Picture Day Perfection by Deborah Diesen (review)

It’s class picture day, and it’s one of those days. First, bedhead, then a stained shirt, followed by a pancake syrup mishap. There’s trouble on the bus, uncontrolled glue in the art room, a gray background pre-order, and the stage is set for … disaster? No, for the narrator’s idea of a perfectly planned photograph. Unfortunately for him, a little glimmer of delight must have flitted across his mind just as the camera clicked: “Wasted! Useless! Ruined, in a moment of weakness, by an unexpected smile.” The result, of course, is a toothless, paint-smudged, wild-haired portrait that only a mother can and does love. Diesen spins out the nefarious plot in workmanlike fashion, but it’s Santat’s digital illustrations that carry the day. The narrator’s malleable features are in a perpetual state of contortion as he plans his photo disaster and reacts to the series of unfortunate events that conspire to bring him glory. Clever bits such as the scribbled emoticons on his September calendar page, and the sepia- and gray-toned faces that play in his imagination add to the fun. Kids who own a copy of the book can insert a personal 3 × 5 of their own lovely mugs in a slot provided on the inside back cover. It’s more likely, though, that primary-school teachers will make this a group read with the stern admonishment, “Don’t even think about it!”