Someday Is Not a Day of the Week

by Denise Brennan-Nelson, Kevin O'Malley (Illustrator)

We've all wished for Someday to get here, and now it is. Follow the tale of the young beaver, Max, and his quest to spend quality time with his parents and family. The tale for the ages and ageless will bring a happy tear of joy and love and a smile to the face of every child who undoubtedly heard the answer "Someday" after having asked "When?" An inspiring read for all of us, Someday finds Max looking for "Someday" on his calendar and realizing if it did exist, it would surely be the busiest day of the week. Don't pass on the chance to share this tale of love and the importance of family. Illustrator Kevin O'Malley and author Denise Brennan-Nelson bring Someday to frolicking life by setting aside their somedays as the days to make a difference. Parents, teachers, family and friends can do the same by picking up the book and let that special little one in their life know that they are more important and every moment together is a gift to be cherished today.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Relationships

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2005

Reviews

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars The ending of this book got me a little teary eyed. Just a great book about making time for those we love. Someday is NOT a day of a week! Set a goal, set a side some time and execute the plan! Great pictures, nice message. (Love that the Beavers Have Fish wallpaper)

[momruncraft · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first kid's book I've read in a long time that made me want to never forget it. There are favorites from when I was a child. Classics. Many of which, I have on our shelves. This one, most certainly, will be added. It's theme is one that is often taken for granted and overlooked in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. In an effort to appease the relenting three year old, I have often found myself saying, "No, not today. Someday..." This book sheds light on how it must feel to constantly hear those words and reminds me that someday is not a day of the week. Whether it be a trip to the zoo or life long goal...set a date. Make it real. Make it happen.

From the inside cover:
Young Max is happy, playful, and eager to share his day and thoughts with the people he loves the most. But Grandpa, Daddy, and even Momma are too busy to spend time with him. When Max asks when they will be ready, he is repeatedly told to wait until "someday." Just what is "someday" and when will it come?

When Max learns that "someday" is not part of the regular calendar, he enlightens his family on the lesson of taking time for what is important.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is about a little beaver who wants to do some funthings with his family, but everyone tells him, not today, someday. So he looks at the calendar and realizes that someday is not a day of the week. So he goes back and tries to convince his mom ( and dad and grandfather) to pick a day of the week, not just someday. Very cute, but be prepared, after reading this book your little one will may ask you to pick a day of the week, not just someday!

[Carrie Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the illustrations. I felt sad for the boy until the end and even could sympathize with the parents in the book. As parents we may be a little too busy for our children and while I enjoyed the book I felt a little guilty after reading it, because I have done the same. It was a good book!

[Letitia · Rating 5 out of 5]

How many of our kids have wanted to say these words?

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A child desperately wants to spend time with people...and the keep telling him "someday". A cute story that helps people see that people are more important that what needs to get done.

[Aneesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this treasure at the library while looking for a book that helped learn the days of the week. It does a little of that, but the story line is really precious as well.

[Beth Voecks · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute and a lesson to be learned by grown ups just as much as children...Someday is NOT a day of the week!! Make time for the important things even if they seem trivial. Great book!

[Carmen Nuland · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great reminder to all caregivers of children: they don't stay young long!

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful little book about how we as grow ups have to make time for what's really important.

[The Reading Countess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, albeit preachy reminder to parents and grandparents to seize the day with their littles.

[Edward Creter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someday is not, truth be told, an actual day of the week. It's a way of saying "Never put off tomorrow what you can do today." I often wish my mom and dad learned this lesson, but I've since grown to accept that procrastination does exist even with good people with good intentions. This book, though, seems bent on reinforcing guilt on parents instead of helping kids accepting that people break promises, nothing is done as planned, and yet this is what makes the reality of life a blessing. It's a tale of a small beaver named Max who is promised by his folks the whole family of busy beavers will do something together "someday". Max doesn't know what "Someday" is or in which part of the week it falls on. So he checks his talking calendar, and each one of the Seven Days says the same thing: Someday is not a Week Day at all, and the reason that there is no Someday, is because someday may never come at all. Life must be enjoyed with the family now, instead of putting it off till "Someday". A sweet story, but I think it carries the wrong message. But I'd rather leave it to you eager beavers to decide for yourselves.
THREE stars
Someday is still the coolest day!!!

