Today’s extract of The Blue Day Book is being presented a little differently, with a selection of pages so you can view the stunning new illustrations by Claire Keane and some of the updated text.
A new, revised, anniversary edition of The Blue Day Book is out and like the original, it uses humour and compassion to reassure us that even on the worst days, all will be okay.
A few years ago, I was going through a particularly difficult period and a friend of mine sent me a gift book to let me know she was thinking of me. I sat down that afternoon and flicked through the pages of gorgeous photographs of animals, accompanied by text with humorous, compassionate messages about what a blue day feels like, what causes it, and how to get over it. That little book, on that particular day, made me feel that everything was going to be okay. The book was the publishing phenomenon, The Blue Day Book by Bradley Trevor Greive AM.
Twenty years after its first printing, Bradley Trevor Greive’s New York Times bestseller The Blue Day Book has become a modern classic,
and to celebrate the anniversary of spreading smiles for two decades, a completely fresh, and utterly charming reimagining of the book has been released.
The commemorative twentieth anniversary edition features revised text and a six-page letter from the author. But the biggest change is that the photos have been replaced with exquisite illustrations by celebrated French-American artist, Claire Keane.
I’ll admit, I was a little hesitant to review this book, because the original edition was so important to me. I adored the animal photographs. I thought… ‘This isn’t broken, so why fix it?’ However, the illustrated edition of The Blue Day Book exceeded all my expectations. It is a wonderful, fresh new take on the delightful original.
The illustrated edition has an adorable new hero, Elephant, who really captures the reader’s heart. Together, Keane’s wonderful images and BTG’s witty and inspirational text will lift the spirits of anyone who’s got the blues. I asked my teenage son to read this, which he did, returning it to me afterwards with a, ‘it’s cool.’ High praise indeed. In fact, this book is a great gift for teens, talking them through the difficult days.
We all have our bad days – they are an intrinsic part of being human. The solution is to see each incident in perspective, recognize that our feelings of failure and loss are neither unique nor enduring, acknowledge the absurdities of our existence, and glory in the potential we all have. In fewer than one hundred sentences The Blue Day Book conveys this message with great compassion and humour, taking us through the complete evolution of a blue day – what it feels like, what causes it, how to get over it.
The Blue Day Book has sold more than 2 million copies in Australia alone, and over 13 million in 115 countries worldwide. This delightful new edition ensures it will continue to be read and loved for many years to come.
The perfect gift for a struggling friend, but also the perfect gift for yourself.
About the author:
BRADLEY TREVOR GREIVE AM became a publishing sensation after the release of THE BLUE DAY BOOK in 2000; he has since sold 
more than 25 million books in 115 countries. In 2014 BTG was awarded the Order of Australia for his service to literature and wildlife conservation.
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