That Morning

A lovely story about the repercussions of conflicts and the power of forgiveness.

This story was first published as ‘Esa mañana’ in Spanish in 2016. This is the English translation.

Mangrufo and Leuklaya are upset in their respective houses. They can’t concentrate on their books nor toys. Even their respective pets can’t make them feel better. The reason is clear: both had a fight the previous day and now both feel guilty and lonely. However, they don’t know what to do. How to take the first step towards a reunion?

The narration comes from the perspectives of both Mangrufo and Leuklaya. We never get to see who was right and who was at fault. Both made mistakes, and both feel guilty. I simply loved this angle. Often, fights in picture books are portrayed as just one-sided with a single guilty party, but in reality, arguments between kids (especially siblings or best friends) are more complex.

I have somewhat mixed feelings about the resolution of the conflict, which is almost instantaneous. There is no verbal or written apology, nor is there any clarification. The two characters just bond over what to do next and reunite. While this sometimes happens in real life too, suppressed arguments can turn out to be more harmful in the long run, and clearing the air is always recommended. That said, the point could also be that a merely uttered ‘sorry’ isn’t as important as a genuine heartfelt attempt to forgive, forget, and move on.

What elevates the book to greater heights are the magnificent illustrations that are ‘out of this world’ in more ways than you would guess. I simply loved the minor detailing such as the quirky art deco pieces in both their houses and the shading style of the natural scenes. I am also impressed at that clever cover art that doesn’t reveal anything about our two main characters. There is a subtle monster theme in the story and it creates a nice play between the characters and their feelings. This story-within-a-story twist is simply brilliant, though I wonder how many kids will understand this layering.

The official target age group is the Pre-K-3 segment. The text is quite minimal, not more than a line per page. The vocabulary level is also quite simple. This makes it a wonderful book for younger kids as well.

Overall, this is a great book that stresses on the unseen side of an argument – its effect on your feelings and how moving on can make the world bright again. Definitely recommended.

4.25 stars.

My thanks to Windmill Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “That Morning”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Mangrufo and Leuklaya both feel off, and they can’t quite figure out why. Told through their eyes, readers watch as they try doing everything they can to get out from the heavy cloud they’re stuck under until they realize what it is they need to do.

Imaginative, quirky, somewhat mysterious with a satisfying revelation near the end; this book will engage young readers and teach them a valuable lesson about the simple yet sometimes most difficult thing to do which is to apologize and forgive.

This one hits home for all ages, and begins with a morning in which toys, sunrises, books, and everything else just failed to bring joy, and the sadness just hits you hard. I was a little bit confused as far as the storyline went, as this one has a Where the Wild Things Are type illustrative feel, but was harder to digest. That being said, this one is all about the distress and sadness we can feel sometimes when we have conflict with a sibling and/or loved one. A valuable lesson for all.

This book is so unique! At first I thought it had a monster/ Halloween theme but then love the sibling twist and ending. The illustrations are great.

Magical reality in a children's book - this is something not easy to rate and describe. A unique picture book, no doubt about that.

You can get lost in the illustrations, there are so many funny and quirky details: a three-eyed cat, bones and skulls, a caveman little boy... By the end of the book, I have put the story together, but my daughter (4.5 years old) did not understand what was going on. The takeaway of the story is great, and it's a good starting point for discussions about reconciliation, regret and many other feelings, but the imaginary world of these two kids was difficult to understand (to my kid).

Thank you NetGalley and Windmill Books for an Advance Review Copy.

Two monster children (literally...or not?) feel awful on the morning after...the incident. They hurt each-other, and now don't know how to reconcile.

The artwork is quite cartoony, with an almost "Where the Wild Things Are" feel. Large landscapes, exaggerated features. Not quite so detailed as Sendak, but still lively.

The text does get repetetive, and I think my big criticism of this book is that Mangrufo, the boy monster, is always first in each statement, with Leuklaya, the girl monster, mentioned almost as an aside. Each part of the book first describes what Mangrufo is doing/feeling, followed by "a bit like Leuklaya," and a similar description of her feelings. It never varies and gives her a chance to be first. While this could be a thing of style, it just doesn't sit right with me, to have the boy first every time.

Overall, a good read. It kept my kid's attention, though no request for a repeat. A good choice for library pickup.

Originally a Mexican picture book, this is more than welcome in an international market. It features two young monsters, each reluctantly facing the day, stumbling out of bed, kind of regretting the badness they've put upon themselves through being – well, young monsters. The easy and obvious way they're mirroring each other throughout, the whole scene-setting of them and their monstrousness – and the killer punchline (and the way it's delivered both by the text and by the image) – all make this a really enjoyable and clever title. I'll say no more about what it's really trying to say and do – only that it says and does it in perfect style.