kay’s story, they’ll want to pay a visit to their local aquarium too to get the opportunity to touch sharks or whatever animal might be in the touch tanks. While I read the book, I felt I was in the aquarium standing right next to Kay and Ben. Children will feel the same way!

The illustrations that were found on every-other-page were done in muted colors and were enjoyable to look at. Each picture perfectly illustrated the story that was told in written word. They were done in just enough detail that will catch the reader’s eyes, and they’ll stop and pause to see just what Kay and Ben will do next. Readers will enjoy looking at the illustrations as much as reading Ms. DePaola’s story.

While reading this story, I found out that the author is a special education teacher and reading specialist. Her passion for writing developed at a young age, and she would write stories after school instead of doing her assigned homework. Her writing passion has now led to her be a published children’s author.

Overall, A Big Day for Kay is a story that readers will enjoy no matter what their age. The story is entertaining, the illustrations are enjoyable to look at, and the author presents a great message for children to learn from. It comes highly recommended!