Turn Those Forwns Upside-Down with these Animal Clowns

Have you ever had one of those days when it feels like everything is going wrong and the whole world is out to get you? Maybe you're swamped with work, you got into a big fight, or you just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Well, whatever your malady, this delightful little volume is sure to bring you comfort and a whole lot of smiles.

The Blue Day Book: A Lesson in Cheering Yourself Up is a small hardcover book which, in under 100 pages, delivers a healthy dose of encouragement with its simple, witty prose and its delightful photographs of animals displaying all-too-human emotions. You'll go from depressed dogs, grumpy hippos, and exhausted lions to playful chimps, singing zebras, and smooching warthogs, taking the opportunity to laugh at yourself through their antics.

I first discovered this book at my aunt's house. It makes a great coffee table book; even if you don?t feel like reading it, you can flip through the pictures and find your favorites. But reading it is well worth the half-hour or so that it takes. I can't imagine the time it must have taken to find so many excellent photographs which fit so well into the theme of the book.

Each page of this book is precious in its own way, but I'll share with you some of my favorites:

Just getting started seems impossible (9) - a polar bear slumped over with his posterior high in the air, trying to get himself up

On blue days you can become paranoid that everyone is out to get you. (This is not always such a bad thing.) (10) - a guinea pig trapped in the beak of a large bird

...which can induce a nail-biting frenzy that can escalate into a triple-chocolate-mud-cake-eating frenzy in the blink of an eye! (12-13) - a skinny groundhog nibbling on something between clenched claws, then a roly-poly groundhog

[You might] be afflicted with a demeaning nickname (28) - a dog sticking his head out of a hole in the door of a doghouse, over which the name "Porky" is painted

or just have a plain old bad hair-day. (29) - one of those really tall, skinny dogs with long-stringy hair

...or, even worse, become addicted to Billy Joel songs. (48) - a serious-looking kitten playing a toy grand piano

[The world is full of]...scrumptious snacks to share. (55) - a pair of mice nibbling together on a piece of fruit

But best of all, there's romance. (65) - two swans head-to-head, the space between their arched necks resembling a heart

So how can you find that blissful "just sliding into a hot bubble bath" kind of feeling? (74) - a seal with an expression of ecstacy on his face

Be proud of who you are, (84) - a very haughty-looking hippo

Live every day as if it were your last, because one day it will be. (87) - a lion cub standing on the ground where an elephant is about to place his foot

Take big risks. (89) - a mouse standing on top of a cat's head

If you've ever had a lousy day - and I know we all have - Bradley Trevor Greive's book is sure to strike a humorous chord with you and maybe just give you the will to keep persevering until the storm passes. If you get a kick out of this one, check out his newly-published Dear Mom: Thank You for Everything, equally delightful and guaranteed to touch the heart of the woman who brought you into this world.