The brown-skinned protagonist of this endearing story is crestfallen when she wakes up sick on the day of her class's costume party. She and her mom had prepared a white rabbit costume, complete with fluffy cottontail and carrot, that she had been so excited to wear. The next day, her mom suggests she wear the costume to school to make up for missing the day before. The girl is absolutely on board and can hardly wait to get to school. But when she arrives in the schoolyard, she draws the eyes of the other kids, who point and giggle; after all, costume day is over. Today is just a regular clothes day. Just as she begins to think she's made a big mistake, she's heartened by the arrival of Hugo, a blond boy dressed as—how perfect!—a bright orange carrot. He'd been sick yesterday, too. Hugo runs over heroically, crying, “‘Be sad no more, little rabbit—your carrot is here!’” Carrot and bunny start up a game of chase, and soon everyone wants to join in. All is well in the little girl's world. Even better, the next day, the other kids show up in costume, hoping to prolong the fun. This playful tale will be relatable to anyone who has experienced the disappointment of missing an anticipated event or the discomfort of standing out. Paper-collage illustrations show a diverse class of small children with expressive faces.     (Ages 3-6)

After missing her class costume party, a girl decides she doesn’t need an excuse to dress up in this charming board book, a relatable school story from author-illustrator Blanca Gómez.

When a little girl is home sick for dress-up day at school, she decides there’s no need to miss out entirely: She’ll just wear her rabbit costume the next day!

But when the next day arrives and she’s the only one in costume, it doesn’t feel like such a great idea after all. Can a little bit of confidence and an unexpected new friend turn a self-conscious moment into a wonderful one?

Funny, endearing, and relatable to any kid who’s ever felt insecure, Dress-Up Day is an ode to friendship, embracing individuality, and putting yourself out there no matter the occasion.

“There’s an emotional change on almost every page of this picture book as Gómez presents the possibility that moments of chagrin don’t last forever, and that disasters can morph into delight.” —Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)