[Bobby Kountz · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Simply Profound!”

This book should be a mandatory read for Parenthood! As an Author who has written on this subject from an adult perspective, this book represents an easy way for adults to change AND for children to learn about the reality of NOW. A great tool for instilling a sense of urgency and simple method to eliminate procrastination before it ever becomes a habit! This book earned every star, all five of them! AND, the illustrations are fantastic!
This little children’s book could help a parent overcome procrastination and keep a child from ever having to overcome this dreaded habit!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Don’t waste time waiting for Someday, Max, Friday said.”

Max has plans of going to the fair with his mom, building a fort with his dad and going fishing with his grandpa, but they always have other things to do and reply with “Someday, but not today.” Confused, Max gets some advice from the days of the week. “We can always make room for the things that matter most,” Sunday said kindly. “If you want to do something, Max, don’t wait for Someday, pick one of us.”

Clever story with an important message, especially for parents.

[Liliya Rubanenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this picturebook! This was a cute story about a beaver who is told by adults in his life that they will do this or that "someday." So he starts looking for someday on his calendar and realizes that someday is not a day of the week! I loved the moral about picking a specific day to do something instead of putting it off for someday. I would use this in the classroom to teach about not procrastinating.

Genre: Fantasy
Copyright: 2005

[Cassie Veselovsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a lesson here; one that needs to be learned by most every adult. "Someday" does not exist. Our little ones want us NOW. The message is simple: make time for the important things in life; laundry can wait.

[Memory Toast · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good message, but...dunno, just something that's holding me back from 4 stars.

[Lieca Brown Hohner · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a cute story. But it didn't seem that unique to me. It's a very good reminder to parents, though, that to-do lists will always exist. So you'll need to make time for "someday" activities!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I read it to my Kindergarten Math Summer Camp every year when we talk about the days of the week/calendars. Sometimes as parents, grandparents, etc. we use terms that younger kids just do not understand. I love the statement that the days of the week make to the beaver when he ask "Do you know where someday is?" "No one knows for sure and that's the problem, ... But he'll be really busy if he ever shows up!" Beaver does a good job in politely calling out his parents and grandparents on using the term "Someday" to continually to put him off when he asks about spending time with them. The pictures of Max with his mom at the fair, with his dad under the blanket fort, and with he and his grandfather fishing on the dock should make adults realize that we should more carefully listen to children.

[jennyreadit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although a picture book, the storyline is really for adults. Max asks his mother, father and grandfather to spend time with him and gets the same response... "someday." The days of the week tell Max someday isn't a day of the week, he shares that information with him mother and all three adults realize they need to spend time with him instead of putting it off. This book could be used with children to share about procrastination, as well.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic story that reminds us that we need to stop putting off the fun things that we like to do with our loved ones. Chores and errands will always need to be done, but sometimes, someday needs to be today! Our girls enjoyed the story a lot, but occasionally got confused between Sunday and Someday when I read it aloud to them.

[Darlene Andre · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book, thinking of how it will provide me with an opening to "someday lists" for my students. Both Layne and Atwell discussed the importance of having a plan as readers. This coming year the lists will be part of my students' reading and writing logs rather than a piece of paper that could be lost.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a lesson here; one that needs to be learned by most every adult. "Someday" does not exist. Our little ones want us NOW. The message is simple: make time for the important things in life; laundry can wait.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this seems aimed more at adults than at young readers, it offers an important message couched in a fun story. For youngest ones, it actually addresses the question of naming days on he week and other "days" like everyday, someday, etc.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book for adults as much as it is for kids - reminding us all that time with our kids should never be put off so much that they start realizing that "someday" will never come.

[Jeana]

one of my favorites

[Christine Turner]

ATA Storytime Kit -- Time -- Item needs to be reviewed.

Subject: Days -- Fiction.
Parent and child -- Fiction.