Lily-May's Joyful Day Hardcover by John Schu; Illustrated by Holly Hatam

Product Details

• Publisher: Candlewick (2026-09-01)
• Language: English
• Paperback: 40 pages
• ISBN-13: 9781536238624
• Item Weight: 425.25 grams
• Dimensions: 23.8 x 26.04 x 0.89 cm

New York Times best-selling author John Schu and illustrator Holly Hatam present a companion tale to Ruthie Rose’s Big Idea in a gentle story about finding joy in the everyday.

Today is the day that Lily-May and her best friend, Ruthie Rose, will be sharing items from their Bag of Y-O-U. The class cheers after Ruthie Rose shows off her bag full of treasures, but Lily-May can’t stop her heart from racing when she pulls out a single piece of paper from hers. “Take a deep breath, Lily-May!” her grandmother would say. “Hold it. Count to three.” And soon the class is rapt as Lily-May explains about “joywalking”—a time to listen and think, wander and roam, explore ideas and notice—then proudly leads them all outside to take a joywalk of their own. The acclaimed team behind Ruthie Rose’s Big Idea: A Poetry Story is back with a sweet and inspirational tale of mindfulness that will find a valuable place in classrooms and homes alike.

About the Author

John Schu is the author of the companion book Ruthie Rose’s Big Idea: A Poetry Story, illustrated by Holly Hatam. He is also the author of the picture books This Is a School, illustrated by Veronica Miller Jamison, and This Is a Story, illustrated by Lauren Castillo, as well as the young adult novel Louder Than Hunger. He is a children’s librarian at Bookelicious and a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University. He was previously Scholastic’s Ambassador of School Libraries and has worked as a classroom teacher and school librarian. He travels all over the world visiting schools to advocate for the people and things he cares about most: kids, books, teachers, libraries, and librarians. John Schu lives in Naperville, Illinois. You can find his popular blog, Watch. Connect. Read., at www.JohnSchu.com and follow him @MrSchuReads.

Holly Hatam is an artist and author who has been drawing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. As a kid, she held art gallery openings in her tiny bedroom and charged her family a whopping 25-cent admission fee! She is the illustrator of two #1 New York Times bestsellers, Dear Girl by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosen­thal and Dear Boy by Paris Rosenthal and Jason Rosenthal, as well as Ruthie Rose’s Big Idea: A Poetry Story by John Schu. She lives in Waterloo, Ontario. You can find her at hollyhatam.com and follow her @hollyhatamillustration.