Today Is the Day by Chelsea Lin Wallace is one of my favorite picture books of the year so far! This gorgeous “slice of life” story combines a heartfelt story with illustrations so rich in detail that I’m adding it to my list of possible 2027 Caldecott contenders.
Author: Chelsea Lin Wallace
Illustrator: Adam Rex
Themes: international settings, daily life, the new day, routines, rituals, milestones, life
Recommended for: PreS-Grade 3
Starred reviews: Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Hornbook, and Booklist
Publication date: July 28, 2026
From births and deaths to birthday celebrations, family gatherings, quiet moments, and everyday routines, Chelsea Lin Wallace reminds readers that every day is filled with both extraordinary milestones and ordinary moments.
The book celebrates the joys, wonders, sorrows, and everyday experiences that connect us all. While people’s lives may look different depending on where they live, the emotions they experience—joy, hope, love, grief, excitement, anticipation, and curiosity—are universal.
Paired with Adam Rex’s richly detailed illustrations, this is a picture book that invites readers to slow down, look closely, and appreciate the many stories unfolding around them.
Adam Rex’s illustrations are absolutely packed with details, making this a book that rewards readers who slow down and really look. This is not a story centered on one country or one culture. Instead, the illustrations create a vibrant, global community that reflects the diversity of our world.
As I explored each spread, I noticed characters wearing hijabs, colorful tuk-tuks weaving through traffic circles, e-bikes, several delivery bikes, lush rice terraces, and different foods and traditions.
One illustration appears to show birthday presents hanging from a clothesline. I had not heard of this tradition before, so I looked up. It’s a birthday tradition from Russia!
Another page includes “ha-ha!” written in different languages.
Readers will notice thoughtful disability representation throughout the book, with children and adults using mobility aids in everyday scenes.
One scene especially made me laugh—an angry cyclist shaking a fist while navigating a busy street. It’s exactly the kind of small visual joke that makes each rereading worthwhile. Is he fist-shaking at the woman who dropped her groceries?
Nearly every spread contains fascinating little details that children will enjoy discovering.
The transportation scenes especially resonated with me. Having lived in China for five years and traveled throughout Southeast Asia, I immediately recognized familiar scenes filled with e-bikes, bicycles, motorized delivery tricycles, and other forms of transportation that are part of everyday life in many communities. The relatively few helmets also struck me as true to life.
The settings aren’t tourist attractions, nor are they specific to any one country. Instead, they depict the ordinary places where people live, work, celebrate, and go about their daily lives. I love how refreshingly authentic the illustrations feel.
The characters also reflect a wonderfully diverse global community. Many have brown skin, families appear in many different forms, and people wear a variety of clothing that reflects cultures from around the world. Rather than drawing attention to differences, the illustrations simply show people of all ages living their everyday lives.
Every page offers something new to notice, making Today Is the Day an ideal read-aloud for encouraging careful observation. Students can read the story once for enjoyment, then return to each spread to hunt for interesting details, compare morning rituals, birthday and wedding traditions, identify different forms of transportation, and discuss what they notice.
I’m adding Today Is the Day to my personal list of possible 2027 Caldecott Medal contenders. Whether or not it ultimately earns Caldecott recognition, Adam Rex has created illustrations that are visually stunning while also carrying much of the storytelling. Every page invites readers to linger just a little longer, and every rereading reveals something new.
Many readers already know Adam Rex from beloved books including The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors, School’s First Day of School, On Account of the Gum, School’s First Day of School, Echo, and dozens of other popular children’s books. Although he has received numerous honors throughout his career, he has never won the Caldecott Medal. If this book receives Caldecott recognition, I certainly won’t be surprised.
Some picture books tell a story. Others invite readers to step inside a world and stay awhile. Today Is the Day does exactly that. Chelsea Lin Wallace’s heartfelt text and Adam Rex’s extraordinary illustrations celebrate both the remarkable and the beautifully ordinary moments that make up a single day.
Whether shared as a read-aloud or explored one page at a time, this is a book children will want to revisit again and again.
If you enjoy books that introduce children to cultures and daily life around the world, be sure to explore my free Picture Books Around the World spreadsheet.
Use the tabs at the bottom to navigate among 10 worldwide continents and regions, then scroll the countries alphabetically.
You can also make an editable copy in your own Google Drive. Open the spreadsheet and go to FILE-Make a copy.
