Book Description
for Henry's Picture-Perfect Day by Jenn Bailey and Mika Song
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Unlike his classmates, Henry (East Asian) is not excited for class picture day. His striped shirt is irritating: the collar too close to his ears, the cuffs too tight around his wrists. And the buttons? They’re never ending! Worse, Vivianne tells Henry that her mom says stripes make a person look taller—but Henry is not taller, which makes his shirt a liar. When the photographer is running late, the class munches on some mess-free carrots in the meantime—and Henry’s tooth starts to wiggle, leading to a degree of chaos. Vivianne frets that a loose tooth will “ruin [their] picture,” but despite his classmates’ efforts, the tooth will not be secured; to the contrary, it falls out and gets lost in the shuffle. Could it be one of those white specks in the soil of the potted plants? Better dig to find out. By the time the tooth is located, Henry’s shirt is streaked with dirt. Surely this will ruin their picture, Vivianne says. Ms. Tanaka, though, is reassuring. “Pictures are meant to show special times and special friends. That is all.” Henry takes this to heart. The class picture was “not about a shirt. Henry did not have to be perfect. He just had to be Henry.” This latest installment about Henry, who thrives on routine and is likely neurodivergent, is charming, reassuring, and full of humorous classroom antics.
CCBC Choices 2026. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin – Madison, 2026. Used with permission.

