I Miss You Every Day by Simms Taback

*Picture book for preschoolers through first graders, contemporary
*Young girl as a main character
*Rating: I Miss You Every Day by Caldecott winner Simms Taback is a sweet book with bright, colorful illustrations that kids will want to read over and over again.

Short, short summary: In this book, a young girl is missing someone who lives far away. After telling the person how much she misses him/her, she decides to wrap herself up like a present and send herself through the mail. Then she discusses what will happen to her on her journey through the post office and once she gets to her loved one. It is told in rhyme with simple text and wonderful illustrations–a true picture book.

So, what do I do with this book?

1. Children will want to discuss someone they miss when reading this book. It will most likely be a family member that doesn’t live near them, such as a grandparent or maybe a parent that is in the military. They might also talk about someone that has died (just giving you a heads-up). Missing people is a complex issue, especially for children. It can be very heartbreaking, also, and this book opens up the lines of communication to talk about these emotions. Children can write letters or draw pictures for the person they are missing.

2. This is also a great book to discuss what happens to the mail after you put it in the mailbox. You could have a field trip to the post office as well as discuss the proper way to address an envelope and/or package. Write letters in class and send them on your post office field trip or even just take a walk to a mailbox on a beautiful spring (or fall) day!

3. In a shared writing time, children can write more lines of what the girl and her loved one can do together once they are reunited. Ask them to think about what they would like to do, and then you can decide whether or not you want to help them rhyme the lines or not. Children should write their part and illustrate it. Then you can put these together as a book.