Tall Order! Go Be Wonderful! by Donna Gephart

WHEN DAISY WAS BORN, DADDY HELD HER CLOSE AND WHISPERED, "GO BE WONDERFUL."

AND SHE WAS.

A challenge to be wonderful is a tall order. But Daisy did all the baby things well. She cried and slept and ate, and inevitably, she came through. . . .

SHE WENT POO.

She giggled when Daddy played Peek-A Boo--every time, until one day she was one year old, and mommy sang...

"GO BE WONDERFUL!"

She gave her dog, Mr. Bonkers, a ride in her new truck, and dressed him up in a funny party hat, and performed in the pot-and-pan band for the party goers. On her second birthday, she got smooched by grandparents and fed Mr. Bonkers, and refused to go to bed until. . .

. . . after six drinks of water and seven stories and a big sloppy kiss from Mr. Bonkers, who was all too willing to sleep with her, she went to sleep!

And to celebrate her third birthday she finally rose to the challenge and used the potty!

Her fourth birthday was a piece of cake. She raked leaves and jumped into them with Mr. Bonkers.

Daisy met all requirements, hitting all the right marks to be wonderful. And then it was time to start to school! Everyone in the family--her parents and grandparents, three uncles and her neighbor, Ms. Myrna-- were all there with the same expectation.

DAISY WASN'T SURE SHE'D BE WONDERFUL AT SCHOOL!

What if she didn't know where to put her lunchbox? What if nobody would be her friend? What if she was homesick for Mr. Bonkers and cried in front of everyone?

WHAT IF SHE GOT LOST ON HER WAY TO THE BATHROOM?

Being wonderful is a tall order, but Daisy is well on her way, even on the first day of school, in Donna Gephart's brand-new birthday girl book, Go Be Wonderful! (Holiday House, 2021). In this exuberant celebration of the good times, the wonders of early childhood, author Gephart's gentle narration and artist Francesca Chessa's bright illustrations show the wonders of growing up in a warm family and neighborhood setting that nurtures childhood to be as wonderful as they can be.