Lunedì

by Anne Herbauts, M. D'Agostini (Translator)

This playful and original picture book takes three friends through the days of the week as well as the seasons of the year. Monday is our main character and as we move through the days of the week he becomes smaller and smaller until Sunday when he virtually disappears in a snowstorm. His two freinds go off to look for him. They too move through the days of the week as well as the seasons of the year as they search for their friend. At the end they finally find him, and he is just a little bit different, for as we know, no one Monday is the same as the next.

Please note that there are five different weights of paper used in this book and as the reader moves from the lushness of spring into the browns of autumn and the icy whiteness of winter the paper becomes thinner and thinner. Additionally, the paper is textured with a Braille-like effect during the snowstorm at the end of the book.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Described by a friend as very "conceptual," Anne Herbauts' Monday is a poetically-worded picture book, with fascinating illustrations and textured pages that invite young readers to touch...

Although a little bit vague on what the actual concept might be (the passage of time, perhaps?), I was so dazzled by the brilliant illustrations that I didn't much care... The author's clever play on words - Monday's two friends are named Lester Day and Tom Morrow - was a nice touch...

Overall, I would say that this is the sort of deceptively simple story that will reward longer reflection. But as a picture book for young children, for whom it would seem intended, I am not sure that it will succeed.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why does everything have to mean anything at all?
This book is not about anything. It is not about anything since it is about everything. Children understand this matter. Grown-ups and their infinite interpretations are always getting in the way. How exhausting! Please, please read this to remember what it means not to mean.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Gertrude Stein was writing and painting for children, this might be what she'd come up with. Great, inventive fun. The story gets clunky but is secondary anyway to the fantastic art

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the illustrations in this book but the story seemed a bit confusing for a children's book. I did enjoy the seasons and how each had a "personality"

[Dasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very sad book.
As such I am not sure how children would take to it - although children seem to be a lot more resilient to sadness then adults I find. I was reading a book to my 9 year old sister in which the main character lost both of his parents and went to live with a mean stepmother and I was completely depressed and enveloped in empathy - how would I feel if my both my parents died and I had to go live with someone who didn't love me? I was worried that my sister [who is actually quite sensitive:] would start to worry about that as well - would have nightmares - etc etc [I would get in trouble with my stepmother:] - but SHE DIDN'T CARE, didn't ask me one questions about it.
I digress.
This is a very sad book - that I absolutely adore for its beauty and the way the pages turn like a piece of music - there is a page that's completely quiet. Someone who writes a book with one page that's a pause deserves 5 stars in my book.

[Emmy]

Imagine that each season had a personality. Well, that is exactly what happens in Monday, by Anne Herbauts. Here is a Monday, a curious creature who travels through the days of the week and the four seasons with his friends Lester Day and Tom Morrow. Monday is a friend to the seasons too, spring is green and gustful, summer is golden and content, autumn is wild and confounding, and winter is cold and silent.

From the cutout house on the cover to the textured snow flakes of the page, this is tactile book has quirky and creative paintings that will ignite imaginations. I enjoyed the explanation of death and renewal in the seasons of the year, and the surprise ending!

Monday by Anne Herbauts.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but I really couldn't tell what this book was about. The middle part, where the seasons came in and spoke, was nice, especially winter. But the rest didn't make sense to me. I also didn't care for the illustrations, despite the stippling of the white snow on the pages near the end to represent snowflakes. Was Monday supposed to be a penguin or a man with a penguin head? What's with the teapot named Lester Day (yesterday)? If someone can enlighten me, I wish they would!

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated, but I think something must be lost in translation here. It starts out as kind of a witty story about a penguin(?) named Monday with his friends, Tom Morrow and Lester Day. Then it goes into a poetic part with all the seasons and Monday is covered in snow so his friends can't find him. He ends up in his house. If it's confusing to a 30-something, how in the world is my 4 yr old supposed to understand it? And how would I explain it to him if he asked?

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm puzzling over the meaning of this poetic picture book, but as always, Anne Herbaut's artwork dazzles and her creative, tactile use of paper delights. I didn't realize this until I read about it in a review, but as the story progresses, the pages go from thick paper to thinner and thinner paper to reflect the falling action in the story. Original and thought provoking. (Okay, and maybe a little mystifying...)

[Natalie Aristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated and written. There's a lot going on here that parents will appreciate but they may end up appreciating it more than their children. The allegory is probably far more sophisticated than the picture book audience for which it seems intended.

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

i didn't understand it.

[Amanda BeReckonedwith · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful and non-sensical.
not for everyone. probably not for most children.