All in a Day is a unique and engaging book that shows the same moments in a 24-hour day, as they occur at the same time around the world. The narrator of the story, sailor Oliver Smith (aka SOS), is on an uninhabited island at noon somewhere in the South Pacific, waiting to be rescued. Zé is making kites in Brazil at 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve while Kae-Kae is celebrating New Year’s Day with firecrackers at 8 a.m. in China. Alyosha in Russia is asleep at 3 a.m., dreaming of a great feast.
The team of venerable illustrators who contributed to this unique book includes Eric Carle, Raymond Briggs, Nicolai Ye Popov, Akiko Hayashi, Gian Calvi, Leo and Diane Dillon, Zhu Chengliang, Ron Brooks and Mitsumasa Anno. Anno provided the original vision and concept for All in a Day. In reading this “day in the life,” children learn about time differences and also learn that no matter the differences in culture, geography, tradition or lifestyle, we all share so many similarities.