Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday is an educational concept picture book for children, grades k-3, written by Alysson Foti Bourque and illustrated by Chiara Civati. Bugsy and Alycat’s morning began with a race down the stairs, which Bugsy won. While she’s not a sore loser, Alycat wasn’t at all impressed that Bugsy had left a golf ball on the stairs, which caused her a crucial delay. Not only did it make her lose, but it could also have caused an accident. Bugsy scooped up the ball and displayed the big green star marking the ball. “It’s my lucky ball,” he replied. When the two siblings and their parents were ready to go, Mom and Dad told Bugsy to make sure he had all his golf gear. But, as they got in the car, Bugsy realized he had left his lucky ball at home. Mom explained that practice and hard work made him a good golfer, but Bugsy wasn’t so sure.

Alysson Foti Bourque’s Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday addresses the issue of lucky tokens that kids and adults often attribute their success to rather than their own efforts in an entertaining story which also introduces golf to young readers. Chiara Civati’s colorful illustrations masterfully bring Alycat and her family to life. I especially appreciated how well she captures each character’s facial expressions as they go through their day. While I doubt that the message in this story will encourage young readers to dispose of their lucky tokens, it may get them to consider whether it’s not really their own hard efforts that make them shine. This thought-provoking and fun story is highly recommended.

Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday is written by Alysson Foti Bourque and illustrated by Chiara Civati. Tournament Tuesday begins with a race down the stairs between Alycat and her brother Bugsy. This time, Bugsy left his ‘lucky’ golf ball on the stairs and it nearly tripped her up. Their mother and father let them know it is time to go to the golf course but Bugsy has forgotten his ‘lucky’ golf ball. His parents try to explain to him that he doesn’t need luck, just practice and hard work. Alycat retrieves the golf ball for him but discovers a little too late that it is not his lucky ball after all. Will Alycat tell him the truth about picking up the wrong golf ball for him? Will Bugsy still be able to play or will he need to go back and get the correct ‘lucky ball’? Would Bugsy’s golf game be any different with or without the lucky ball?

I love the lessons Alysson Foti Bourque has woven through the plot about telling the truth, hard work and the importance of practicing the things we love to do. Although Alycat is Bugsy’s big sister and he almost made her trip over, she still cared enough to try to color a green star onto his golf ball so he would think it was his lucky ball. The illustrations by Chiara Civati are absolutely beautiful and colorful. I love how every bright picture easily shows the interaction between family and friends as Bugsy discovers the truth in some very important life lessons. I recommend Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday to anyone with children of reading age. I hope that Bourque and Civati team up again for more stories about Alycat, Bugsy, their friends and family that deliver well-written lessons as children read and learn from them.