Saturday
It is a special, splendid Saturday, the day of the week Ava and her mother cherish after a busy week of work. The schedule for the day is set, but things do not go as smoothly as they had hoped. When they encounter disappointment throughout the story, including a cancelled storytime and forgotten tickets for a puppet show, Ava and her mother both take time to acknowledge their feelings, take some deep breaths together, and continue with their day. Beautiful paper collage illustrations perfectly capture the body language and facial expressions shared by Ava and her mother as they experience anticipation, joy, disappointment, and most of all love, as they realize the best moments are the ones spent together.
*Watch a replay of author Oge Mora talk and answer questions as part of a PA One Book event that features Saturday as the PA One Book selection for 2022!*
Pennsylvania Center for the Book Awards
Book Activities & Discussion Ideas
Before reading, show children the endpapers of the book. They feature a calendar noting days of the week as well as activities that occur on particular days. Explain that many families keep a calendar of all of the activities that each person in the family is involved in during a month. Point out that on this calendar, all of the Saturdays are filled in with exciting events, a visit to an art museum, a gallery visit, a tea party, the movies, and a puppet show. Ask the children if there are special things that they like to do on Saturdays or weekends. Tell them that you are going to read a story about a girl named Ava and her mother who love Saturdays for special reasons. After reading the book, engage children in a conversation about how Ava and her mother dealt with their disappointments. Encourage children to use their technique of pausing and taking a deep breath when something frustrating happens.
Share with families the benefits of keeping a family calendar like Ava and her mother. It’s a way for everyone in the family to work as a team when it comes to appointments, events, chores, meals, and so on. A family calendar helps the entire family organize personal and shared activities, and teaches children to see the importance of writing and making lists in everyday life. A family calendar can help families to prioritize family time and it gives everyone in the family something to look forward to—spending quality time together.