Have you ever wondered where frogs sleep? Have you ever thought about what they are saying? David Wiesner invites readers to go deep into their imaginations to answer these questions and more in his book, Tuesday.
Summary
The story begins on a Tuesday. Readers are introduced to the main character who is a frog. The swamp animal and his friends do not speak. In fact, readers must come up with their own narratives as David Wiesner does not put many words to the story. In the end, we are challenged with the notion of the story’s events, as largely told through illustrations, being more than just a dream. Perhaps, frogs really can fly through the night on leaves, and maybe, just maybe they are communicating with each other while humans sleep.
Say Less
The delivery of this story is interesting. I was expecting to read about a frog’s life as told from the perspective of the frog. I was expecting personification. David Wiesner instead gave me images and challenged my imagination to think big.
Readers are given the basic structure of time in Tuesday. We know the events that unfold occur at various times throughout the night. We know morning brings out the neighbors who swear flying frogs are real. We do not know exactly what they saw or the stories they give to law enforcement and the press. These details are left up to us, the readers, to create.
There Is Always Tuesday
At the end of his story, Wiesner introduces us to another Tuesday evening in which pigs begin to fly. This cliffhanger invites us back into the world of imagination and reminds us of the magic of this special day the author seems to love.
Who Is This For?
Tuesday by David Wiesner is not for children looking to build reading habits. There are not enough words on the page for that. This book is great for parents looking for ways to liven up story time. You can use this book to invite kids to create their own stories based on the images offered in this tale.