Maybelline Has a Very. Bad. Day. follows a playful young goat on The Finca as one small disappointment turns into a whole tumble of troubles. Maybelline misses Ellie, the girl who usually brushes her, then gets bonked for sneaking hay, pricked by blackberry thorns, stuck in a fence, blamed for spilling snacks, startled by a vet shot, nipped along by the herding dog, and finally soaked in the rain. By bedtime, though, she’s safe in the barn with her mama, who gently reminds her that bad days happen, but they don’t last.

What I liked most about this book is how honest it feels about a child’s emotional world, even though the main character is a baby goat. Maybelline’s bad day isn’t one grand dramatic event. It’s the kind of day made of little stings, embarrassments, unmet wants, and bruised feelings. Some children’s books rush too quickly toward the lesson, but this one lets Maybelline actually have the hard day first. The writing is simple and accessible, with a nice rhythm in the repeated “bad day” feeling, and I appreciated that the comfort at the end doesn’t erase what happened. It just gives her somewhere soft to land.

The artwork brings a lot of the tenderness. Olena Kharkovenko’s illustrations have that gentle farm-life warmth I always enjoy in picture books, with soft fields, expressive animals, muddy little mishaps, and cozy barn scenes that make the world feel safe even when Maybelline is having a rough time. I especially liked the contrast between the wide, cheerful pasture scenes and the quieter images of Maybelline looking droopy or overwhelmed. The book also has a sweet amount of visual detail for children to notice, from the goats’ personalities to the little ladybugs and flowers tucked into the pages.

I found this to be a warm and reassuring children’s book with a kind heart and a very relatable emotional core. It’s funny in places, tender in others, and quietly wise about the way children process frustration, discomfort, and disappointment. The concluding thought lands gently: today may have been awful, but tomorrow still gets to be new. I’d recommend this book for preschool and early elementary children, especially kids who love animals, farm stories, or need a comforting read after one of those days when everything seems to go wrong.

Pages: 32 | ASIN: B0H1T5J8DL