The Blue Ribbon Day    by Katherine Couric & Marjorie Priceman Order:  USA  Can Doubleday, 2004 (2004) Hardcover      Reviewed by J. A. Kaszuba Locke Katherine (Katie) Couric, NBC-TV newsreporter, brings back friends and classmates Ellie McSnelly and Carrie O'Toole (seen last in The Brand New Kid). The Blue Ribbon Day is a rhyming story about friendship and self-esteem, with valuable lessons on life's disappointments and joys, highlighting that each of us has a 'special gift'. It is opening day at Brookhaven School. Ellie and Carrie are excited when the bulletin for soccer team tryouts is posted. They sign up and give it their all, but Carrie doesn't make the team. Faithful friend Ellie consoles Carrie, as does Mom who advises, 'Honey, give it some time ... you'll have your chance to shine.' Another day brings a Science Fair competition. Carrie says, 'There IS a project I've been wanting to do.' Carrie and her lab partner Lazlo cook up a liquid concoction. Will their experiment bloom? Hooray! 'It worked? They'd made crystals? ... All colors and sizes, oblongs with slants on the ends, ... and they watched as they glistened, these two special friends.' A blue-ribbon winner for sure, as Ellie calls, 'I'm so proud to know two budding Einsteins!' And the next day, Carrie and Lazlo proudly cheer Ellie's winning performance in the soccer game. Couric has created a winner in The Blue Ribbon Day, whose jazzy words teach valuable life lessons. Illustrations by Marjorie Priceman (award-winning author of Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin) are vibrant splashes of color that portray the lively characters' delightful antics. I highly recommend their book as a warm and heartfelt must-read for all. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews