Just For Today

By Jan Phillips

     As our world becomes faster and faster and overbooked parents spend less and less time with their children, it's comforting to know that there are still picture books that remind both kids and adults of the importance of being, well, silly, if only for a day. In Jan Phillips' Just For Today, a family of bears does exactly that.

     Accompanied by their ever-playful border collie and pet cat, the family participates in a day that's one-of-a-kind. It begins,

     Wake up, sleepy heads! We have a surprise.
     It's just for today, so open your eyes.

     The usual rules are out the window as the family hides clocks, ignores faxes and phones, and generally has a good time. There's popcorn for breakfast and finger-painting, silly hats, a fuller appreciation of cloud formations, and a full day of good old-fashioned family time.

     The author and illustrator of this tale are, respectively, a California managing editor of a publishing company and a woman with a career in investment real estate. Together they've created a lovely little fluffy ode to those moments that are most important in life. Phillips' words are sweet little couplets accompanied by Shapiro's quiet watercolors. The pictures are especially impressive when you consider that their creator suffered a severe stroke after completing only four and accomplished the rest after a tremendous recovery. All in all, Just For Today lets adults relax, kids let loose, and readers revel in the wonder of enjoying life.